Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 Review: Wavy to the (Enerzy) Core

What You Need To Know

• Weighs 11.2 oz. (318 g.) for a US M9 / 9.5 oz. (269 g.) for a US W8
• A slight midsole modification of Enerzy and Enerzy Core
• New eco-friendly stretch woven upper
• RIP to XPOP, and bless everyone that could actually feel it
• Available now for $170

ALDREN: My runs lately have been pretty under the radar: nothing special, yet I’m not complaining. I’ve been going out for easy runs, and I only pick up the pace when I feel I need to (which is virtually never unless I’m forced). I’m over-explaining that my runs have been dull and bland to the point where I’m trying too hard to make this the start of our Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 review. Too meta?

The Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 is the perfect compliment to my vanilla runs. Nothing too noteworthy going on, but there’s not much that I don’t like. We’re looking at a shoe with somewhat of an imposter syndrome. Never the best way to start a review by already bashing it, but I promise I’ll back myself up.

JARRETT (WIDE FOOT): We just finished up the Mizuno Wave Inspire 18 and have moved on to a much younger shoe with the Wave Horizon 6 — from one stability option to another. Both feature Enerzy foam, but the Horizon gets the added Enerzy Core. The Horizon also comes in at a whopping $30 steeper price tag. Can the #WideFootFam justify those big bucks?

The Good

ALDREN: This reconstructed upper is the most significant update to the Mizuno Wave Horizon 6. This stretch-woven upper is on the better end of the structured fits on the market. Mizuno is usually top-quality in heel lock, and the newest model doesn’t disappoint. The material does have a more flexible forefoot, not to the extent of the New Balance Vongo v5, but closer to the feel of the ASICS GT-2000 10.

Underfoot is a mixture of Mizuno Enerzy and Enerzy Core. This provides a shock-absorbing feel when landing through your stride. At a little over 30 miles, I don’t see much compression in the foam, so I can assume the shoe will be able to handle hundreds of more miles.

The Wave Horizon 6 is guided with a denser molding of rubber found on the medial side under the arch. It prevents the foam from compressing more than on the lateral side to create a solid feel for runners needing stability. The X10 rubber underneath has added more flex grooves for a smoother feel, and it’s fairly tacky, so cornering was never an issue.

JARRETT (WIDE FOOT): The Wave Horizon 6 midsole features the Enerzy foam, and new to the series is the Enerzy Core. Because seeing is believing these days, the Enerzy Core is bright red and can be seen peeking out underneath the shoe. This foam combo is meant to provide a softer and springier ride, and I found the underfoot feel pretty solid. It skews towards the firmer side but has some give to it. The Wave Horizon 6 felt smoother than Mizuno’s Wave Inspire 18.

Mizuno provides stability thanks to a higher medial wave, and the outsole rubber also comes up higher on the sidewall. As Aldren said, there’s plenty of rubber, and cornering was no problem.

The Bad

ALDREN: It could be because I just finished running in the Wave Inspire, but the Wave Horizon 6 feels a little heavy. The shoe is bulky and gives off this Under Armour running shoe vibe.

Another issue I have with the shoe is that it falls into the high cushion/high stability category, but it doesn’t provide the softest landing. I was hoping for at least the cushioning of the ASICS Gel-Kayano 28, but Mizuno settled for a more New Balance 860v12 feel. Honestly, I think the new Wave Inspire feels softer.

JARRETT (WIDE FOOT): The 2E version doesn’t feel very wide, and my feet started to hurt after a few miles. The toe box is fine for me, but the stretch woven midfoot is too tight and uncomfortable. I received my gray Wave Inspire 18 at the same time and expected them to be heavier at 11.5 oz., but then I weighed the Wave Horizon 6, and they clocked in at a big ol’ 12 oz. I guess black really is slimming.

Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 Conclusion

ALDREN: There’s not much to write home about with the Mizuno Wave Horizon 6, but it’s an improvement from last year’s model. Basically, it’s a much better upper attached to a midsole construction that feels similar to the Wave Horizon 5.

If you were a fan of the previous model or are in the market for an overpriced walking shoe, this is worth a look.

JARRETT (WIDE FOOT): While I liked the underfoot feel of the Wave Horizon 6 more than the Wave Inspire 18, the wide version is too tight in the midfoot. This alone is a deal killer for the #WideFootFam, and I, unfortunately, wouldn’t recommend this to my people. If you’re a Mizuno lover, need stability, and wear wide, I’d probably steer you towards the Wave Inspire 18. Hopefully, Mizuno can fix the width in the Wave Horizon 7.

You can pick up the Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 for $170 at Holabird Sports by using the shop link below.

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