BEST ATHLETIC RUNNING SHOE I EVER PURCHASED AND CONTINUES TO BE...!
I LOVE these shoes! I first purchased the Wave prophesy 3 Running shoe a few years ago and it was a real life saver. Nike stopped making the Turbo shox (full bottom shox) some years ago and the last ones they made, the Turbo 4 was a terrible change in the design. So looking around, I found these at a specialty athletic shoe place but not in my size. I turned to Amazon and found them in my size AND at a discounted rate from the going price at the time.This model, if it were possible, is a interesting improvement from the Prophecy 3.1) It has an inner underside layer of material which is then overlayed with a real honey-comb weave that has real openings in the honey-comb (instead of being printed like the Prophecy 3 model) and over that on the outer layer is another see-through mesh layer.2) This shoe seems to have a slight increase in the interior cushioning than the Prophecy 3 but perhaps that is because my other ones are a little worn.3) The clear plastic (polymer?) toe protector (toe cap) made of the same material as the protective eyelet stay (the boarding guard around the eyelet track), in the Prophecy 3 has been replaced by a thicker, better, more durable material in the Prophecy 4.4) Unlike my Nike Shox, the Wave Prophecy shoes (both 3 and 4) have not needed a insert replacement! The insole cushion (which comes out and can be replaced with another cushion padding after being worn down) has not needed replacement in my Prophecy 3's yet!I can wear these shoes all day long without any problems and they help my feet last. I can also wear them for what they were made for - running. I use them also for dancing and aerobics and hiking. They hold up well in washing and the shoe strings are made of some kind of nylno I think and they do not break unlike other athletic shoes that wear out.For me, I discovered, I usually wear a size 5.5 in normal shoes and sport shoes. However, Nike (Shox) tended to run small so I had to go up to a size 6. For the Mizuno Wave Prophecy shoes (as I suspect with all Mizuno running shoes), they run small and I had to go up to a size 6.5 in these. Even so, they are a perfect fit throughout the entire shoe with good arch fit and toe room and heel support. Keep the size jump in mind when purchasing. I purchased my Prophecy 3's in pink a few years ago and then bought the Prophecy 4's in pink and just bought another pair in blue!These are great shoes and if you can get them at Amazon online at these great prices, it can be a great deal!UPDATE 09/13/16: I am still wearing my Mizuno's of two years ago (and also the pair I purchased in 2015) and they have NEVER needed an insole replacement. Everyone of my other athletic shoes, including Nike Shox, have had to have the inserts replaced. I would have to replace them with Spenco insoles/inserts but NEVER have I had to replace the Mizuno's! I am amazed because I wear these shoes all day long, work, run, play, shop, everything in these shoes from sun up to sun down seven days a week and they continue to hold up. I wish they made a high top shoe! That would be great for my type of dancing!To me, they are the best shoes I have ever had. One note however, I was clearing away brambles and shrubs and dead rose bushes (like a jungle of thorns and sharp edges) and the netting on the surface of these shoes snagged. So what, they aren't made for heavy landscaping! None the less, I wore them because they got me through the day without any soreness in my feet. They are worth every penny and I will continue to buy these.Also, some Mizunos, and you have to check carefully, do NOT have the type of tread on the bottom like these. The tread is really important and these are constructed of really durable material and have "tracks" that are split, not just groved or molded. They remind me of the tracks on a tank with individualized sections that bend independently of each other so they won't split and crack from the bending action of your foot.Worth every cent I paid!