Mizuno Wave Rider 28 vs Wave Rider 29
Updated August 7, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
Both are still stocked, so this is a real choice: the Wave Rider 29 is the lighter shoe by 0.2 oz, and older models usually sell under list once a successor ships. The Wave Rider 28 also lists $10 lower.
- Mizuno Wave Rider 28Men's at AmazonWomen's
- Mizuno Wave Rider 29Men's at AmazonWomen's
Availability last checked Aug 7, 2026. Prices and stock change without notice.
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
Stocked at AmazonAvailability last checked Aug 7, 2026.
Buy the Wave Rider 29
Stocked at AmazonAvailability 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.