Wave Sky 8 vs Fresh Foam X 1080 13

The Wave Sky 8 is Mizuno's plush, max-cushion daily trainer, and it plays that role with real conviction. This is a soft, protective road running shoe built for piling on easy miles in comfort, not for chasing splits. At 310g it is a hefty shoe, so you feel every gram if you try to pick up the pace, but that weight buys you a deep, forgiving platform that shrugs off long runs and keeps your legs fresher on recovery days. The 8mm drop sits in familiar daily-trainer territory and suits heel and midfoot strikers alike. In our view it is best thought of as a cruiser: a neutral shoe for runners who value cushioning and durability over pop and speed. If your priority is a soft, dependable trainer for long slow distance, it earns its place. Runners after something lighter and livelier, like the Hoka Bondi 9, should look elsewhere.

The Fresh Foam X 1080v13 is New Balance's plush daily training shoe, a max-cushion running shoe built to soak up the miles rather than chase a personal best. At 285g with a 6mm drop it is not light, but that is not the point. This is the shoe you reach for on easy days, long runs and recovery jogs when you want a soft, forgiving ride and a bit of luxury underfoot. The Fresh Foam X midsole is on the softer, bouncier end of the daily-trainer scale, and the knit upper is one of the most comfortable New Balance has made. It is a neutral shoe with no plate and no stability posting, so it leans into cushioned comfort over speed. If you want a do-everything cushioned trainer for steady mileage, we rate it highly. Just know that the newer 1080v14 has since taken over the line, so v13 is often the smarter buy on price.