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Reddit Reviews
Honestly, yes. If you like late 2000s wave riders, check out shoes that currently are classified as having more road feel. For narrow feet, try the Puma Velocity Nitro 4. For wider feet, try the Craft Endurance, or the Craft Pacer 2. A favourite of the sub is also the Adidas Evo SL. As for the reason: the foams on those are incredible compared to the wave riders. Comfy, good energy return, durable.
Mizuno wave rider in green/sage looks pretty good. Stable. Not the most exciting shoe and not for front foot strikers, but otherwise a pretty good shoe
I have a few pairs of mizuno wave riders that absolutely refuse to die and every time I think I should probably retire them I go for a run in them and they still feel fine.
Not many people ever seem to recommend them but one of my favourite long run, comfortable, not racy shoes that just never die and take a pounding are Mizuno Waveriders.
ASICS gt 2000, ASICS kayano, Mizuno wave rider or wave creation, they don’t last in my opinion, but I find them comfortable.
Not exactly cheap but I really like Mizuno Wave Riders. They have a durable outsole.
Add the New Balance 1080 v14 into the mix. So comfortable and I love running in them. For a bit more support and more heel to toe drop the Mizuno Wave Rider series have been a consistently strong option for a while. Both would fit a medium to narrower foot, not sure about a wide foot. Runrepeat have reviews that cover the breathability of the shoes they test so you can look there for how they might do in warmer weather.
Consider Puma Velocity Nitro, Adidas Boston, or Mizuno Wave Rider. They reach offer slightly different pros and cons and fit, depending what works for you. If you want stability, comfort, some energy return and good quality the Mizuno have been a really solid choice for a long time.
Mizuno Wave Riders are a great all rounder with a little bit of support and they're lighter and more energy return than they used to be. If they are a good fit for your foot shape they'd be worth a look I think.
You could get a second pair on top of the Cliftons and rotate between them, and use them for different things. A Kayano or Wave Inspire or Wave Rider might be your easy day and long run shoe, and your other pair e.g. Clifton 9's could be your shorter/quicker run shoe. The comparison between the two can also help give you an idea of what you need going forward (though what you need, and want, may change with time of course). It's also good not to run consecutive days in the same pair, to let the midsole recover. And it's good for your body not to get too used to just one type of shoe I believe. There's no substitute for the strength work of glutes and core etc, and the gradual build of condition in a training cycle, but these types of shoes certainly seemed to help me along the way. Now I can mostly run in neutral and stable-neutral shoes, and race up to and beyond marathon distances in race shoes like the Vaporfly Next%(inherently not stable!).
Mizuno Wave Rider is nearly always the answer for narrowest heel folks. Don't be sticking your fingers behind your heel. Put the shoe on, knock your heel back. Always use back/runners knot lacing. Have someone else fee your toes while standing.
I used to be you; wore Inspires for many years. I took advice from a podiatrist who basically dismissed the need for stability-specific shoes, and recommended I go with what's most comfortable. I've tried loads of different brands and shoe types over the last few years and have settled on Adidas for racing/workouts, but Mizuno fit my feet best for everything else. I highly recommend the new Riders - they are super-comfortable and are supportive when the mileage gets high or fast
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.
Rankings by Use Case
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Best for Achilles tendonitis

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ASICS - SUPERBLAST 2
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ASICS - SUPERBLAST 2
Best for Marathon race day

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ASICS - SUPERBLAST 2
Best for Maximum cushioning and joint protection

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Nike - Vomero Plus





