Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour 2 review

We highly recommend considering the Wave Enforce Tour 2 if:

• you prioritize cushioning and impact protection in your tennis shoes (be it due to foot pain, joint issues, prior injuries, or because you simply enjoy the comfort)
• you prefer versatile and well-rounded tennis shoes
• you are ready to pay more for higher quality and durability

We haven't experienced any clear deal-breakers in the Enforce Tour 2, but we can suggest a couple of alternatives to expand your options.

The Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 6, for example, also provides good shock absorption and energy return in a much lighter and nimbler package.

Outside of Mizuno, the Nike GP Challenge 1 is charged with two Zoom Air units, offering more protection in the toe joint and ball of foot area.

We are happy to confirm that the Wave Enforce Tour 2 keeps its legacy as one of the best cushioned tennis shoes on the market! Even though there were some changes to the inner workings of the shoe's midsole, its shock absorption remained exactly the same as in the original – 105 SA in the heel and 58 SA in the forefoot.

That above-average heel reading makes this Mizuno shoe ideal for longer matches, players with joint concerns, heel pain, and plantar fasciitis, and other conditions that require enhanced impact protection.

Just like the original shoe, the Enforce Tour 2 remains amazingly responsive and energetic. With its above-average energy return measurements of 60.6% in the heel and 62.0% in the forefoot, the shoe accommodated our rapid recoveries and explosive jump shots beautifully.

However, we did feel that the shoe's platform got slightly more grounded.

Comparing the two midsoles, our caliper measured the v2's heel stack at 31.0 mm, which is 2 mm lower than the v1. This is likely due to the missing pieces of an ultra plush foam that used to be included in the original shoe.

But there is nothing to worry about, as our measurements above proved no lack of cushioning properties in the v2!

Only a millimeter lower than the v1, the Enforce Tour 2's forefoot stack remained practically unchanged and on par with the average.

At 20.1 mm, it walks a fine line between cushioning and court control in the ball of the foot and toe area.

The shoe's heel-to-toe drop of 10.9 mm is only a millimeter lower than in the v1.

However, it is still slightly higher than average, prioritising safe landings and comfort as opposed to court feel.

Even though Mizuno ditched the plush layers of the first Enforce Tour, it retained a moderately soft underfoot experience with a new dual-density Enerzy NXT foam blend.

The top foam (mint green) was made softer and showed a lower durometer measurement of 23.1 HA. Sitting closer to the foot, it provides direct comfort and cushioning to the player.

Meanwhile, the bottom (dark blue) foam is just as firm as in the original shoe, with a higher durometer reading of 31.2 mm. Its density helped us feel planted and steady on the ground during fast-paced moves and direction changes.

But overall, the Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour 2 provides a familiar protective and comfortable ride with just a touch of softness.

Good news for the fans of the original Enforce Tour – the new version's fit is consistent with the v1!

Having created gel molds of both shoes' interiors in the same men's US size 9, we found the dimensions to be nearly identical.

You can expect a predictable medium-width fit as our caliper recorded a standard reading of 91.9 mm in the widest area of this Mizuno shoe's forefoot.

We also found no significant tapering to the shoe's toebox as it returned a normal width of 67.5 mm in the big toe area.

The vertical space is in check here as well, showing a standard toebox height of 24.6 mm.

We believe that there is enough wiggle room for most players.

Even though its coefficient of friction (0.71) turned out to be slightly lower than that of the v1 (0.82), we found the Enforce Tour 2's on-court traction to be just as strong. Gladly, it's not too tacky either and hits a perfect balance between grip and give.

Mizuno went for a full-length herringbone tread pattern in the second version and features more pronounced flex grooves for pliability and maneuverability.

However, our lab tests showed that the Enforce Tour 2's forefoot flexibility is no different than that of the original.

Fixing the shoe's forefoot to our flexibility tester, we measured how much force it would take to bend it by 30 degrees. And at 14.3N, it takes a little less than the average tennis shoe but nearly as much as the previous Enforce Tour did (13.2N).

In other words, no need to worry about this Mizuno shoe's cushy midsole, as it doesn't hinder your natural toe flexion.

Luckily, Mizuno's design tweaks barely affected the new shoe's weight. Showing 13.3 oz (376g) in a men's US size 9, it is on par with the previous version and is only slightly heavier than average.

However, we wouldn't describe it as heavy or clunky by any means. It is a reasonable cushioning-to-weight ratio.

The original shoe's breathability was fairly moderate, and that is still the case in the new iteration.

Observing a somewhat impeded smoke release through its toebox, we couldn't rate the Enforce Tour 2's ventilation capacity any higher than 3 out of 5.

We did notice that the shoe's upper material itself got more transparent in the v2, making the shoe feel a bit airier on the foot.

But comparing the two mesh textiles through our microscope, we couldn't see any clear differences.

While it's not as stability-oriented as the ASICS Gel Resolution or the Adidas Barricade, the Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour 2 provides a solid base for side-to-side movements.

We experienced a pretty reliable lateral support during dynamic split steps and crossovers on the court.

Taking the Enforce Tour 2 through our manual twisting test showed that it has a little more give than those unyielding stability models. But this is what makes this Mizuno shoe a bit more versatile and maneuverable for all-court play.

We reflected this in the shoe's slightly lower torsional rigidity score of 4/5 (5 stands for maximum stiffness).

However, the shoe's heel counter doesn't lack stiffness at all! Rigid and structured, it prevents the ankle from shifting and rolling too much in either direction.

Thus, we readily gave it a solid 5/5 stiffness score.

The base of this Mizuno shoe remains rather broad. Featuring outriggers on both sides of the midsole, the widest area of the shoe's forefoot showed 113.4 mm on our digital caliper.

Just like the original Enforce Tour, this version has a rather wide heel, reaching 95.4 mm in its widest part.

This generous landing area kept us steady and surefooted, especially when we had to plant the entire foot on the court.

Looks like this Mizuno shoe will take a ton of wear and tear before it begs for a replacement pair.

Its tough outsole rubber extends up on the inner side of the forefoot to protect the shoe from aggressive slides and slashes against the hard court.

Because we could hardly see any signs of abrasion after a round of Dremel drilling, we confidently rated the shoe's toe drag guard durability as 5/5.

The top of the shoe's toebox is left more exposed as the shoe features thick PU overlays only on one side of the upper.

Assessing the damage left by the Dremel, we couldn't rate the shoe's toebox durability any higher than 3 out of 5.

The inner heel lining got a bit more wear-resistant in the v2, featuring an additional textile overlay in the most high-wear area.

It didn't hold up against the sandpaper as well as we'd hoped, but at least it bumped up the heel padding durability score to 2/5.

And most importantly, the outsole didn't miss a beat either!

Even with the Dremel speed set to 10K RPM, the rubber resisted amazingly well, showing a very minor dent of 0.6 mm.

We are also happy to report that the rubber layer proved to be decently thick in this Mizuno shoe. At 4.3 mm, it is on par with the category average.

The Enforce Tour 2's outsole comes with a one-time, 6-month durability guarantee. But the results of our durability tests themselves feel like a durability warranty.

A moderately padded insole complements the shoe's abundant cushioning with a 4.1 mm thick layer of foam.

The shoe's removable insole opens up the option to use your custom orthotic with this Mizuno shoe.

The shoe's tongue design remains the same in the Enforce Tour 2. It's paper-thin at the bottom but has a padded pillow at the top (8.9 mm thick).

The v2 features the same tongue gussets as the original shoe, but the double collar is now gone.

This can be a problem for players with narrower feet and skinnier ankles, because they won't be able to get the same secure lockdown as in the previous version. A runner's knot is likely to be a must.

The Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour 2 comes with a premium price tag and also seeks a price hike over the first iteration. But the comfort, cushioning, and overall performance of this tennis shoe are worth the investment.

There are no pull tabs or finger loops on the Enforce Tour 2, but the shoe can be opened up wide easily for a quick on-and-off.