In production · road · Daily / Long run · $180
Mizuno Wave Horizon 7: 41 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 329 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, tuned soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. At 41 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 calm at 2/5 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 8 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. It offers real guidance through the gait cycle — useful for runners whose form collapses when tired.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.45 per mile at $180.
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
334 g / 11.8 oz
59 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
41 mm
5 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
8 mm
2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$180
20 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 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 heavier 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.
Asics Gel Kayano 33
298 g / 10.5 oz · 39 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $200
Asics Gel Kayano 33: 39 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 298 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Adidas Ultraboost 5(2025)
323 g / 11.4 oz · 39 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $190
Boost comfort first, running second. Great for walking and easy miles.
On Cloudrunner 2 Waterproof
320 g / 11.3 oz · 39 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $180
On Cloudrunner 2 Waterproof: 39 mm heel stack, 10 mm drop, 323 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Asics Gel Kinsei Max
333 g / 11.7 oz · 38 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $210
Asics Gel Kinsei Max: 38 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 322 g — specs from independent lab testing.