Everything you thought you knew about Mizuno will be shattered with the newest edition of the Enigma. The Enigma 5 feels and fits different. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is up to you, I guess.
The out-of-the-box fit is snug and the feel very plush. Working at a specialty running store, I make it a point to surprise veteran Mizuno wearers with the feel and have them try on a pair of the new Enigmas.
I’ve run 50 miles in my pair and have a mixed review of the shoe. I love the cushioned ride and the fit of the heel, but not the snug fit of the forefoot. The softer layer of foam below the heel and forefoot gives the shoe a very cushioned feel. While I love the firmer/faster feel of previous Mizunos (hello Sayonara!), I also love my feet to be caressed and cushioned on the run. This shoe does that. I’d say the shoe is not very responsive and the actual feel of the surface is numbed. Not a bad thing for me as far as how I prefer my long mileage shoes to be. While there is a hint of a bounce on hard surfaces, I would think this would not be felt by most runners. On soft surfaces (I’ve used them on horse trails) the shoe is very squishy.
Parts of the fit of the shoe I like. I like the snugness and firmness of the heel counter (the part of the shoe directly behind your lower ankles and upper heel) and heel cuff (the part that surrounds your ankle and cinches tight as you pull on the laces to tie them). I have a slim heel and skinny ankles and I always appreciate shoes that can secure them. The part of the fit I don’t like is material on both sides of the forefoot Mizuno added to secure the forefoot. While this may be viewed as an improvement in fit for others, it’s a poor fit for me because I like a wider toe box where my toes are free to move and react. The feel in the new Enigma is cramped with some pinching on the pinky toes on the toe-off. I even feel a pinch above the 3-5 metatarsal that seems to go away after a mile or so. The wraparound the foot is very cushioned as well. You’re foot is surrounded by plushness.
While this wouldn’t be a “do everything” shoe for me, it works well in my current shoe rotation along with the New Balance Zante and Wave Sayonara. The Enigma is currently my long mileage (10+ miles) shoe. I’ve run all sorts of paces in them: from fast strides to tempo pace to slow slogs. They felt sloppy and flopped at the faster paces, but felt right at home at my long run pace (8:00+/mile).
The specs are interesting in that the heel cushions are super high (at least for non Hoka wearers – listed at 32mm) and the forefoot cushion is higher than most shoes (20mm) – 12mm offset, the ride doesn’t feel awkward or too sloppy. While I wouldn’t say it’s the smoothest riding premium cushioned shoe I’ve worn (I’ve worn the Glycerine and Triumph ISO), it’s tolerable.
Go ahead and try on a pair at your nearest local running store (support small businesses!) and maybe you’ll love the new feel of the new generation of Mizuno.
