Ephman's run in a lot of different shoes.  Adidas, Brooks, New Balance, and of course Nike.  But this underdog shoe, the Mizuno Wave Runner 12, hands down is the most comfortable shoe he's ever run in.

If you follow this blog you'll notice that every once in a while he'll write about something running related.  Like the New York Mini, or the the super crazy ultra-marathon Badwater.  Now Ephman's no pro runner.  He goes out and does his small miles almost every morning.  But he is inspired by his wife, who's a pro runner.  In any event this review comes from just a regular runner.

Ok never mind that black blob on the left shoe, or the blue envelope on the right.  He keeps his keys in one and the other thing tracks (well sort of) his speed and distance (more on that thing in a later posting).  Ephman runs up and down the Hudson River Park along the West Side Highway here in NYC.  Not that a shoe fetish going on, but he every so often looks down to see who running with what.  And not that often does he see Mizuno's.

The Wave Runner 12 has Dyanmotion Fit (ok marketing talk for basically nothing but it sounded funny).  The shoe is designed for neutral runners, just so you know.  It's not a racing shoe, but it's definitely light.  He also runs on various surfaces.  80% asphalt, 10% concrete, 5% grass, 5% cobblestone.  On all surfaces there's great grip, and his ankles always feel stable.  What's also REALLY nice about the soles is that you can really feel the surface of the road.  Especially on the "rocky" uneven surfaces.  But at the sametime there's some good cushioning.  The best part might be the nice energy transfer from heel to toe, up and down again.  Now that's the point to a good running shoe.

There's also a really aggressive looking design.  Maybe it has to do with that whacked out upside down A logo with the psychedelic colors?  The mesh allows for a nice cool foot.  But maybe in the winter it'll be too cold?  The shoe is also a bit eco-friendly.  66% of the midsole has been replaced with castor oil, so it'll bio-degrade nicer.

The funny thing is that Ephman went out and bought this shoe sight unseen.  Did a little jog up and down, and bought it.  The cool thing is that this model won Runner's World 2008 Editor's Choice award.  But want to hear the best part?  Ephman knew you would.  This is not an expensive running shoe.  $100.  Yes only $100.  What a deal!

Hey if you have this shoe also and want to talk a bit about it please leave some comment below, be nice to hear from you.