Mizuno comes in swinging again with the Wave Inspire 13s. Like practically all of Mizuno’s running shoe lineup, it uses the wave system that promotes a long life of the shoe with superior cushioning.

The idea for the wave system came from Mizuno’s developers wanting their shoes to mimic how a wave is. Energy concentrated in the impact, but it spreading evenly out.

There are some noticeable updates, but the foundation remains the same. It wasn’t ideal for tempo runs, but long runs and shakeouts in them allowed me to relax and tune out.

Mizuno Wave Inspire 13 General Info

This is the next edition in Mizuno’s long standing flagship support shoe line. It directly competes with moderate support shoes such as the the Brooks Ravenna, ASICS GT-2000 and Saucony Guide shoes.

Mizuno Wave Inspire 13 – Medial Side

Because of the heavier construction and higher drop of 12mm It can compete with heavier support models such as the Brooks Adrenaline GTS or ASICS Kayano.

Weight wise, it comes in at 11oz, nearly half an ounce heavier than before. This is barely noticeable.

I’ve ran in these before and had mixed results with them so I was anxious to run with them. When I opened them for the first time, the first thing I noticed was the style of the shoe.

Color scheme was pretty current, but the mesh around the toe box had audible crinkling when I felt my hands against them. This reminded me of older designs.

I’ve never had the mesh feel like that before. I was thrown off at first, but it breathes great and provides ample protection from the elements.

Mizuno Wave Inspire 13 Sole Unit

The sole is relatively the same as the inspire 12. There is blown rubber on the forefoot that gives lightweight plush cushioning.

The midsole uses the same u4icx technology from before. It is incredibly light, allowing the runner to efficiently launch off fast. This is great because of how heavy duty the heel is.

Mizuno’s signature Wave is seen on each side of the heel. The idea for the ‘wave’ came from Mizuno’s inspiration of how waves handle energy: concentrated energy, then spreading out to a wider area.

It does make the heel one of the largest I have encountered. Many shoes are built with sectioned soles, but the raised U shape made it seem completely independent of the rest of the sole.

The ride is very comfy. The blown rubber had me land on my forefoot, but the wave system translated into even energy when I lifted back up.

Because of how heavy duty the sole was, I had some difficulty fully breaking them in. It took me much longer to accomplish the lightweight ride that Mizuno promotes.

Once I was about 50 miles deep into testing, they finally felt broken in. Most times, I feel good in a shoe after about half of that distance. This may discourage some, but be patient as this shoe is built to last.

Mizuno Wave Inspire 13 Upper Info

The upper features redone AIRmesh; Mizuno’s signature mesh.. Instead of the sock liner blending into the outter portion of the toe box, there is small separation.

Mizuno Wave Inspire 13 – Toe and Heel

Its intent is to improve how it breathes and flexibility. While improved fit wise, cosmetically it looks more reminiscent of an older shoe.

There is more room than in previous versions but it still feels a little snug on the outside area of the toe box.

Something that discouraged me with older version of this shoe was how narrow it was. I wear a size 13, so buying half a size up generally is not an option.

Thankfully, Mizuno offers this shoe in wide to combat against this. If you have a wider foot and fit is an issue, definitely buy half a size up or in wide.

The heel is incredibly sturdy and keeps you locked in. It is one of the bigger heel units I have tested. This is not a bad thing though! Thanks to this, I felt completely in control; even when I was going through questionable terrain.

All of these elements come together to work with Mizuno’s adaptive DynamotionFit system. The lacing was snug and comfortable.

Mizuno Wave Inspire 13 Conclusions

I had my first DNF marathon in a pair of Inspire 10s. In training, I noticed them to be narrow but did not think anything of it as it was snug, but not too tight. I loved the extra support, especially being on the heavier side for a runner.

When I was toward the tail end of my race, the tight fit had finally gotten to me and my white shoes were now stained red from blistering in the toe box. I could not continue going because I was in so much pain.

I gave them one more chance a few weeks later, but had a similar performance forcing me to retire them and move onto something better.

Revisiting them a few years later, I was naturally a little nervous but went into it with an open mind. I am a huge fan of the updates that have been made in the shoe’s foundation.

It has a smooth ride and adapts to my every foot strike. I will look past the narrowness in the toe box since it is offered in wide.

I will stand by the fact that I am not a fan of how it looks cosmetically but the ride is really what matters. It is a solid stability trainer that is there for the long haul.

It is built like an 18 wheeler. It is heavy and large, but once it gets to speed it is a force to be reckoned with.

We thank the nice people at Mizuno for sending us a pair of Wave Alchemy 12 to test. This did not influence the outcome of the review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.