Neo Zen 1 vs Wave Rider 29

The Mizuno Neo Zen 1 is a soft, springy daily training shoe that shows Mizuno moving on from its old firm reputation. This is a plush, bouncy road running shoe built for the everyday miles that make up most of your week, from easy recovery jogs to steady long runs. At 235g it is genuinely light for a cushioned daily trainer, so it never feels like a chore underfoot. It sits above the Wave Rider as the more premium, more energetic option in Mizuno's line, and at RRP 150 pounds it lands in the same bracket as the plush daily trainers from the big brands. We rate it as a versatile one-shoe answer for a runner who wants comfort without a heavy, dead feel. It is a neutral shoe with a natural 6mm drop, so it rewards a fairly efficient, grounded stride.

The Wave Rider 29 is Mizuno at its most dependable: a neutral daily training shoe built to soak up mile after mile without drama. This is the workhorse of the Mizuno road range, and version 29 leans softer and smoother than the firm, snappy Riders longtime fans remember. At 258g with a 37.5mm heel stack it sits right in the middle of the daily trainer market, cushioned enough for long runs but stable and grounded enough that it never feels wobbly or vague underfoot. You get a versatile running shoe that handles easy days, steady miles and the occasional longer effort with the same unfussy composure. It will not win you a personal best and it is not trying to. What it offers instead is comfort, consistency and the kind of build quality that racks up big weekly mileage. If you want one road shoe to do the bulk of your training, the Wave Rider 29 is an easy shoe to recommend and an easy one to live with.