Mizuno Wave Sky 9

The Mizuno Wave Sky 9 is the Japanese brand's maximum cushioning shoe, the one to lace up for the Sunday long run or the Monday recovery run. This edition grows in height and width until it is squarely in maximalist territory, and within the Mizuno range it sits above the Wave Rider 30, which remains the versatile everyday option, and quite far from the Neo Vista 3, which offers much more responsiveness for those who want a bit more fun. The Wave Sky takes the slow miles and the stable ride.

Compared with its predecessor, the Wave Sky 8, the Smooth Stretch Woven upper (with recycled materials, although the greatest sustainability would come from not releasing a new model every year) gives up a little width to fit the foot better and ventilates much better, one of the complaints about the previous version. The tongue is stitched to the sides and there is no heel pull tab, although it slips on and off without undoing the laces. The forefoot is pointed and low in volume, more so than Mizuno used to make them, and that could cause some problems.

The imposing midsole combines a top layer of nitrogen-infused Mizuno Enerzy NXT, soft and with good travel, over a firmer Enerzy base that stabilises the ride. The undulations between the two layers are the Foam Wave, what remains of the legendary Wave name now that the plate is gone, although it keeps some of its stiffness. The heel gains 4 mm of stack height over the Sky 8 and the heel-to-toe drop stays at 6 mm. It is not a nimble shoe and does not ask for brisk paces, but it is tremendously stable, and the X10 rubber outsole promises to last a great many miles, with good grip on wet tarmac. Ideal for medium or heavier runners who land on the heel or midfoot and want a comfortable shoe for relaxed running.