Author: Todd Lewis, VP of Mizuno USA Running Footwear
Published on: October 14, 2016
It’s been nearly 20 years since the first Mizuno Wave Rider burst on to the scene and changed the very fabric of running footwear.
Making its debut in the fall of 1998, at a time running brands were not making shoes with great fit and feel, the Wave Rider 1 brought speculation. Mizuno, with its introduction of the Wave Rider, placed the shoe right in the sweet spot of neutral, cushioned shoes. Quickly following suit, the Wave Rider 2 perfected the fit unlike any other running shoe on the market and secured Mizuno’s first Runner’s World Shoe Award launching the Wave Rider franchise and legions of Wave Rider fans across the U.S.
Not that there haven’t been a few hiccups along the way, but very few running shoes live for almost two-decades. It has been an honor to be a part of the design team responsible for the 20th iteration of the Wave Rider.
We are really passionate about the fit and feel of our shoes. The way we pattern our shoes’ uppers and the way the shoes stretch in some key areas and don’t stretch in other spots is key to how we build shoes. The Wave Rider 20 is the first to encompass all of what we learned into one exceptional shoe.
New to the Wave Rider 20 is a softer, wave plate experience, the next evolution of Wave® technology. It introduces new convex, u-shaped geometry in the wave plate to provide a softer, smoother ride with more cushion on initial heel impact and better guidance in the transition from heel to forefoot. This unique underfoot experience has three principle benefits to the runner: cushioning, stability and responsiveness. All three elements have to be in the right balance to deliver a truly dynamic shoe
Wave Rider loyalists need not be concerned about these updates. Although the 20 is a new shoe, it was made with only small refinements asked for by our fans – you – and made no compromises in the finished pair.
It has just the right balance of softer cushioning with the kind of responsiveness the Rider has been known for since 1998.
Naturally, I’m biased, but I’m a runner just like you, and I can categorically say that I love the new Rider 20. Take it from the wear-testers who were very clear that they favored the latest updates. A majority of those who tested the Wave Rider 20 preferred it over the past two iterations stating it was the “softest, smoothest ride ever delivered.”
Take the Wave Rider 20 for a test run and hopefully, you’ll agree that you need to add in your running shoe rotation.