Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro Review

These might be the most fun shoe I've run in at faster paces. I run with a mid/forefoot strike and have a pretty pronounced toe off, and these shoes are work perfectly for me. Between 3K and half-marathon effort, these shoes feel right at home, especially when you lean into them a bit. They feel like they're demanding speed, and have excellent energy return. 

Similar to other super shoes, as your legs get tired in workouts, they are very helpful in keeping your turnover going. Because of they way they work with my stride, they're helpful in keeping my form cleaner towards the end of a long workout. 

That being said, there are a few downsides to the design. First, they are uncomfortable and awkward at easier paces. The Wave Rebellion Pro feels best to me when I'm running between 4:30-6:00 minutes per mile. When I run much slower than that, they start to feel clunky and lose the smoothness they have when I'm putting a bit more power into them. 

That leads to the second downside. While the Wave Rebellion Pro's provide great energy return when you work with the design, they might not be the best for all runners. If you're a runner who likes a super shoe that helps you roll through, similar to the Saucony Endorphin Pro (or even the Vaporfly), these might not work well for you. Because there isn't much of a heel, you're working against the geometry of the plate and foam if you land farther back on your foot. For me, it didn't feel great. Obviously, this is subjective, and there are likely many runners who land closer to their heel who find these shoes to be fantastic. 

Finally, my last take is that the Wave Rebellion Pro provides excellent cushioning and energy return, but it still isn't a shoe I would take out for longer workouts or races. Mizuno markets it as a 10K to marathon shoe, but I wouldn't want to spend that much time in them. 

The Wave Rebellion Pro runs small. I typically wear a 10.5 in daily trainers, flats, super shoes and spike, so I was very surprised when I first tried these on. They are snugger than I would like. For most runs, I prefer a medium thickness crew sock. With that type of sock in the Wave Rebellion Pro, I need a size 11 to fit comfortably. With a thin sock, I can make a 10.5 work, but would still prefer to size up. Other people who have tried these shoes have noticed the same thing. 

I think the Wave Rebellion Pro is similar in fit to most race shoes. They're a little narrower, with a lightweight upper. That all works perfectly for my foot, but your mileage may vary. 

Finally, the first run in these I didn't nail the lacing, and left them a bit looser than they should have been in the ankle. I finished that workout with both Achilles tendons rubbed raw, and with nasty blisters on my big toes. I've since solved the blister problems and am no longer sliding forward in the shoe, but for the upper material cuts the back of my heel still. 

I mentioned earlier that these shoes look ridiculous. They have no heel, and from in the inside, have a massive gap right in the mid foot. This all contributes to their unique (and fun) ride, but looks absurd. 

Looks aside, they are pretty well built, and impressively light for their size. The two-layer foam system works well, and provides impressive stability for such a high stack shoe. I found the traction on these shoes to be among the best I've run in. Soggy and slippery bike paths in the Pacific Northwest that my shoes typically struggle on were no issue with the Wave Rebellion Pro. Very impressive. Similarly, they seem to be wearing very well, with nearly no signs of visible wear so far. I'll update this as I get more workouts and races in them. 

Overall, I think Mizuno nailed it with these shoes. They are fast, fun, well-cushioned, and unlike any of the other super shoes I've tried. 

I'm not entirely sure I would use them for a marathon, particularly with a size that is a bit too small. That could change if I decided to size up. But for anything between 5K-half-marathon on the roads, these are now my go-to race shoe. 

They do have a few quirks that might turn away some runners, and I still have to figure out why they are cutting up my heel. When you can often find the Nike Vaporfly (which is a great race shoe) on sale for significantly cheaper, it can be hard to justify the $250 price of the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro. 

However, these shoes are excellent, and if you're looking for a fast and fun race shoe that is different from most of the other shoes on the market, these are an excellent option.