In production · road · Daily / Long run · $150
Mizuno Neo Zen 2: 40 mm heel stack, 6 mm drop, 237 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Built for daily, long run, at a target pace of 7:30–10:00 /mi on road.
The midsole is Enerzy NXT, tuned soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. At 40 mm of heel stack this sits in max-cushion territory; legs stay fresher on long efforts, but the platform is tall. Combined, the ride reads as lively at 3/5 responsiveness.
There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.
A 6 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The rocker is aggressive: the sole is curved and stiff enough to tip you into the next stride on its own, which saves the calf on long runs but feels strange when you slow right down. The forefoot flexes easily, so the shoe adapts to slower, shorter strides. It is a neutral platform with no built-in correction.
The toe-box is narrow and performance-oriented; wide-footed runners should try before buying. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.38 per mile at $150.
For the foams and plates Mizuno uses across its line, read the Mizuno brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
241 g / 8.5 oz
34 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
40 mm
4 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
6 mm
Level with the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$150
10 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
4 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~400 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Mizuno line it is lighter than the brand's median (266 g / 9.4 oz) and sits taller than its median stack (40 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Hoka Clifton 9 GTX
272 g / 9.6 oz · 40 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $170
Hoka Clifton 9 GTX: 40 mm heel stack, 5 mm drop, 271 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Hoka Arahi 8(2025)
256 g / 9.0 oz · 39 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $150
J-Frame stability without a heavy medial post.
Salomon Aero Glide 3(2025)
245 g / 8.6 oz · 40 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $160
Salomon's road max-cushion daily with a smooth energetic rocker.
Mizuno Neo Zen
240 g / 8.5 oz · 40 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $165
Soft, flexible Enerzy Lite+ ride with a natural, low-drop feel.