Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro 3 review

The Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro 3 could be your next racing shoe if you:

• Want a bold, crazy super shoe with extreme cushioning.
• Are a midfoot striker and focus on long-distance races like marathons or road ultras, where we think the shoe works best.
• Used one of the previous Wave Rebellion Pro models and felt it was not fast enough, since this version improves speed and moves the sweet spot slightly backward to appeal to more runners.

We think that this shoe is only worth it for midfoot strikers, since that zone delivers the smoothest feel from its extreme geometry. Therefore, we think it’s not the best pick for heel or forefoot landings, and models like the ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo or Nike Alphafly 3 deliver a more efficient ride for those runners.

We also found in the lab that the energy return stays below 70%, which leaves the shoe behind rivals that use better superfoams. Shoes like the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 or the PUMA Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 offer stronger rebound, lower weight and a better performance-focused experience.

If you're chasing outrageous cushioning, this is it. The Wave Rebellion Pro 3 smashed our lab record, surpassing the alien-looking Nike Vomero Premium with an unbelievable 184 SA in the heel. This wild result in a super shoe is only possible because of the bizarre midsole geometry and heel bevel, which somehow stays within World Athletics rules while delivering a real stack above 60 mm.

Meanwhile, the forefoot comes in at 126 SA. Still far above average, but at least this second reading brought our eyes back into place.

When we tested the Wave Rebellion Pro 2, we found that one of its weakest points was its lower energy return compared to top super shoes. Version 3 uses a new PEBA foam that gives a clear improvement, it still sits a bit behind the best models.

We measured the bounce at 66.3% in the heel and 69.1% in the forefoot, which stays one or two steps below the leaders that are now moving around the 80% mark in this same lab test.

Mizuno shows here how brands can work around the 40 mm heel limit set by World Athletics simply by using a large heel bevel.

We tested it following current rules and measured 39.9 mm in the heel, just 0.1 mm under the limit, but shifting the callipers slightly toward the midfoot pushed the reading to 61 mm. Definitely clever from Mizuno, although this extreme design can feel unsuitable for many heel strikers.

We tested the forefoot at 34.5 mm, which stays road-race legal and feels very cushioned for marathon efforts.

The official drop is 4 mm, and we measured 5.4 mm.

However, the shoe does not feel like that on the run because the unusual midsole creates a totally different sensation depending on where you land. It can feel almost flat or very steep depending on your form.

We tested the new PEBA-based Enerzy XP foam and discovered that it offers a softer feel with a 16.5 HA reading.

This is not super-soft compared to shoes like the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2, but the huge stack height makes the shoe feel a bit softer and, definitely, not very stable for most runners compared to what the numbers suggest.

Mizuno continues pushing its SMOOTH SPEED ASSIST technology, now with a new forefoot rocker that starts later and creates a flatter midfoot. The heel is basically unusable in this shoe because landing there wastes energy on every step, so you either land from the midfoot forward or the ride falls apart.

Landing on the forefoot is not fully ideal either, since you carry extra weight for no benefit and the shoe lacks pop there because of the plate shape.

Unlike most super shoes, the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro 3 does not use a full carbon plate. Instead, it relies on a nylon WAVE Plate infused with carbon fibre, which makes sense given how tall the shoe is, since adding extra stiffness would not perform well in such a high midsole.

A medium-stiff plate works better here, sitting between a plastic plate and a full carbon-fibre one. Mizuno also shortened the plate so it doesn't reach the back of the heel or the very end of the forefoot, which you can clearly see in our photo after we worked hard to remove the top layer that goes over the plate.

The Wave Rebellion Pro 3 may look a bit unusual from the outside, but it is one of the few racing shoes that offers more room inside the toebox.

In our first measurement, we found 96.6 mm of width, which matches what we felt during our runs. It is not extremely wide, but compared to almost any other super shoe, it definitely stands out.

We took a second measurement in the toebox area and got 72.8 mm, which is not roomy on its own but still makes this one of the better racing options for runners with wide feet.

In terms of height, the room inside the toebox is a bit more limited at 25.4 mm, which could be a problem for those who raise their toes a lot while running.

However, this works well in a competition shoe, since we know that a secure upper that sits closer to the foot is usually what most people want.

Another strong point of the Wave Rebellion Pro 3 is its traction. With a 0.62 score in our SATRA TM144 test, the shoe shows it can handle both dry and wet races without any problems.

Mizuno uses its well-known G3 rubber for the outsole and really surprised us with generous full-length coverage, a rare feature in a super shoe today.

This makes the Wave Rebellion Pro 3 an interesting option for runners who dislike racing shoes with low outsole protection and worry that exposed foam will wear out very fast.

Despite using a plate that is not fully made from carbon fibre, the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro 3 delivers high stiffness at 20.7N thanks to its super-sized midsole.

At 8.0 oz or 227g, the Wave Rebellion Pro 3 is not a light super shoe. However, considering its real stack height of more than 60 mm and full-length rubber coverage, the weight feels reasonable.

Even so, it is not the best choice for runners who prefer ultra-light models like the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2.

The upper of the Wave Rebellion Pro 3 looks very good at first sight, with zones that promise excellent ventilation and low weight. Let's see if that holds true.

First, we plugged our smoke machine into the shoe using a 3D-printed piece to secure it and direct the smoke exactly where we wanted. We were quite happy with the airflow we observed and gave it a 4/5.

Using a light, we uncovered how Mizuno structured the upper. It is clear they focused on ventilation, but some areas are thicker than what we see in other racing shoes, likely because of the extreme stack height.

The single-layer engineered mesh used by the Japanese brand shows very high quality, and we confirmed that through our microscope. There are no asterisks here.

Mizuno usually delivers solid uppers that rarely bring complaints, and they did it again. It is not groundbreaking, but it is definitely good enough.

You do not need to be a running shoe expert to see that this shoe will lack stability, but we discovered a small twist during testing, because if you land in the sweet spot right after the crazy heel bevel ends, you get more stability than the design suggests.

We are not calling it stable, since it is clearly wobbly, but if your footstrike matches the shoe as we explained earlier, it's not that bad!

The colossal midsole of the Wave Rebellion Pro 3 and its carbon-infused plate make it impossible to twist, earning a clear 5 out of 5 in this test.

The heel is pure racing and lacks any serious reinforcement, which is why we rated it 1/5, similar to most competitors.

That said, the design is very aggressive and not the most comfortable, so runners who often have issues with this type of collar may want to think twice and choose a more standard design.

Despite its skyscraper-like height, the Wave Rebellion Pro 3 has dimensions that are fairly normal for a running shoe. It is a bit wider than most super shoes, but not by much at 116.7 mm in the forefoot.

The heel is aggressive and narrow at 86.7 mm, and as we already warned several times in this review, the WRP3 is not friendly for heel landing, and this measurement reinforces that point.

The toebox showed strong abrasion resistance for a super shoe, earning an impressive 4 out of 5 in our first Dremel test.

One of the worst results in our test batch came from the heel padding durability. This area is usually quite durable, but the soft lining of the Wave Rebellion Pro 3 wore out quickly, and we had to give it a 1/5.

The G3 rubber offers strong grip, but durability took a hit with 1.4 mm of wear in our Dremel test. It is not a bad result for a racing-oriented shoe, but it shows that the outsole will not last forever.

However, the full-length coverage and the thick 2.5 mm rubber layer (for a super shoe) made it clear to us that it will outperform most competitors in this area.

The stock insole measures 3.9 mm in thickness, which is slightly less than average but typical for a super shoe.

You can remove the insole if you want, but the unique shape of the Wave Rebellion Pro 3 makes it hard to find one that fits perfectly, and it is not a great option for orthotics either.

The PEBA-based Enerzy XP midsole delivered an excellent result in our cold-weather test, keeping the same softness after we exposed it for 20 minutes to extreme cold.

This shoe is unusual in almost every way, not just in its wild midsole design, and it is also one of the few super shoes we have seen that includes reflective elements.

We found that the lacing system is simple and very light, and the tongue follows the same idea with a thin 1.0 mm build that needs some care when you tighten the laces. Mizuno also adds a rare triple loop to keep the tongue quiet and secure, which is unusual since most shoes have one or two at most.

However, we also discovered that the laces feel like those on an average daily trainer, and at this high price we expected something more premium since upgrading the laces is an easy win for a shoe in this range.

The tongue is not gusseted, but that is not an issue thanks to the triple loop Mizuno includes to keep it centred.

The price of the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro 3 is not bad at all, sitting in the low to moderate range of super shoes. However, when we look at value, its limited versatility and not-very-impressive energy return place it a step behind what we would consider a top racing shoe in terms of overall worth.

The heel includes a small pull tab that you can grab easily when you need it.