Vimazi Z40 Review

I got excited about the Vimazi brand when I heard about them from a friend at a Spartan Race who was in the midst of reviewing them for his Tik Tok channel. Shoes that you choose based on what paces you run? I wanted to learn more, so I reached out directly to the company and they were incredibly responsive, knowledgeable, and most importantly, passionate about running! 

John Zilly, one of Vimazi’s co-founders, agreed to sit down for an interview with me about their cutting edge technology (you can read that article here). Vimazi kindly provided me with a pair of Z40s to try, and give my honest feedback on. 

Since Vimazi shoes are in their first iteration on the market, and the brand launched EIGHT different models (think about larger shoe brands that re-engineer a single model every year), the shoes have some minor growing pains in terms of durability and fit, but overall, I’m impressed by my Z40s and their performance over the past few months of my tempo and threshold workouts.  

Before I jump into the experience of these pace-tuned shoes, let’s look at the specs of the Z40:

WEIGHT - 185g, 6.5oz (W8 US)

STACK - 29mm

DROP - 5mm

PEAK FORCE SPEC - 870N in heel & midfoot, 1435N in forefoot (W11.5)

Vimazi includes the peak force spec tuning for each model of shoes– a metric that allows you to see the force difference between the heel/midfoot and forefoot. The peak forces you see in the forefoot are what allow for a firm toe-off. The lower peak forces in the heel/midfoot are what lead to the comfortable absorption of landing forces in the beginning of your foot strike phase. 

I’ve put 85 miles into the Z40s over the course of several workouts and I’m excited about their unique feel and intentional design. The Z40 is designed for paces between 6:15-7:45 min/mile, and I’m running most of my tempo runs and threshold workouts on the lower end of that window–around 6:15-6:20 pace. I chose the Z40 instead of the adjacent pace window (the Z30 which is designed for 5:15-6:45 min/mile pace) because of its versatility for slower runs and Z2 workouts. When running outside of the pace zone of the Z40, I have noticed that the shoe performs better on the slower end of the spectrum outside of the intended pace zone (i.e. 8-10 minute miles) compared to running faster than the intended pace zone. This is likely due to the design considerations Vimazi took to create a comfortable, high performing shoe for those running in the 6:15-7:45 min/mile pace window. 

Now that I’ve had a chance to test out the adjacent pace zone, the Vimazi Z30 (designed for 5-7 minute miles), I can confirm that the Z40 is the better bet for the slower end of the overlapping zones. The Z40 has more to it than the Z30 does, weighing in 1 oz heavier. The Z40 has 29mm of stack and 5mm of heel to toe drop, making it feel like a more maximalist ride for longer, slightly slower efforts. The Z30, on the other hand (or foot rather), is lighter, has lower stack and heel to toe drop, and a more streamlined upper. 

One of the biggest takeaways I have from running in Vimazi shoes is the magic goldilocks zone the company has found with respect to cushioning and responsiveness. The Z40s have properties reminiscent of supershoes without the instability. They have enough ground feel and responsiveness in the forefoot combined with cushioning in the heel and midfoot to create a smooth ride and plenty of punchy toe off. 

The fit of the Z40 is probably my only real complaint with the shoe. I ordered a size 8.5 in the Z40, pretty typical for my other road shoes, yet I’m finding that this model runs on the larger side in both width and length–a notable contradiction from Vimazi’s website claim that the Z40 runs small and that buyers should consider going a half size up. 

I have extremely long and narrow feet, and it seems the Z40s are designed to be comfortable for folks with wider feet. For many runners, the roomy toe box is a welcome feature for a performance shoe, whereas I prefer shoes to run narrow with a tight and secure lockdown across the entirety of the shoe (think Salomon or VJ). 

Initially, I found that my lacing was loosening over 6 miles or so. I was having to tighten and re-tie these shoes during a workout–not ideal, but also not a deal breaker for me. In an effort to create better heel lockdown and resolve some of the fit issues, I began using the extra eyelet at the top when lacing the Z40s up. So far, this seems to have helped immensely! 

It is worth noting that I ordered the same size (women’s 8.5) in the Z30s and they fit perfectly. 

With 85 miles in the bank on my Z40s, I feel that it’s fair to make an evaluation of their durability with respect to the outsole. I have noticed that the forefoot is beginning to flake off and show substantial signs of wear compared to other road shoes I use in my current rotation. The heel shows only minor signs of wear. 

The lengthwise tread pattern of the Z40 tends to gather small rocks and debris that may be contributing to the accelerated wear of this shoe. If you’re running on pristine pavement or sidewalks, this may not be an issue for you. 

Runners who are in the market for a racing or workout shoe without a plate should check Vimazi out! The Z40 is designed with comfort and efficiency in mind. Runners with wide feet might really enjoy the roomy toe box of the Z40, but those with more narrow feet may need to size down or find an alternative lacing pattern to optimize fit.