In production · road · Long run / Recovery / Daily · $175
Plateless max-stack Enerzy NXT — soft, wide and surprisingly light.
Built for long run, recovery, daily, at a target pace of 8:30–11:30 /mi on road.
The midsole is Enerzy NXT, tuned very soft (5/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is above average: the midsole rebounds well without feeling unstable. At 44 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 snappy at 4/5 responsiveness.
A nylon (or PEBA-blend) plate adds structure without the harsh stiffness of carbon. You get a firmer, more propulsive toe-off that still flexes at slower paces, which is why nylon-plated shoes double as workout and long-run shoes rather than race-day-only tools.
A 8 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. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
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 $0.44 per mile at $175.
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
266 g / 9.4 oz
9 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
44 mm
8 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
8 mm
2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$175
15 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
5 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
4 / 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.
Asics Glideride Max 2
261 g / 9.2 oz · 46 mm · 6 mm drop · Nylon · $180
Asics Glideride Max 2: 46 mm heel stack, 6 mm drop, 264 g — specs from independent lab testing.
On Cloudmonster 3(2026)
295 g / 10.4 oz · 40 mm · 6 mm drop · Nylon · $180
Huge CloudTec pods and a strong rocker — soft with a springboard feel.
Hoka Mach X 3
252 g / 8.9 oz · 44 mm · 5 mm drop · Nylon · $190
Hoka Mach X 3: 43 mm heel stack, 5 mm drop, 264 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Brooks Hyperion Max 3
281 g / 9.9 oz · 46 mm · 6 mm drop · Nylon · $180
Plated super trainer with DNA Flash v2 for workouts and long efforts.