REVIEW: Mizuno Wave Sayonara 3
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| Mizuno Wave Sayonara 3 |
The Sayonara 3 is the first Mizuno shoe I’ve tried. There
are updates to the Sayonara 3 from version 2 and I will highlight them here but
I have not personally tried version 2, so I can’t give a feel comparison.
However, I have put some miles in the Sayonara 3, covering medium distance easy
runs, and some faster tempo workouts to get an idea of how best to use this
shoe. That said, let’s delve into it.
My Sayonara 3 in size US9.5 comes in at 260g, which is about what you would expect for a daily trainer and slightly on the heavy side for uptempo work. By way of comparison, an ASICS SkysensorGlide 2 weighs about 270g in my size.
UPPER
The upper is the key update to the Sayonara 3 from version
2. Mizuno continues to improve on this aspect of the shoe following feedback
that version 1 was overly snug, and version 2 was roomier but did not breathe
very well. Version 3 now sports what Mizuno called AIRMesh in the rear of the
shoe that purports to enhance breathability, while the front is open mesh that
has very good air penetration and reminds me somewhat of the Brooks Launch and
the UnderArmour Speedform Gemini. That said, the AIRmesh that extends from the
midfoot to the heel is inelastic and provides a relatively rigid and secure
lock-down of the foot.In terms of fit, I would still rate this as a low-medium volume shoe, not so much because it has a narrow footprint, but because the vertical volume of the shoe is on the low side, compared to e.g. Nike and Adidas. I did have to loosen up the lacing a fair bit to get a comfortable fit, as I have low arches but generally prefer the overall fit of a D width shoe. The shoe does otherwise fit true to size. The heel-counter is on the rigid side and extends pretty high in this shoe, so you definitely notice the support; it is also sports a relatively narrow heel so heel slippage should not be a problem for most people. Personally, I prefer less structured heels but this one wasn’t noticeable once you got up to speed. There is sufficient padding in the heel collar and tongue for its intended purpose as a daily-use shoe that I did not notice any hot spots or rubbing on the seams. The general appearance of the shoe is less futuristic than version 2, but definitely improved on the breathability of the upper.
MIDSOLE
There were no to the midsole from version 2. There is still
a generous amount of compression-moulded EVA (Mizuno coins this U4ic –
pronounced “euphoric”) extending the entire length of the shoe. This responsive
and bouncy foam is also seen in the Wave Hitogami. The Thermoplastic wave plate
that distinguishes Mizuno shoes is present from the heel to the midfoot,
providing support and aiding in the transition of the foot from heel to
forefoot. If you liked the bounce of the previous two versions of the Sayonara,
then you should find familiarity here. By way of comparison, I find U4ic to
feel closest to the SpEVA foam from ASICS; overall it is a good balance of
cushioning and rebound, and is very well suited for uptempo running.
OUTSOLE
The outsole is where you see some subtle differences from
version 2. Firstly, the blown rubber segment extending from the heel across the
lateral border of the midfoot to join the forefoot has been removed, leaving
that feel segment as exposed wave bridge. I suspect it was done partly to shave
weight, and partly to get a little more flexibility in the shoe between the
heel and the midfoot.
Another big change is the move from polyurethane grippers on
the medial forefoot to blown rubber, which the heel and lateral forefoot
continue to sport Mizuno’s carbon rubber compound (called X10). My prior
experiences with full length blown rubber (e.g. in the ASICS Skysensor Japan,
or the New Balance Zante) gave me the impression that it makes for a very rigid
shoe. Rigidity can be a good thing, allowing for very fast transitions during
the footstrike, but here, Mizuno’s horizontal and longitudinal network of
grooves in the forefoot allow the shoe to flex in selective zones that appear
to correspond to the locations of the tarso-metatarsal joints and the
metatarso-phalangeal joints in the foot. This creates a soft feel in the
forefoot, and should in theory allow the foot to flex and extend naturally
throughout the stride cycle.
I have not used the Sayonara 2 before, so I cannot say what
the Sayonara 3 is sacrificing in terms of grip in the forefoot by going with
blown rubber over polyurethane, but as an uptempo trainer rather than a racing
shoe, I have not found the forefoot grip to be lacking during my runs. I am
confident, though, that the slight weight gain in the Sayonara 3 is likely a
result of going with blown rubber over polyurethane, not that it should matter
so much for a trainer. I weighed this shoe at 260g for a US9.5, which is
perfectly reasonable for an uptempo trainer. That is a similar weight to the
Boston Boost, and still significantly lighter than a Nike Zoom Elite or a
Brooks Launch.
OVERALL RIDE
This shoe felt like a very traditional daily trainer from
the outset. The heel is firm and gives a very secure, sure-footed landing feel,
while the midfoot and forefoot have a little bit of give and softness. The shoe
felt a little stiff and unforgiving at first, but after a couple of runs to
break in the shoe, it started to get a little more flexible from the heel
through the midfoot, and the U4ic midsole also got a little softer and
bouncier, and felt very comfortable at tempo paces. The overall feel is that of
a shoe on the firmer end of the spectrum, similar to a Brooks Launch or a Nike
Zoom Elite. The shoe performs best at tempo paces, which is what it is designed
for. When I tried to do slower, longer runs in the shoe, I did find that the
firmness of the heel did beat me up a little. You definitely want to maintain a
high turnover in this shoe to fully appreciate the smooth ride.
In retrospect, there seems to be a subtle move by the
industry as a whole towards this firm heel-soft forefoot philosophy. Off the top
of my head, the NB FreshFoam Zante and Nike Zoom Elite also use this approach,
and both have achieved good success, especially the Zante.
If you like softer race shoes like the Adios Boost, or the
Nike Lunartempo, then this shoe probably would not be a good choice for you, as
you would probably find the heel to be excessively firm, regardless of the
pace. If on the other hand, you like responsive race shoes like the ASICS DS
Racer or Sortie, Adidas Takumi Sen/Ren, Nike Lunarspider R-series etc, this
would be a very good daily trainer for you.
It’s actually pretty useful for speed work as well, but you
do feel the weight a little once you get to your usual 5-10k race pace, as the
majority of the shoe’s weight is centred at the heel. For speed work and short
races, I think the Hitogami would probably be a better option. The Sayonara
might be a race day shoe if you like the feel of the Hitogami for racing, but
find that the Hitogami offers too little cushioning over long races like the
marathon. 
Personally, i tend to prefer shoes with an overall softer feel as the majority of my runs are not done at fast paces, so this shoe would not work for me as a daily trainer. However, as a go-to shoe for faster tempo work, this would definitely fit the bill.
The shoe is currently available from most World of Sports outlets in Singapore.
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