Details
Brand
Mizuno
Heel To Toe Drop
14mm
Breathability
7.5/10
Latest Version
Wave Prophecy 6
Terrain
Road
Type
Neutral
Key Features
• Mizuno Wave Prophecy 3• The Infinity Wave design creates a nice cushion while offering responsiveness and bounce back.• The Mizuno X-10 carbon rubber in the outsole is durable, strong, and built to last through even the harshest runs.• The Wave Prophecy 3 is lighter than previous versions of this shoe.• The entire design is meant to look natural and organic while offering high tech solutions to common running concerns.
Upper
The Mizuno Wave Prophecy 3 offers up a rebuild of the Wave Prophecy 2 upper, including welded overlays which lower weight and keep the interior smooth. The majority of the upper is made of a mesh material, which allows air movement and keeps out the elements. The upper also features a sublimated honeycomb print that offers imagery to match the uniqueness of the shoe. The lacing system creates a secure and protective finish to the upper and the tongue offers exceptional padding.
Midsole
The Infinity Wave system in this shoe creates a unique midsole. Instead of the standard cushioning, this design of two plates connected by eleven small rubber pillars offers plush cushion on even the hardest asphalt. Above the upper plate is a secondary cushion created out of U4ic polyolefin foam that provides additional comfort and cushion. The midsole is also very lightweight in comparison to the amount of cushion it provides.
Outsole
The Wave Prophecy 3 features an outsole made with the X-10 carbon rubber, which is designed to offer an extremely durable layer between the ground and the rest of your shoe. The heel features solid protection making this shoe perfect for those with a heavy heel strike. The bottom also offers superior grip in most environments. There are also segmented points along the outsole allowing it to be more flexible.
Breathability
The upper, built out of high quality sublimated mesh lets air move smoothly into and out of the shoe. This creates superior breathability in comparison to many other shoes. The upper has been described to be skinlike, not only it the fit but also in the permeability. Due to this, these shoes will keep you well ventilated and comfortable.
Comfort
The Wave Prophecy 3 is built with cushioning and comfort in mind. With the upper made up of multiple thin layers, this shoe offers a secure but airy feel. The slightly heavier weight is more than made up for by the supreme cushioning and the SmoothRide engineering, which will help keep your mind off the pavement beneath you and let you focus on the road ahead. The dual plate system under your foot will offer enough cushioning while providing flexibility and responsiveness, making these comfortable even for the longest runs.
Style
The Mizuno Wave Prophecy series utilizes unique style featuring a “mechanical cushioning” sole design. This shoe also features transparent materials that feel as natural as they look. The hexagonal upper print is intended to look as organic as the shoe feels, and the color options include combinations of classic and bold hues to create something you will be glad to show off on the track or just while out at the store picking up groceries.
Durability
The Mizuno X-10 material packs a big punch into the heel of the Wave Prophecy 3, creating a crash pad for contact when hitting the ground with a heel strike. This material is made of carbon rubber and meant to allow for longer wear in high impact areas. The upper material is also designed to be tough and stand up to the elements. The plate system has the added benefit of providing two solid bases to keep everything strong and structured while still offering flexibility. The Wave Prophecy 3 will keep you moving for miles at a time and run after run.
Protection
Many runners feel that protection is one of the most important things a shoe can offer. After all, without protection, you may as well be running barefoot. The logical conclusion is that a running shoe featuring the maximum cushion and structure, but sometimes a neutral shoe can offer just as much security. The Wave Prophecy 3 covers your foot in a light, yet very solid, upper made up of thin mesh to keep the elements out. The dual plate system creates a layer of cushioning provided by the pillars of rubber that connect the two plates, which help your feet stay comfortable and protect from the hard shock of each step. The outsole creates a solid enough base to protect you from any stray junk in the road as you move forward, which should help keep you moving forward for quite some time.
Responsiveness
Responsiveness from a neutral shoe isn’t always a given, but these Mizuno shoes feature an outsole that flexes with your foot as you move through your stride. The pillars of rubber between the plates offer a cushion, of course, but they also spring back away from the ground. With these serving as eleven small shock absorbers throughout the shoe, it makes perfect sense that this shoe would respond to the road underneath you. The upper creates a secure cocoon around your foot that holds tight to the midsole and helps you stay connected to the road. For a neutral shoe, these offer a surprising amount of response.
Support
The unique design of these shoes offers a solid base underneath your foot, which creates a nice arch support for a neutral shoe. For those that need both strong arch support and cushioning to absorb a heel strike. The upper tightens around the foot in a skin-like fashion, offering protection and support but still allowing the toe box to stretch and create some toe splay. The hard plastic of the plate system creates a whole-foot support in the outsole that helps keep you comfortable and supported.
Terrain
The Mizuno Wave Prophecy 3 is designed to be used as a road shoe primarily. Many runners feel that they can find an all-around shoe that does a little of everything well, but in this case, it was clearly better to design a shoe to do one thing as well as possible instead of several mediocre tasks. Fortunately, Mizuno designed a shoe to stand up to the task of taking on the pavement. These shoes offer enough cushioning to absorb the toughness of hard surfaces and an outsole that grips well enough to keep most any runner happy. The cuts in the outsole that offer flexibility also mean that it forces a larger surface area toward the ground, helping adapt to the surface on which you are running.
Price
Mizuno’s Wave Prophecy 3 is a running shoe on the more expensive end of the price scale, but in reality, it can still be a great value. This comes from considering cost per mile instead of cost per pair of shoes. Due to the superior durability and comfort, these shoes can continue being used much longer than some cheaper running shoes. Still, while the price may seem high, keeping in mind that it has both a unique and highly desirable design, it seems that if it is the shoe for you it may be justified.
Drop
While a large number of runners consider looking into less drop, the Mizuno Wave Prophecy 3 takes the drop conversation in a different direction. With a 14mm drop, these shoes are built for those that have a heel strike and roll their foot forward to find the most comfort. The number of runners who feel the small drops aren’t for them can find solace in the fact that these shoes allow their heel to hit hard while rolling through to the forefoot with ease. The advantage for those runners is that these Mizuno’s offer more cushion and protection while still offering comfort.
Stability
The Mizuno Wave Prophecy 3 offers a very stable base on which to run. This is due to the design of the unique plate system and the solid upper, meaning that the bottom gives you stability and support under your foot and the upper keeps you attached to that platform. The solid plates are connected to each other in multiple places but the small rubber areas of attachment offer a stiff connection in order to keep the shoe stable. The bottom of the outsole offers durable material and good traction to give you more stability as you run in them.
Flexibility
The Infinity Wave system creates a shoe that is flexible while still being cushioned. The Infinity Wave system, being connected by small pillars of rubber, creates the ability of each part to move slightly independent of the other. This allows the shoe to offer flexibility in ways other shoes simply can’t. The upper fit has been described as skin-like. This means that it will offer a tight and stable feeling but also can stretch to accommodate the flex of your foot as you move through your stride. Cuts in the outsole create multiple areas that help flexibility at the base level which translates to increased flexibility overall.
Traction
The X10 material in the heel creates a crash pad for landing on each heel strike. As the foot rolls forward to the forefoot, the Infinity Wave system creates a solid connection at any given moment. The outsole grips onto the road to propel you forward while the plate system gives a little boost. With the understanding that as the rubber compresses, it pushes back up toward your foot. This is also true of the rubber pushing downward toward the ground. The downward force spreads the outsole along the asphalt and creates a solid base to grip and push forward. The flex system cut into the outsole also helps maintain more contact through a wider surface area.
Bottom Line
The bottom line with the Mizuno Wave Prophecy 3 is that it is a solid road running shoe with high-quality design and components that help it be a viable option for many runners. The difference between this shoe and a generic pair of Nike’s is that this shoe was designed with the special plate system, which offers additional cushion without compromising other areas. The solid upper made of lightweight mesh hugs the foot and creates the feeling that you have become connected with the shoe as you are running. For a good road shoe that will stand up to the abuse you can give, check out the Mizuno Wave Prophecy 3 and give it a try. Regardless of your standard gait (forefoot strike or heel strike), trying these out might be well worth your time when you find a new favorite running shoe.
