Mizuno Wave Luminous 2 Review

Review:

The Mizuno Wave Luminous 2 are a good basic shoe, providing the athlete with effective grip and a lightweight structure. They were long lasting and made of good quality materials.

The outer sole on this shoe looks extremely basic but has great lasting grip. I was pleasantly surprised with the grip quality the more I wore the shoe. The soft midsole makes for some instability issues when a lot of force is exerted laterally. I found there is a bit of compression in the soft foam when changing direction. This soft cushion made for a nice landing base but resulted in a lack of responsiveness. I noticed this straight away as a lot of my movements are rapid lateral pushes where my feet are not directly under me.

The cushioned innersole was quite flat which didn't suit my foot. I prefer something with a bit more arch support. I noticed towards the end of long training sessions or games that the bottom of my foot would get a little achey. This may be less of an issue for someone with a flat arch or who is only using them for short sessions. This could also be solved by wearing orthotics. Mizunos often tend to have quite a narrow toe box in their shoes which also added some slight irritation to my toes.

The soft mesh one piece structure of the shoe allowed for a lot of foot movement within the shoe. There was not a lot of structural stability in the forefoot and heel materials. I found that I had to tie these shoes up extremely tight to try and avoid any sliding. I didn't feel super confident with my lateral movement in this shoe however they offered good shock absorption for jumping which helped out my ankle and knee joints.

The fit of this shoe is about a 1/2 size smaller than regular and also has quite a small toe box. I would recommend a buying a 1/2 size bigger, or even a full size bigger for someone with a wide foot.

Because the innersole was already quite flat by design I didn't notice any change in cushion or comfort over time which was good. The grip remained very good throughout the season and showed no signs of detaching around the edges or significantly wearing. The eyelets and mesh structure remained in great shape and the shoe was surprisingly long lasting for that price range.

Overall, I think these are a great shoe for a beginner or part-time volleyballer as they offer amazing grip and cushioning which are 2 key points in court shoes, especially for someone just starting out on the indoor court. Although I struggled a little with some movement within the shoe which affected my responsiveness, I found they were great for jumping and general court movements. For someone that doesn't require huge amounts of rapid agility in their game, I think these are a good option for a cheap price.

Rating: 7.1/10

Grip: 8

Responsiveness: 5

Cushion: 7

Comfort: 7.5

Durability: 8

Pros

• Amazing grip

• Extremely affordable for all

• Good durability

• Very comfortable

Cons

• Suboptimal shoe structure allowing the foot to slide within the shoe

• Cushioning becomes flat over time

My verdict: These are a good general court shoe for an affordable price. The high quality grip and extremely lightweight nature of the shoe are great key elements. However, I struggled with sliding a little inside the shoe, and the lack of arch support and uncontoured innersole didn't suit my foot.

Value: $180 AUD - Affordable shoe, great for beginners and part-time volleyballers!

Questions?