Mizuno Sneakers
Brothers Rihachi and Rizo Mizuno founded Mizuno Brothers Ltd. In Osaka, Japan, in 1906. American baseball culture had left a huge impression on Rihachi, so to promote the sport in Japan, they began developing baseball apparel, gloves, and shoes.
In 1910 the brothers moved their shop to Umeda-Shinmichi and changed the company’s name to Mizuno Shop. They started to concentrate on other sports by producing gear and clothing for tennis, golf, skiing, boxing, football and more. In 1972 they created worldwide brand awareness with the launch of their M-line running shoes. Soon after, the famous “Runbird” logo was first released on a collection that featured a mesh upper with an EVA foam midsole and rubber outsole.
Over the years Mizuno developed many different technologies. Their Wave technology perfectly balances cushioning with stability and consists of several parts. The ‘Parallel Wave’ runs from heel to toe and distributes shock across the entire shoe platform so that no single part of the foot absorbs force. The ‘Infinity Wave’ equips the sneaker with two parallel plates between soft damping pillars for cushioning and durability. The ‘Fan-Shaped Wave’ specifically designed for overpronation, supports the runner’s natural gait and allows the ankle to move into the correct position.
Besides the Wave, Mizuno has many other technologies to offer. ‘Primeskin’ offers a good dose of softness and durability to the uppers of the shoe. ‘3D-Solid’ is similar, but also allows the shoe to breathe. The midsole uses ‘Enerzy foam’ technology, creating maximum cushioning in conjunction with high energy efficiency, comfort and bounce rate.
Today, Mizuno offers clothing, shoes and accessories for a wide range of sports, as well as great lifestyle sneakers such as the Wave Rider and Sky Medal models.
Generally, Mizuno Sneakers do fit true to size. However, for some of their running shoes, it is advised to go half a size higher. Consult with the description and reviews before making the final decision.
Mizuno has an extensive catalogue of running shoes available in wide sizing. Firstly, the Wave Ride offers the ultimate performance and comfort. Wave Inspire is designed to help people with overpronation and flat feet. Wave Prophecy features an innovative design with a blend of technologies. Lastly, the Skyrise is Mizuno's most recent running shoe series that incorporates the company's latest technologies at the bottom of your feet.
Among Mizuno's lifestyle shoes catalogue, the Sky Medal is one of the most popular models as it brings '90s fashion into modern iterations. The City Wind sneaker is the perfect one to rock the street with a leather upper. Meanwhile, the Contender is at heart a running shoe in a sneaker look, meaning that it brings the Mizuno comfort in a cool design.
Wave technology is a unique type of midsole plate developed by Mizuno. The inspiration for this technology comes from nature. After studying the movement of waves and their ability to absorb and disperse energy, the Mizuno engineers designed a wave-shaped plate for the midsole of their running shoes. It has the ability to diminish the impact force while running by spreading the energy evenly throughout the midsole. The technology was first released in 1998 on the Wave Rider. Ever since its introduction, it's helped runners with its stability and comfort while decreasing the risk of injury.
The Enerzy foam is a blend of materials first introduced by Mizuno in 2020. With the abilities of Wave technology in the back of their mind, the engineers at the Mizuno Technology Development Department created the material that transfers the wave capabilities in a soft and comfortable texture. The Enerzy foam provides 17% more return of energy through its high rebound ability. Also, the material is 15% softer than previous midsole foams used, thus increasing the comfort of the wearer, and making the movement effortless.