Mizuno Wave Rider 25 vs. Brooks Ghost 14 (2022)
The Wave Rider and the Ghost are two shoes with a classic ride, comfortable cushioning, and high heel-to-toe drop for everyday runs.
The Ghost is slightly more cushioned with 1 mm more stack (33 mm under the heel and 21 mm under the toes compared to 32 and 20 mm for the Rider).
In terms of the midsole, the Wave Rider features the brand new Mizuno Enerzy foam. The Ghost relies on BioMoGo DNA, an older technology but still effective. Note that we expect the Ghost 14 to use DNA Loft v2 (or v3) foam.
In practice, the Ghost’s cushioning is softer underfoot. However, the shoe offers less structure which gives, according to testers, a less responsive ride than with the Wave Rider.
In addition, the Wave Rider is a little lighter with 270 g/9.5 oz against 280 g/9.9 oz for the Ghost (men’s model).
Finally, both shoes are very durable with their rubber-rich outsoles to protect the platform from the wear of road running.
Wave Rider vs. Ghost: which one should you choose?
Overall, we recommend the Wave Rider because it has a more bouncy cushioning, resulting in a smoother, more versatile ride.
However, runners looking for really soft cushioning will prefer the Ghost.
Side-by-side comparison
Lighter than before (270 g)
Robust, mileage-proof design
Very nice cushioning with softer foam and a slight bounce
Versatile running shoes
Good lockdown
The high drop of 12mm
Not the sleekest looking shoe out there
Pleasant and more responsive cushioning than on the previous version
Versatile and forgiving shoe
Durable, carbon-neutral, and 100% vegan
Foot lockdown is a little loose
Mizuno Wave Rider 25
Brooks Ghost 14
Technical Specs
| Terrain | Road | Road |
| Pronation type | Neutral | Neutral |
| Drop | 12 mm | 12 mm |
| Heel stack height | 32 mm | 31 mm |
| Forefoot stack height | 20 mm | 19 mm |
| Weight (men) | 270 g/9.5 oz | 283 g/10 oz |
| Weight (women) | 225 g/7.9 oz | 249 g/8.8 oz |
| Features | Recycled materials, Vegan | |
| Release year | 2021 | 2021 |
| Athlete | Haruki Murakami |
Technologies
| Outsole | Blown rubber, Flex Controllers, X10 | Omega Flex Grooves, Rubber, Segmented crash pad |
| Midsole | Mizuno Enerzy, Mizuno Wave Plate, U4ic | DNA Loft |
| Upper | Engineered mesh | 3D Fit Print, engineered mesh |
Cushioning
| Softness (1-5) | 3 – Moderate | 4 – Soft |
| Bounce (1-5) | 3 – Moderate | 3 – Moderate |
Use
| Speed | Slow, moderate | Slow, moderate |
| Distance | Mid, long, 10k, half marathon, marathon | Mid, long, 10k, half marathon, marathon |
| Workout | Daily runs | Daily runs, recovery |
