By: The Mizuno Shoe Guy
There isn’t a shoe in the Mizuno line that has undergone such a dramatic overhaul as the Wave Enigma 5. From top to bottom, this redesigned Enigma delivers an unparalleled cushioned experience that far surpasses any prior version that you may have worn.
Our designers’ goal was to create a premium cushioned ride without compromising the ride or responsiveness of the shoe. Many runners who are drawn to a max cushioned neutral shoe such as the Enigma expect a soft, pillowy feel, but Mizuno has never believed that just because a shoe is exceptionally soft will mean it also provides a great running experience. (If a midsole is too soft, the foot tends to sink into the midsole and dissipates energy).
Instead, what Mizuno has done with the new version of the Enigma is created luxurious cushioning without jeopardizing the efficiency of the shoe.
How Mizuno went about achieving this starts with the Wave Plate—an integral component in any Mizuno shoe. The Enigma’s Wave is the full-length Parallel Wave (which prior versions also had), but the difference in the Enigma 5 is that it has been retooled into a U-shape.
What this means is the Enigma 5 has the familiar Parallel Wave in the rearfoot which stabilizes the foot, but instead of the Parallel Wave Plate running the length of the shoe in a solid shape, the Wave in the forefoot is carved out in the center to create the U-shape. The external parts of the Wave in the forefoot are still there on the medial and lateral side to maintain guidance of the foot through the gait cycle, but the middle portion is gone.
The U-shaped Wave Plate’s impact on the runner is immediately clear with the first step in the Enigma 5: The forefoot has a more cushioned feel than ever before. But it does so without sacrificing any support, as the Parallel Wave almost creates a channel for the foot which results in an exceptionally smooth heel-to-toe transition.
Not only is the Wave Plate different from previous models, but the materials in the shoe have also been improved.
First, the material in the forefoot of the outsole has been switched to a much softer blown rubber and the outsole itself is thicker than the prior version, both add cushioning to the shoe. In the rearfoot, the Enigma 5 has an added layer of foam which sits directly under the foot to provide greater comfort where the heel meets the shoe upon impact.
Another important upgrade that is found in the Enigma 5 is the fit. To be blunt, the past two prior versions of the Enigma didn’t fit as well as we had had hoped. But the Enigma 5’s upper has a much more glove-like fit, especially in the heel area. Soft foam has been added to the heel collar so it snugs the heel much better.
The Enigma has been somewhat of a “sleeper” shoe. Its distribution was limited to running specialty stores only, but the Enigma 5 is now more widely available at retail as well as on the Web. Since its distribution in the past was somewhat restricted, many runners who appreciate maximum cushioning missed out on the Enigma.
If the Enigma is new to you, (or even if you’ve worn it), the Wave Enigma 5 demands a test run. It will fit and feel better than any other shoe in its category and provide you the premium cushioning so many runners covet—but without a sacrifice in terms of performance.