Mizuno Wave Universe 5 Review

Introduction

Having run in the Asics Piranha SP4 for just over a year, I was in the market for a minimalist racing shoe for 5k-10k. I must say that the Universe 5 fulfils this role. I understand that to this day this is the lightest shoe on the market at 2.8oz!

Its heel to toe drop of 2mm (13mm heel-11mm forefoot) really is unnoticeable and the soft 'u4ic' foam on the midsole compresses upon foot strike to leave probably less that 5mm between you and the road. It is truly a barefoot style shoe with its wide toe box and hardly there feel.

Performance

This is the fastest shoe over 5k-10k that I have ever run in. This is no surprise given its flexibility and weight. I have noticed roughly a 15 second improvement in 5k test times with this shoe over my regular Adidas Adios 2 shoes (which are no slouches themselves). I would however think hard before taking them into 10 mile + territory even for those with strong calves and arches. I think that extended running in these shoes will leave your calves very tight after the hour mark. I did however, rather optimistically, wear them in a half marathon. Although there might have been other factors at play, I missed my 'firm' goal time by 90 seconds. Take from that what you will.

Upper

The upper is extremely light and thin all over the shoe. There are two seamless stitches on each side and the heel counter is very light. The tongue is not much thicker than the majority of the upper and the laces are the lightest I have ever owned (perhaps because there are only 5 loops to lace). All this adds to give a really light shoe.

In terms of looks, the number pattern on the upper is unusual and I can't say its my favourite feature. I don't mind it and I think that whatever your perception of the looks, you will forgive it once you realise the incredible speed.

When it comes to durability of shoes that I wear, for some reason I ALWAYS bust out the sides of the upper near the ball of the foot perhaps due to some aggressive trails or unusual running style. I was surprised with the durability of the upper given its thickness and while I have only ever used it on road, track and occasionally well kept grass, it stayed mostly intact for longer than I expected. Now I am beginning to see the outside of the upper pop open but not in such an obvious fashion as has been the tendency of some other shoes on the inside of the foot. I must have done around 150km of sub-4km pace in these and around 50km of sub-3:20km pace in these shoes and I think that the upper will just about hold up for another 100km of this type of running.

The upper is very comfortable with no annoying seams or restrictive overlays. This is definitely a sockless racer for those who are comfortable with the odour.

Midsole

There is not really an outsole on these shoes; there is just a thin slab of exposed foam with a few bits of black harder rubber in important areas. I can't say this with any other pair of shoes I have ever used: I wore through the sole of these shoes before the upper gave up. Yes, you did read that. There is a finger sized hole in the sole of my shoe! I temporarily fix it after
each run by putting glue in the hole and letting it dry- this lasts about 10 km and I really wish I didn't have to do this but I suppose I have just gone beyond the shoe's lifespan.

In terms of grip, I would just say that it suffices- I have never slipped over but nor would I expect to running on roads.

The midsole is extremely flexible- such that you can roll it up into a 5cm diameter cylinder. This means that you'll want strong high arches to get the best out of these shoes. You can easily think that you have no shoes on. I have often wandered what the effect of adding an Adidas 'torsion system' to the bottom of the shoe would be. This would give it what some might call a 'pop' and make it less flexible; would this make it faster?

Summary

This is certainly in the minimalist, zero-drop, barefoot and racing categories. I would be surprised if any shoe on the market matches it for speed. Although I have had durability issues lately, I would certainly buy it again just to get another 100km of blisteringly fast running and personal bests. It is pricey compared to traditional shoes and some of my friends have asked why I would pay so much for such a light shoe (I think I payed around £80 in April 2014) so in a sense it is bad value given how many road miles you can get out of it but I would argue (with my great british pounds no less) that the times you will achieve make it worthwhile.