View source for Mizuno Wave Ekiden

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Mizuno Wave Ekiden Review}}
The Mizuno Ekiden is a relatively light weight, firm, minimalist running shoe. The lack of cushioning means the Ekiden is a little slower than you might expect, and it doesn't offer much in the way of comfort.  {{H:WhatToLookForInShoes}}
{| class="wikitable" 
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-top.jpg|none|thumb|250px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden top]] 
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|250px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden bottom]] 
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-inside.jpg|none|thumb|250px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden inside]] 
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-outside.jpg|none|thumb|250px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden outside]] 
|}
=Cushioning, Running Economy, & Performance=
There is [[The Science of Running Shoes| scientific evidence]] that a little cushioning can improve [[Running Economy]], which means it takes less effort to run at the same pace. This shoe does not offer enough cushioning to provide that increase in, so you'll probably be slower than you would be in a slightly more cushioned shoe. 
=Characteristics=
* '''Why you'd buy it'''. You're after a light weight, minimalist shoe, combined with a firm sole and a high level of grip on asphalt. 
* '''Cushioning'''. The Ekiden doesn't offer sufficient cushioning to get the benefits of increased [[Running Economy]], so it's not going to be as fast as you might expect. The Ekiden does not seem to have a wave plate in the heel of the shoe, just foam cut into a wavy shape. There is a hard plastic wave plate under the midfoot, but this does not appear to be functional, as it only extends about quarter inch/5mm forward and backward, which is not enough to provide any meaningful cushioning. 
* '''Drop'''. The Ekiden midsole is 13mm/18mm for a 5mm drop, which is a little more than I'd like, especially as this drop is not reduced when the shoe is worn. Compared with other minimalist shoes, the drop seems rather large, and is at the upper end of what I'd consider acceptable. 
* '''Structure'''. The midsole consists of two different densities of EVA foam, but this makes little difference to how the shoe feels. There is a slight rise on the inside (medial) edge of the heel, but it's quite minor. 
* '''Flexibility'''. The Ekiden is nicely flexible, as you'd expect for a shoe this thin. 
* '''Outsole'''. Most of the outsole is covered in small, hard, plastic nubs that provide excellent traction on asphalt (but not on trails or dirt). The harder material covers most of the contact patch, preventing the midsole from abrading away. The cut out in the heel can trap stones, but I didn't find this was as much of an issue as some other shoes. 
* '''Shape'''. The Ekiden is the classic shape that does not match the human foot, and narrows excessively in the toe box, so [[Shoe Modifications| the toe box needs cutting open]].  {{H:TryCuttingShoes}}
* '''Upper'''. The upper is unexpectedly thick and robust for a light weight shoe. Sadly, there are also far more seems than you'd expect to find in a modern running shoe. There's also no padding except a tiny bit around the ankle opening which I found rather uncomfortable. This is one of the few shoes that annoys my Achilles, so avoid the Ekiden if you have issues in this area. 
* '''Tongue'''. The tongue is very thin and unpadded, and I found it was awkward to keep it in place when putting the shoe on. 
* '''Lacing'''. The flat laces work well and remained tied. 
* '''Heel counter'''. The heel counter is a little stiffer than I'd like, and along with the styling it makes me think of a much older shoe. 
{{FastBlr|mizuno/wave-ekiden-9-788|788|Mizuno Wave Ekiden 9}}
=Comparisons=
Here are a few comparisons the Ekiden's competition.
==Mizuno Wave Ekiden and Wave Universe==
Comparing the Ekiden and to the [[Mizuno Wave Universe]], they offer similar limited levels of cushioning. The big differences are the weight (the Ekiden is nearly twice as heavy) and the lack of longevity in the Universe. Overall, the Universe is a far better shoe until it disintegrates, which sadly won't take long. 
{| class="wikitable" 
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden top]] 
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden bottom]] 
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden inside]] 
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden outside]] 
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Universe-5-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Universe 5 top]]
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Universe-5-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Universe 5 bottom]]
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Universe-5-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Universe 5 inside]]
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Universe-5-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Universe 5 outside]]
|}
{{FastBlr|mizuno/wave-universe-5-1089|1089|Mizuno Wave Universe 5}}
==Mizuno Wave Ekiden and Merrell Trail Glove‏‎==
The Ekiden and the [[Merrell Trail Glove]] are quite similar shoes in spite of their looks and marketing. While neither is heavy, they don't offer much cushioning for the weight they carry. They both last reasonably well, though the Trail Glove has the edge on longevity as well as comfort, and the Ekiden has better grip on asphalt. I'd choose the Trail Glove in most situations. 
{| class="wikitable" 
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden top]] 
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden bottom]] 
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden inside]] 
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden outside]] 
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-3-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 3 top]] 
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-3-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 3 bottom]] 
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-3-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 3 inside]] 
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-3-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 3 outside]] 
|}
{{FastBlr|merrell/barefoot-run-trail-glove-3-1074|1074|Merrell Barefoot Run Trail Glove 3}}
==Mizuno Wave Ekiden ‎ and New Balance RC5000 ==
The [[New Balance RC5000]] is stunningly light, but it's not a minimalist shoe like the Ekiden. Instead, the RC5000 provides quite a bit more cushioning than Ekiden that's nearly twice as heavy. Because the RC5000 has enough cushioning to improve [[Running Economy]] it will be far faster to run in than the Ekiden. Perhaps surprisingly, I found the RC5000 more comfortable in the upper as well. 
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden top]] 
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden bottom]] 
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden inside]] 
|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Ekiden-8-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Ekiden outside]] 
|- valign="top"
|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|New Balance MRC 5000 top]]
|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|New Balance MRC 5000 bottom]]
|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|New Balance MRC 5000 inside]]
|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|New Balance MRC 5000 outside]]
|}
{{FastBlr|new-balance/rc5000-v1-852|852|New Balance RC5000}}
{{ShoeGraphs}}
=A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes=
{{:Shoes-include}}
[[Category:Review]]