This review is sponsored by Mizuno through my affiliation with FitFluential. All opinions are my own.
Out with the old, in with the new….and it’s about time!
If you were a fan of the tried-and-sturdy Mizuno Wave Ascend, you’ll have to dry your tears as that trusty shoe is going the way of retirement. However, Mizuno is filling the void with a couple new sneakers in their trail running lineup, starting with the Wave Kazan.
Having spent a few seasons on the Ascends, I was curious to experience the differences between the two shoes. Personally, the old Ascends were like a little black dress in the back of my closet: always appropriate but nothing truly special. And after spending ~35 miles in the new Wave Kazan, I’m happy to report that Mizuno has upgraded their trail line!
Tech Specs
The Wave Kazan sports the standard 12 mm pitch with a solid 21 mm of cushion beneath the heel. Beyond that, Mizuno has also cut some serious weight: while the women’s Ascend 8’s weighed 9.6 ounces, the Kazan top out at a mere 8 ounces. That’s a big weight difference and my legs definitely noticed the reprieve while on trail—especially on the climbs!
Performance
Hands down, my favorite feature of the Wave Kazan is Mizuno’s focus on a mid-foot strike {as opposed to the heel}. There is a very large section of midfoot groovesthat enables the middle and the back of the shoe to operate independently. In incorporating these into the shoe, the Wave Kazan easily adapts to all terrain without feeling clunky or bulky or like you are running with bricks on your feet. However, they didn’t lose any lateral support in the process. In short, this sole redesign is a huge win.
I was also impressed with the traction provided by the X-Grooves on the sole. I tested the Kazans out on a few trails with thousands of feet of elevation gain, complete with sandy rocks and tree roots. I never struggled with slipping or sliding out, but to be fair, that was never a problem in my old Ascends either.
Who Are They For?
I think these shoes are going to be great for runners who are just experiencing trail running for the first time. They provide all the support and protection of traditional trail shoes, but the lighter weight and increased flexibility makes them that much easier to run. They would also make perfect “all-occasion” trail shoes to rotate with other, more minimalist sneakers. They may not be aggressive enough for experienced trail runners.
Want to try them yourself? The Wave Kazan retail for $119.99 and can be found on MizunoRunning.com
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What are you favorite trail shoes currently?
8 Comments
I’ve been running in Mizunos since my first marathon and will be looking into these to do my first trail ultra in next year!
I ran a last-minute half with my mom last weekend and I had to randomly choose a pair of road shoes to run in since I haven’t run anything but trails in months. I chose my Wave Rider 17s and I was happy!!
Great review, I love Mizuno, they were actually my first pair of running sneakers ever!
Ha, I remember when Mizuno was a smaller, grassroots company that no one had heard of. Now I feel like they are definitely a favorite of many! They’ve done a great job growing their brand and making quality stuff.
Great review, I love Mizuno, they were actually my first pair of running sneakers ever!
Any feedback in regards to the aggressive toe rise that the Ascends had? Love the Ascends but hated the toe. Killed me every time =(
I used to run in some Ascends, too. I checked the Kazans online to see the other colors. They’ve been very creative with the colors and design!
Update: I recently ran a 55k trail race in the Kazan!