Mizuno Wave Rider 27 vs Wave Rider 29
Two versions apart. Updated September 10, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
Two updates and 2 years separate the Mizuno Wave Rider 27 from the Wave Rider 29. Net change: 0.6 oz lighter, a drop change from 12 mm to 10 mm, a new midsole, $10 more at list. The Wave Rider 29 is where the character changed, and that is the update Wave Rider 27 owners notice first.
- Mizuno Wave Rider 27Sizes running outMen's at Amazon
- Mizuno Wave Rider 29Men's at AmazonWomen's
Availability last checked Sep 10, 2026. Prices and stock change without notice.
The two updates in between
Each step has its own page with the full change list and the verdict on that update.
- Step 1Wave Rider 27 to Wave Rider 282024Faithful successor
- Step 2Wave Rider 28 to Wave Rider 292025Changed character
Wave Rider 27 vs Wave Rider 29: every spec, side by side
The net of both updates. Per-update change notes stay on the step pages above, because they explain changes measured from a different starting point than this table uses.
| Spec | Wave Rider 27 | Wave Rider 29 |
|---|---|---|
| FIT AND WEIGHT | ||
| Weight | 9.9 oz | 9.3 oz |
| Widths | D, 2E | D, 2E |
| Upper | Lightweight breathable engineered mesh | Two-layer jacquard mesh with reinforced eyelets |
| CUSHIONING GEOMETRY | ||
| Heel stack | 38.5 mm | 39 mm |
| Forefoot stack | 26.5 mm | 29 mm |
| Drop | 12 mm | 10 mm |
| MATERIALS | ||
| Midsole | Full-length Enerzy foam | Full-length nitrogen-infused Enerzy NXT foam |
| Plate | PEBAX RNEW Wave plate, heel-to-midfoot | Pebax Wave plate, heel-to-midfoot, flattened and more flexible |
| VALUE | ||
| List price at launch | $140 | $150 |
Or buy the Wave Rider 28 instead?
The Wave Rider 28 is the value play if you find it discounted. It carries most of what the Wave Rider 29 added while selling as an older model, and moving one version at a time is the smaller adjustment.
Buy the Wave Rider 28
Sizes running outDiscontinued at retail. Amazon carries what remains, so treat an in-stock size as a closing window, and expect prices to swing.
Availability last checked Sep 10, 2026.
Questions runners ask
- Can I go straight from the Mizuno Wave Rider 27 to the Wave Rider 29 and skip the Wave Rider 28?
- Yes, but going Wave Rider 27 to Wave Rider 29 means taking one change in a single step: the Wave Rider 29 is where the ride moved. The drop also goes 12 mm to 10 mm across the jump, so give it a week of easy running.
- How much did the weight change across these two updates?
- 0.6 oz off in total, 9.9 oz to 9.3 oz in a men's US 9. The Wave Rider 28 took it to 9.5 oz first.
- Is the Wave Rider 28 the better buy than either of these?
- On paper it splits them: 9.5 oz against 9.9 oz for the Wave Rider 27 and 9.3 oz for the Wave Rider 29, on a 41 mm heel and a $140 list price. Whether that is worth chasing depends on what the Wave Rider 28 update actually did, which the section above works through.
- Did the Wave Rider get taller between the Wave Rider 27 and the Wave Rider 29?
- Heel stack went 38.5 mm to 39 mm, by way of 41 mm on the Wave Rider 28. Drop moved 12 mm to 10 mm, which is the change your calves and Achilles notice.
- Where does the Wave Rider 29 sit in the Wave Rider lineup now?
- Two versions on from the Wave Rider 27, and already replaced itself: the Wave Rider 30 arrived in 2026. If you are shopping old stock anyway, price the Wave Rider 29 against it before deciding.