Mizuno

Wave Rider 26

Mizuno Wave Rider 26

Running these analyses costs money. Buy through my links to help keep lights on! I may get a small commission.

Overall

#357 in

Road Running Shoes

according to Reddit Icon Reddit

Sentiment score60% positive
3
1
1
Last updated: May 23, 2026

Reddit Reviews

Reddit Icontiredone905
4 months ago

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.

Reddit IconSeaWould
6 months ago

You’ll find that every brand’s wide sizes are wide in different places. Stores typically don’t carry a lot of wide sizes, so be prepared to order a bunch of shoes to try on and return most of them. I have a duck-shaped foot (normal heel and midfoot, very wide forefoot), so I’ll give you what’s worked and not for me. My rotation: - Mizuno Wave Rider 2E - higher drop but specifically made with a normal heel and wide forefoot (I’ve been told I have a Mizuno-shaped foot). - Topo Athletic Ultrafly Wide - I’m on my second pair. Love this shoe. Had to get it in a wide size since the midfoot runs a little narrow, but their regular width shoes are plenty wide in the toebox. - Hoka Speedgoat 4 2E (half-size up) - My trail runners. Love them so much I bought 3 pairs. They got way narrower with subsequent generations so I don’t know what I’ll do in another 300 miles. Saucony Peregrine wide - My other trail runners. Saucony used to make wide shoes for brick-shaped feet, but their newer shoes fit my duckfoot way better. Shoes I returned: - Altra everything - I am used to zero-drop shoes, so that didn’t bother me. But their rubber just goes dead two miles into my runs, and it felt like running barefoot. If you want wide toebox, Topo is a better run IMO - Hoka Clifton - Not wide enough. Hoka has wide sizes, but the shoes run narrow so a 2E is more like a generous D. I occasionally run in 4E Bondis, but they’re a little too max-cushioned for me. - On Cloud something - they have one 2E shoe but they run really narrow. Returned them instantly. - Brooks Ghost - They got really narrow, even in a wide, which is a shame, because I wore out some Ghosts back in the day. One more note: - ASICS and New Balance make several models in wide sizes. Haven’t ran in them, but I appreciate having options.

Reddit IconMcTerra2
5 months ago

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

Reddit IconBoxHillStrangler
7 months ago

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.

4 months ago

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.

Reddit Icon-_-dont-smile
9 months ago

ASICS gt 2000, ASICS kayano, Mizuno wave rider or wave creation, they don’t last in my opinion, but I find them comfortable

Reddit IconEstarin
2 months ago

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.

2 months ago

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.

3 months ago

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.

about 2 months ago

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!).

Reddit Iconfit4themtn
6 months ago

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. 

Rankings by Use Case

Top recommendations from others in the same boat

Other Reddit Recommendations: