What replaced the Mizuno Wave Rider 28?
Updated September 10, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
The Wave Rider 29 replaced the Wave Rider 28 in June 2025 at $150, up $10. It was the biggest update in series history: the drop cut from 12 to 10 mm, the midsole switched entirely to nitrogen-infused Enerzy NXT, and the plate went flatter and more flexible.
- Mizuno Wave Rider 28Sizes running outMen's at AmazonWomen's
- Mizuno Wave Rider 29Men's at AmazonWomen's
Availability last checked Sep 10, 2026. Prices and stock change without notice.
At a glance
- The Wave Rider 29 is 0.2 oz lighter
- 2 mm less heel stack
- Drop moved from 12 mm to 10 mm
- New midsole foam
- List price up $10
Every spec side by side, with the reason behind each change: Wave Rider 28 vs 29.
Stay on your shoe, or switch?
Changed characterThe pivot, and against expectations, a hit. Doctors of Running called it the biggest update this series has ever seen and told long-time users to transition cautiously; Believe in the Run came in with zero expectations and called it fantastic on all fronts. The 12 mm firm formula died here, and most of the base, it turned out, was ready.
Stick with the Wave Rider 28 if
- You are the 12 mm loyalist this update orphaned; the 28 is the last one
- You want the firmer plate snap the flattened Wave gives up
- Stability matters; this is the softest, least stable Rider yet
Move to the Wave Rider 29 if
- You always liked the Rider except for how firm it ran
- Your calves want less drop than 12 mm
- You want the version the reviews and the community both endorsed
Where the Mizuno Wave Rider is now
Two updates on, the Wave Rider 30 (2026) is what sits on shelves today. Against the shoe you own rather than the one that directly replaced it:
- Weight is unchanged
- 1.5 mm more heel stack
- Drop moved from 12 mm to 8 mm
- New midsole foam
- List price up $10
What loyalists said about the update
The feared backlash mostly never came: 83% positive across aggregated threads, with owners buying multiple pairs. The grief is real but narrow, concentrated among firm-ride diehards and 12 mm spec loyalists who now have no mainstream trainer left with that geometry. Their pick is clearance 28s; everyone else moved on happily.
Still want the original?
Buy remaining Wave Rider 28 stock
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.
Ready to move on?
Beyond the Wave Rider 29, these come closest to what the Wave Rider 28 did.
- 10.2 oz
- 10 mm drop
- 36 mm heel
- $150 list
The Ghost is the most natural cross-shop: the archetypal traditional neutral daily on the firmer side of soft, with a far bigger shoe-wall presence. The Rider counters with the Wave plate's snap and better outsole durability.
Against your Mizuno Wave Rider 28: 0.7 oz heavier, 5 mm less heel stack, 2 mm less drop, $10 more at list.
- 10.1 oz
- 10 mm drop
- 37 mm heel
- $145 list
The Pegasus is the other firm, responsive high-drop workhorse, $5 to $20 less at list. The Air unit and the Wave plate are rival answers to the same question: pop without mush.
Against your Mizuno Wave Rider 28: 0.6 oz heavier, 4 mm less heel stack, 2 mm less drop, $5 more at list.
- 8.9 oz
- 8 mm drop
- 38 mm heel
- $145 list
The Ride is the balanced do-everything neutral in the same price class, and its 8 mm drop is what the Wave Rider 30 now matches. The Ride is the softer and simpler of the pair; the Rider keeps the plate snap.
Against your Mizuno Wave Rider 28: 0.6 oz lighter, 3 mm less heel stack, 4 mm less drop, $5 more at list.
Questions runners ask
- Is the Mizuno Wave Rider 28 still available?
- For now. Amazon still lists the Mizuno Wave Rider 28, but the size run is thinning and prices swing with remaining stock. If your size is there, this is the late window, not the early one.
- Is the Wave Rider 29 a downgrade from the Mizuno Wave Rider 28?
- Not a downgrade, but a different shoe. The Wave Rider 29 scores well with new buyers while changing the ride that Mizuno Wave Rider 28 loyalists bought it for. Read the spec changes before assuming it will feel familiar.
- How much lighter is the Wave Rider 29?
- 0.2 oz lighter in a men's US 9: 9.3 oz against the Mizuno Wave Rider 28's 9.5 oz.
- Did the drop change from the Mizuno Wave Rider 28 to the Wave Rider 29?
- Yes, from 12 mm to 10 mm. A drop change this size affects where your foot loads at landing, so plan a few easy runs to adapt.
- Is the Mizuno Wave Rider still made?
- Yes. The current version is the Mizuno Wave Rider 30, released in 2026, 2 versions on from the Mizuno Wave Rider 28.
- What is the closest current alternative to the Mizuno Wave Rider 28?
- The Brooks Ghost 18. The Ghost is the most natural cross-shop: the archetypal traditional neutral daily on the firmer side of soft, with a far bigger shoe-wall presence. The Rider counters with the Wave plate's snap and better outsole durability.