Wave Sky 9 vs Triumph 23

The Wave Sky 9 is Mizuno's plush, max-cushion daily trainer, a soft running shoe built to soak up easy miles and long runs rather than chase pace. With 44.3mm of stack under the heel and a moderate 6.2mm drop, it plants a deep, protective platform between your legs and the road, and that is exactly where it does its best work. At 295g it is a substantial shoe, so nobody will mistake it for a tempo tool. That heft is the trade-off for the comfort. If you want a neutral cushioned trainer to protect tired legs across a marathon build, or a plush recovery-day cruiser, it earns its place. If you already run in the Asics Gel Nimbus 28 or another pillowy daily trainer, the Wave Sky 9 sits squarely in that same comfort-first bracket, and we rate it as an honest, dependable option rather than a flashy one.

The Saucony Triumph 23 is the brand's premium max-cushion daily training shoe, built to soak up big weekly mileage in comfort rather than chase a fast time. It sits at the plush end of the neutral daily trainer market, with a tall 42.3mm heel stack and a soft, protective ride that rewards easy runs and long steady efforts. This is not a shoe you buy for speed. At 272g it is on the heavier side, and the 10mm drop plus generous cushioning steer it firmly towards comfort miles. What you get in return is a running shoe that stays kind to your legs at the end of a marathon block, when tired joints want padding more than pop. In our view it is one of the more dependable premium cushioned trainers you can buy, and a natural home for runners who log most of their week at conversational pace. If you already run the Triumph 22, the 23 is a familiar, refined step on.