Mizuno Wave Inspire 21 Review | Stability Shoe with a Sky-High Heel Drop

Known for its reliability as a well-rounded stability shoe option in its 21st version, the Mizuno Wave Inspire clearly has a strong fan base. Here’s our review.

They say a first impression is everything–I was pleased with the comfort of both fit and feel as soon as I put them on, but other aspects like color and design felt a little dull to me.

With its mix of stability and cushion the Wave Inspire has a comfortable and responsive ride that makes it great for daily training or a long run. Off the bat I noticed the higher heel drop, so this might not be the stability shoe for everyone.

As we’ve noted before a high heel drop running shoe can be great for those with Achilles issues or ankle mobility restrictions, but for everyone else it can place added stress on the knee. In fact, in our recent round up we found only a few running shoes still utilizing a 12mm drop.

As a long-time runner but first-time Mizuno wearer, I was curious to see how these would stand up to the test after a mixed initial impression.

Mizuno Wave Inspire 21 Overview

We will say off the bat that there are varied opinions on this shoe among testers. It really comes down to what YOU want from your stability shoe and probably how your foot fits Mizuno.  If you liked the Wave Inspire 20, then good news, they have kept a lot of the key pieces and focused mostly on fit comfort for the 21. The 20 was a big upgrade of the whole midsole.The combination of the Mizuno Enerzy foam and the Cloudwave plate makes this shoe really nice on step in, but certainly not a soft bouncy shoe. It does however allow it to be a shoe that is fairly light for a stability option and gives you enough energy return to pick up the pace.

The Wave Plate is NOT a carbon plate, this is the technology they’ve used for years to create the stability in this shoe. While others use guiderails, etc, theirs is designed to help with that lateral support without adding weight to the shoe.

The bounce and ride felt similar to the Saucony Tempus but with a little more cushioning and support. You’ll find that the heel is firmer and the forefoot softer, which makes sense with the stability design.

As noted, the plate allowed it to feel more responsive and it felt like I had a little extra pep in my step when compared to other stability shoes. This could make it a solid option for some interval work — whether a tempo run or pace miles in a long run.Runners who know they don’t like a higher heel drop are not going to be fans of this shoe. It’s noticeable. You’ll be aware of the blocky feeling around the heel.

BUT for those who need it, you’re going to get a daily trainer that allows you to also pick up the pace. In fact, we’d say this stability probably shines more on the days when you are in a real rhythm and less on the recovery run kind of day.

And finally we come to the outsole, which was also thoughtfully designed around this wave stability idea.  Unfortunately, all that rubber comes with a noise. Not really sure how else to say it, this isn’t the squeak of a Mount to Coast rubber, but just a loud landing phase.

I found these shoes more comfortable standing around and socializing after run club than I did actually running in them. In fact, this is a shoe I’d easily recommend for a long day of walking around where you need support.

Mizuno Wave Inspire 21 Fit

Despite its roomy toe-box, the mid-foot felt tight and restrictive on my foot. I found myself adjusting the laces a lot to find a comfortable fit and then dealing with laces coming untied mid-run…which is the worst!

This is the size I wear in most brands and I still had more room than I prefer at the top of the toe box.

Even with the tight fit in the mid-foot, the material of the mesh and the tongue are soft and sat well throughout my runs. Bonus points: Mizuno uses eco-friendly recycled materials.

The heel sat comfortably on the first try-on and while I was out chatting with my fellow run-clubbers. But once I got moving and further into a run, I did not like how I felt like my heel was moving around laterally.

Even with the less than glowing fit experience, the Wave Inspire 21 felt stable with just the right amount of cushion and flexibility.

Mizuno Wave Inspire 21 Feel

For those looking for support without a super stiff or clunky feeling shoe, you’ll want to consider taking these for a spin. Initially, I was pleased with the comfort and fit of the shoe.

But, after a few runs I noticed how my heel was moving around in the shoe despite the shoe feeling secure, if not almost too tight in the mid-foot.

With a 12mm drop the Mizuno Wave Inspire 21 definitely favors heel-strikers over other stability shoes. My go-to shoe is the Brooks Glycerin GTS which has a 10mm drop and I noticed the difference here, with the extra 2 mm feeling like something I’d have to gradually adjust to.

Overall, the feel is responsive and light for a stability shoe. Great for heel-strikers and over-pronators looking for a less clunky option but one I’d definitely try to take on a test spin before committing to see if the fit works for you.

What to read next?

• Checkout all of our stability shoe reviews
• Understanding foot pronation
• Tester approved best stability running shoes