The Mizuno Wave Enigma 6 is the max cushioning option from Mizuno. I’ve tried the Wave Rider before but honestly, it’s not enough cushion for me. Working at a Run Specialty store, you get to see a lot of different brands and have the luxury of trying on different shoes and I’ve tried on almost every shoe out there. I can usually tell if the shoe works for me or won’t. To be honest, for a while, I gave Mizuno the cold shoulder. I had tried the Wave Rider previously, and like I mentioned, it wasn’t enough cushion for me personally. With any running shoe, it works for some people and doesn’t for others. I’m not sponsored by Mizuno and they aren’t paying me to talk about their shoes.
Fit:
The fit of the Wave Enigma is similar to the Wave Rider as well as the brand in general. Mizuno is a narrow brand. I normally wear a size 10 for women but chose to wear a size 9 for men (roughly 10-10.5 wide for women). Honestly, it fits me perfectly, and I wouldn’t have chosen a different size. These shoes are a men’s size 9. Color doesn’t matter to me, but I can appreciate that most colors in the Wave Enigma are a neutral color.
Ride:
The Wave Enigma is much softer than the Wave Rider. To be honest, I was shocked that a Mizuno shoe could even feel that soft. I had made a preemptive judgment (based on the Wave Rider) that Mizuno would never be a brand I could run in. The ride is soft, light weight and cushioned. I prefer the extra cushion in the front of the shoe and there is significantly more cushion in the forefront.
Call me old fashion and traditional but one thing I do appreciate is that Mizuno still has a 12mm drop. As someone who runs on their toes, I feel like the 12mm matches my gait better.
I like the softness of the Enigma. It’s definitely very different than the Wave Rider. I like the feel of the Enigma, and I plan to run through the entire duration of the shoe. They are a great maximum cushion option from Mizuno and I’m glad I gave them a fair opportunity in my running shoe rotation.
Similar options: Brooks Glycerin, Asics Nimbus or Saucony Ride
Question for you:
Have you ever run in Mizunos?
Do you prefer a lower or higher drop?
I ran in the Enigma 5s and they were one of my favorite running shoes and I was so bummed when I got too many miles on them. I am all about Mizuno’s running shoes but usually go for the Wave Rider since my legs seem to really like those.
Hmm. I really like the wave creations, how do these compare? I do tend to pound more on my heels than in the front, though.
I love the rider personally and have been wearing mizunos for about 6 years now, but I did try to enigma last summer. They were a bit too cushioned for me but great for someone who needs or enjoys that feeling. It’s definitely not a typical amount of cushioning for a mizuno shoe. I’m a heel striker so I don’t need as much cushion up front anyways.
I love my Mizunos! I wear the Wave Sayonara.
I was so excited when I saw a picture of these shoes because I thought the black was a women’s color! Darn. I’m going to try these on the next time I’m in the store. I wore Wave Riders for almost 5 years before I upped my mileage and needed a higher cushion shoe, but they were a good fit for me.
interesting! I didn’t even think that a 12mm could help with you. I usually run in a 4mm-8mm drop.
I usually get wide width but it’s not an option in my size for this shoe. I’m a 10 in regular shoes, 10.5W in running shoes. Do you think a 10.5 regular width would have enough room?
That depends on your foot shape Sam. I would probably try them on to be honest. Some people could easily get away with it but others can’t. My guess is you could but I’m not entirely sure.
Thanks! Next time I’m in the running store I’ll try them on. Thanks for reviewing them!
I actually think my favourites are the Mizuno wave runners. I have run in manyntypes- Saucony, Asics, New Bskance, Adidas, snd Mizuno. I like aceide toe box and I felt the support was good for me! Everyone is different though! Happy running!