Which is lighter, the Mizuno Wave Rider 28 or the Wave Rider 29?

The Wave Rider 29, by 0.2 oz in a men's US 9 (9.3 oz vs 9.5 oz).

Did the price change between the Mizuno Wave Rider 28 and the Wave Rider 29?

Yes. List price went up $10, from $140 to $150. Street prices differ: the older shoe usually sells under list once its successor ships.

Do the Mizuno Wave Rider 28 and Wave Rider 29 come in the same widths?

Yes. Both run in D, 2E for men's sizes, so a width that fit in the Wave Rider 28 carries over to the Wave Rider 29.

How do the stack heights compare?

41 mm heel and 29 mm forefoot on the Mizuno Wave Rider 28, against 39 mm and 29 mm on the Wave Rider 29. That is 2 mm less under the heel and 0 mm less under the forefoot.

Is the Wave Rider 29 still the newest Wave Rider?

No. The Wave Rider 30 replaced it in 2026, so the Wave Rider 29 now sells as an older model and usually below its $150 list price.

Mizuno Wave Rider 28 vs Wave Rider 29

Updated September 10, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.

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THE SHORT ANSWER

Whichever your size still exists in. The Wave Rider 28 is discontinued at retail, so remaining pairs sell against a thinning size run, while the Wave Rider 29 has a full one. The Wave Rider 28 also lists $10 lower.

Mizuno Wave Rider 28Sizes running outMen's at Amazon Women's
Mizuno Wave Rider 29Men's at Amazon Women's

Availability last checked Sep 10, 2026. Prices and stock change without notice.

Wave Rider 28 · 2024

Wave Rider 29 · 2025

Every spec, side by side

Spec	Wave Rider 28	Wave Rider 29
FIT AND WEIGHT
Weight	9.5 oz	9.3 oz
Widths	D, 2E	D, 2E
Upper	Seamless jacquard air mesh with a gusseted tongue	Two-layer jacquard mesh with reinforced eyelets
CUSHIONING GEOMETRY
Heel stack	41 mm	39 mm
Forefoot stack	29 mm	29 mm
Drop	12 mm	10 mm
MATERIALS
Midsole	Enerzy foam with a softer Enerzy NXT layer under the plate	Full-length nitrogen-infused Enerzy NXT foam
	RunRepeat: the main layer feels better than any Wave Rider before it. Softer everywhere, with modest energy return.
Plate	PEBAX RNEW Wave plate, heel-to-midfoot, widened	Pebax Wave plate, heel-to-midfoot, flattened and more flexible
VALUE
List price at launch	$140	$150
	The line's first move past $140.
OTHER CHANGES
Drop	12 mm	10 mm
	The first drop change in the line's modern history, and the end of the last mainstream 12 mm neutral trainer.
Wave plate	Standard corrugated profile	Flattened, more flexible profile
	Less of the signature snap; part of why Doctors of Running called it the least stable Rider ever.

Weighing whether to switch at all, rather than which of these two to buy? What replaced the Mizuno Wave Rider 28 covers the verdict on the update, what loyalists made of it, and the closest alternatives from other brands.

Buy the Wave Rider 28

Sizes running out

Discontinued at retail. Amazon carries what remains, so treat an in-stock size as a closing window, and expect prices to swing.

Men's: Check remaining stock Women's: Check remaining stock

Availability last checked Sep 10, 2026.

Buy the Wave Rider 29

Stocked at Amazon

Men's: Check price at Amazon Women's: Check price at Amazon

Availability last checked Aug 7, 2026.

Questions runners ask

Which is lighter, the Mizuno Wave Rider 28 or the Wave Rider 29?: The Wave Rider 29, by 0.2 oz in a men's US 9 (9.3 oz vs 9.5 oz).
Did the price change between the Mizuno Wave Rider 28 and the Wave Rider 29?: Yes. List price went up $10, from $140 to $150. Street prices differ: the older shoe usually sells under list once its successor ships.
Do the Mizuno Wave Rider 28 and Wave Rider 29 come in the same widths?: Yes. Both run in D, 2E for men's sizes, so a width that fit in the Wave Rider 28 carries over to the Wave Rider 29.
How do the stack heights compare?: 41 mm heel and 29 mm forefoot on the Mizuno Wave Rider 28, against 39 mm and 29 mm on the Wave Rider 29. That is 2 mm less under the heel and 0 mm less under the forefoot.
Is the Wave Rider 29 still the newest Wave Rider?: No. The Wave Rider 30 replaced it in 2026, so the Wave Rider 29 now sells as an older model and usually below its $150 list price.