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 – 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 – 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.
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 – 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.
