Purchased in 2024 for use on tartan and 5K road races.

I am 87kg, foot length 27.5cm with 10.5cm width, zero arch and quite a bit of volume on the upper side (scaphoid). Size 44 (28.5cm) is relatively ok in length but narrows at the toe and is generally tight at the heel and the "balls" of the foot. At the heel, a hole opened in the lining on the inner side of the ankle, something that has never happened to me before. At the front, on the "balls," I feel like I'm stepping off the sole and the side areas of the foot have worn/peeled from friction.

The foam lasted about 150km. Afterwards, it "settled" and any of its properties were lost. While it worked, it was nothing special.

The sole was average as it started to lose grip along with the foam's collapse. While it worked, it didn't seem to have an issue. Tried in a 5K race with elevation under rain and steep downhill without a problem.

The outer fabric didn't show the slightest wear and is like the first day. Internally, it has torn at the end of the collar, at the Achilles.

I would suggest looking at version 6 where the sole has changed and they have put in newer foam, maybe the result is better.

Those coming from Mizuno from the Wave Plate era, look for something else...

It is heavy, but I am 85 kg. Regardless of being tall, weight is weight and it strains every athletic shoe. They have a lot of insulation material. They are indeed soft. However, I have weight. I don't feel support in the arch. Walking or using them for light running. 10-15 km a day sometimes a week. Heavy, slow running. I am also 55. The drop is small. The front hits on the descent, which has a lot of material and slaps. The back sits due to weight, so with so much material, especially in the front, it needs a larger drop. It becomes flat and transfers the body's need for support to the middle. The body almost sinks back into the soft material. While the front remains untouched. The Wave Rider 25 with a larger drop and less material in the front provides a more natural "seesaw" for propulsion. I don't expect a return. I am talking about body support. The lighter ones, the younger ones, and the regular runners won't understand me. But a vertebra has slipped. And it feels like arthritis in cold weather. It immediately signals what is wrong with the shoe. Another mistake for me. An expensive mistake.

Update 1: As the kilometers pass, it settles into the shape it will have. No, it hasn't gotten better nor have I gotten used to it. The Mizuno shoes don't wear out easily; they are very well made and stay that way for many hundreds of kilometers. So I now know how it will be for the next part of their life. Not in my hands. The material in the front is excessive. Generally, it is excessive. And it exacerbates the orthopedic problems I have. Knee and back. I just stop to rest. Three stars though because I can't dispute so many reviews here and in articles about how good they are. They don't work for me. And this applies to many and for many. Reviews are strictly subjective no matter how objective they want to be. So I am now searching blindly and with intuition for what will be good after the first week, the first month.