Mizuno - Wave Inspire 21

Mizuno Wave Inspire 21 surprised me going off road. The grip on the back of these are great for trail, and the heal is not too high.

if you like a 12mm drop, the inspire 21 from mizuno still has that (but will change to 10mm in january ‘26) and is also a mid-stability shoe. but all foams will be softer than what you are used to.

I bought a pair of Mizuno Wave Inspire 21 a few months ago and currently have 150 miles on them. They still look almost new with very little wear on the soles. I'm tired of all the cheap foam, especially on the HOKA and now the Saucony Kinvara I used to always buy, they immediately start wearing out after 50-100 miles. The Mizunos are not flashy but they get the job done with daily runs!

I love my wave rider 26s. I recently tried on the 28s and 29s, but didn't care you for much cushion they added. So now I'm giving the Inspire 21s a spin.  The 26s have far outlasted two pairs of Hokas, in terms of time and mileage.

Thanks! I'm not quite sure how I feel about them yet. 

I also need a higher drop running shoe, it’s the only thing that reduces pain for my foot issues. The ones that work for me are the Mizuno Wave Inspire (12mm drop) or the Brooks Glycerine GTS (10mm drop).

I'm currently running in a pair of Nike Pegasus, but my preferred shoes are Mizuno Wave Horizons. I'm getting a pair of Mizuno Wave Inspire because they were on sale to try out. I wear a 14w or 15, and these both have fit me pretty well. As for breathable I live in the south and my feet don't come out sweaty and smelling like rancid cheese after a run so I guess they fit that bill too.

I'm sure there are cases where it's not needed. But I disagree gait analysis doesn't serve a purpose. And the quality of what you get depends on where you go. Go to a store out to make a quick buck and you're probably not getting the best advice. But most stores aren't like that unless the sales person's on a commission, which isn't usual where I am based. But is likely to be more common in the US. The store I go to steered me away from my preferred Asics Kayanos to cheaper Mizuno Wave Inspires two years ago, significantly cheaper, doing the same job and lighter (not this year's models) they are looking for return custom, so don't necessarily recommend the most expensive shoe. They've also given me the same recommendations as the last specialist store I went to ten years ago in another city. (We moved since). From personal experience with shin splints in my 20s and other issues until I had gait analysis and got a stability shoe I had problems running any kind of distance. I've since run 15 marathons and a few ultras and having the right shoe is what allowed me to do that. On cross country ultras across rough terrain it's probably not as necessary, you need a good trail runner, but support around the ankle and good grip are my priorities there, along with the ability to let water out instead of retaining it. All of that stability or over pronation means less when the ground varies with every step from rock to marsh to grass to gravel. I've used several trail runners, but my main criteria with them has been the ability to let water in and let water back out again with good socks so my feet aren't sopping for hours. In relation to comment around ankle strength I spent a good deal of my 20s and 30s doing martial arts barefoot and had plenty of ankle strength and power in my legs. While MA is likely to have contributed to the shin splints, ( jumps and lands on hard floors, shin kicks etc), my ankles were already strong by the time I started running. And another reason to go to a specialist is it helps to get a good fitting shoe done properly. Regardless of type, the fit is important. Whether you over pronate or don't. You need to know what a good fit is. A lot of people are wearing shoes that are too tight or too loose and without enough support. Look at many injuries and it may well be a great shoe, but fitted poorly. It's the most critical part of your gear if you're running. It's worth getting it right. I get it's not always needed, but if you plan on running any kind of distance why wouldn't you get the basics right so you have a solid foundation on which to build instead of an injury waiting to happen.

Keep an eye out for the new mizuno wave inspire when it updates. They’re adding a supercritical foam to it; I’m excited to see how it performs as it’s always been one of my favorite shoes in that category.

They're most likely just going to hurt - they're forcing your foot into a position that may not be natural for it. The most sympathetic support shoe to lower arches are the Mizuno Inspire, but they're dull to run in. Go try a few pair of shoes on and go with what's comfortable. You might be better in a more traditional drop (10mm); Brooks Ghost, Mizuno Rider, Puma Magnify are all great shoes.

Btw going from 12 - 10mm drop is really not enough to notice much of a difference. Either way, best options for you to try based on what you’re describing are the Brooks Adrenaline in a wide or the Mizuno Wave Inspire. But be open to something a bit different