Mizuno Wave rebellion Pro Review

8.5

Out of 10

Comfort:

8.5

Ride:

7.5

Upper:

8.5

Design:

9.5

Value:

6.5

The Verdict:

With a radical design that makes the shoe stand out from anything else on the market right now, the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro takes design inspiration from track sprint spikes. These spikes focus the power of the foot into the front of the shoe to help propel it forwards quickly. With a combination of Wave Plate, Mizuno Enerzy Foam, and the unusual Smooth Speed Assist geometry, the shoe enhances forward propulsion and feels fast from the very first stride.

Pros

Lightweight

Highly propulsive ride

Great traction

Cons

Takes a little getting used too, can feel awkward

Limited to race use

Expensive

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Mizuno

Wave rebellion Pro

Stats Breakdown

Brand

Mizuno

Model

Wave rebellion Pro

Weight

225g / 7.9oz

Heel Stack

39 mm

Toe Stack

33 mm

Heel-Toe Drop

6 mm

Fit:

True to size

Carbon Plate?

yes

Level of Cushioning

Moderate Cushioning

Level of Support

Neutral

Best For:

Racing

Speedwork

With a radical design that makes the shoe stand out from anything else on the market right now, the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro takes design inspiration from track sprint spikes.

These spikes focus the power of the foot into the front of the shoe to help propel it forwards quickly.

With a combination of Wave Plate, Mizuno Enerzy Foam, and the unusual Smooth Speed Assist geometry, the shoe enhances forward propulsion and feels fast from the very first stride.

Mizuno Wave rebellion Pro – First Impression

The shoe fits true to size in terms of length, although it has a classic racing shoe last and is a little slimmer in terms of width, hugging the foot.

The volume of the upper is a little less than a training shoe and fits closer to the foot, with little excess space, as you’d expect from a high-performance racer.

The shoes have a seamless, engineered mesh upper with a textured design that allows for great breathability.

Internal midfoot straps incorporate into the laces to provide a snug hold around the midfoot and a gently padded ankle collar completes the close, secure fit.

Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro

Mizuno Wave rebellion Pro – The Tech

As with most marathon and road racing shoes these days, the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro features a plate.

In this case, it’s a Mizuno Wave Plate made up of a 30% carbon fiber, and 70% nylon mixture.

It also features a lip on the medial side to add a little stability, as well as a design that essentially tries to hold the foot in a more forward position.

Sandwiching the plate are twin layers of Mizuno Enerzy Lite, the brand’s super-foam with increased energy return properties.

At its deepest part, the stack of the shoe measures around 50 mm. However, at the point where World Athletics measure shoes (12.5% of the overall length from the rear), the clever cutaway heel section reduces this to under the 40 mm legal limit.

This drastic cutaway helps to encourage a more midfoot strike, landing on that deep section of cushioning and the center of the plate.

The geometry of the overall design then takes effect, rolling the foot forward quickly.

The outsole is one of my favorites for competition shoes. Its super-lightweight design has miniature studs that provide excellent traction on the road in any weather conditions.

Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro Bottom View

Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro – Road Test

The shoe does feel rather unusual at first, the obvious cutaway in the heel making you immediately away of not wanting to land there.

And that’s part of the reason for the drastic design. The foot intuitively knows to stay away from heel striking and encourages a midfoot landing.

The Rebellion Pro is light on the foot thanks to the large areas that have been cut away from the midsole, yet, this doesn’t compromise stability which, is surprisingly good for such a high stack, unusual-looking shoe.

Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro Backview

It’s not a shoe for easy running or jogging in, and I wouldn’t even contemplate a steady run in the shoe. But that’s fine, it’s a race day performance model, so I’ll treat it with the respect and speed it demands.

Eager to give the shoe its first outing, I chose a 5k on a fast, flat seaside course. The promenade provided a smooth, unblemished surface on which to put the Rebellion Pro to the test. Even the weather was on my side, with little wind to distract me from running at my best pace.

From the gun, the shoe felt amazing. Once in my stride, the midfoot contact felt natural and almost reminded me to keep my form and stride at their best.

The cushioning isn’t as soft as say an Adidas Adizero pro or Nike Vaporfly yet the geometry of the shoe and the plate propels the foot forward in a motion that feels natural and controlled.

With only a single turn at the out and back part of the course, corning wasn’t a concern, as I naturally had to cut my speed here anyway. Returning up to full tilt was easy, the shoe responding well in a manner that’s almost encouraging you to run faster.

It’s a really enjoyable, fast-riding shoe, and something very different from the rest of the pack right now.

Over 5k and subsequent treadmill interval sessions, it’s demanding a little extra speed from me, and the feedback from the shoe has been smile-inducing in a way the original Nike Next% was several years ago.

Mizuno Wave rebellion Pro  Visual

Mizuno Wave rebellion Pro – Conclusion

It might be expensive, it might not be for everyone or indeed for every session, but for race day when you want to put the hammer down and a shoe to respond then it’s great.

It’s refreshing to see Mizuno think outside the box with the Wave rebellion Pro too and not simply churn out another Vaporfly wannabe. The design process with this shoe has dared to deliver something different, and it’s delivered with a great shoe.

Mizuno Wave rebellion Pro Closeup

8.5

Out of 10

Comfort:

8.5

Ride:

7.5

Upper:

8.5

Design:

9.5

Value:

6.5

The Verdict:

With a radical design that makes the shoe stand out from anything else on the market right now, the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro takes design inspiration from track sprint spikes. These spikes focus the power of the foot into the front of the shoe to help propel it forwards quickly. With a combination of Wave Plate, Mizuno Enerzy Foam, and the unusual Smooth Speed Assist geometry, the shoe enhances forward propulsion and feels fast from the very first stride.

Pros

Lightweight

Highly propulsive ride

Great traction

Cons

Takes a little getting used too, can feel awkward

Limited to race use

Expensive

Shop Men's:

Shop Women's:

Photo of author
Paul Freary really does have a lifetime of experience as an athlete. Paul’s father, Mike was British record holder over 10,000m in 1966, so Paul was almost born to run. With best times ranging from 3:56 for the mile to 13:55 for 5k, he also clocked a 2:39 at Berlin in 2022 at age 53 and hopes to go quicker this year. Having worked with several leading brands as well as in retail he also knows running footwear inside out and also has experience in gait analysis and orthotics. Paul writes regular running shoe reviews for our site and our Youtube channel!

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