By Paul Freary
The Neo Vista is a shoe I’ve been looking forward to for around 6 months. I first got a glimpse of it at a trade show here in the UK in November 2023.
The shoe is a real departure from the norm for Mizuno and their first daily trainer that features a soft ‘super-foam’. Okay, we’ve had ENERZY foam before, but the ENERZY NXT used here is next level in terms of soft, responsive cushioning.
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It’s a shoe that will compete with models such as the ASICS Novablast 4 and Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 and from my first runs in the shoe and pre-launch sales figures from Mizuno, it looks and feels like it could give those models in particular a run for their money.
Fit / Tech
The Mizuno Neo Vista is a visually striking model thanks to the high stack height and bootie-like upper. Look beyond this obvious styling cues and you discover the shoe is packed with the latest innovations from the brand that are as exciting to experience as look at!
The fit is true to size in terms of length and width and can accommodate most feet thanks to the stretch-like properties of the knitted upper.
The bootie-like design appears a little unusual at first, but once on the foot, the ankle collar sits only around 1cm higher than most other shoes. Being of a knitted construction, the collar is soft too, so there are no issues with rubbing.
The integrated tongue also fits very well. There’s no excess creasing which can often be the case beneath the laces in shoes of this design, so overall, the upper fit is great.
Stats
Mizuno | Neo Vista |
|---|---|
Best for | Faster-paced runs, interval sessions and for some a versatile racing option |
Support | Neutral ‘Super Trainer’ |
Cushion | Deep stack soft yet responsive cushioning with glass-fibre plate |
Stack Height | Heel 44.5mm/ Forefoot 36.5mm |
Drop | 12mm |
Weight | Men 266g (9.4oz) |
Suggested Retail Price | $180 |
Fit | True to size |
Rating | 9/ 10 |
Midsole
The midsole of the shoe uses Mizuno’s SMOOTH SPEED ASSIST geometry. While somewhat of an umbrella term for the brand’s high-performance models, it generally indicates a combined use of highly responsive foams, the brand’s Wave plate and a full-length rockered design to promote a smooth, fast and efficient ride.
Mizuno ENERZY NXT
The latest generation of foam from Mizuno, the ENERZY NXT foam is a super-critical material that provides the bounce in this set-up.
The midsole is made up of three layers, the bottom of which is this soft, springy layer of ENERZY NXT. It’s this part of the shoe that contributes most to the overall feel of the shoe and its ride.
Mizuno Wave
Above the ENERZY NXT is a full-length MIZUNO WAVE plate. Here it’s a glass-fibre reinforced nylon plate that provides both a springboard-like push-off as well as adding stability to the shoe.
Mizuno Enerzy
The third part of the midsole is that sitting on top of the plate. This is the original ENERZY foam, an EVA blend that in this instance creates a stable platform. Some might say that a shoe of this type should simply throw the rule book away and stack the shoe full of the most responsive foam, but that often leads to instability. Here, this unique combination of foams hits the spot perfectly for a great feel that manages to keep control of things at the same time.
Performance
My first run in the Mizuno Neo Vista was at a launch event here in the UK. These runs are usually very easy-paced affairs, waiting for ‘influencers’ and ‘YouTubers’ as they jog along seizing photo opportunities. On this occasion, we covered around 5 miles at an easy pace, but without the expected stop-starts. We also included a few strides and pick-ups to really get a feel of the shoe at its best.
The shoe wraps around the foot with a very welcoming nature and fits well from the word go. The step-in feel is soft and the springy feel is instantly noticeable.
On subsequent runs, I’ve had much more opportunity to get to know the shoes and find their best use scenario.
I’ve covered steady-paced runs as well as some 5km tempo efforts. Of course, some will use this shoe as an everyday model as they do with the ASICS Novablast (more on that later), but I think the shoe is a little more niche and best used on slightly quicker runs.
There’s certainly nothing to stop you from using this super-shoe as an everyday model, but if you are running 5, 6 or even 7 days a week, I think it’s always better to build a small rotation of models.
The Neo Vista would fit into a shoe rotation as a faster-paced or tempo shoe. The high stack provides more than enough cushioning, but while the full-length plate enhances the toe-off I think these types of models are best suited to once-a-week efforts.
When picking up the pace, the shoe comes into its own. I enjoy the geometry of the shoe and the bevelled heel promotes a slightly more mid-foot strike. This, combined with the glass-fibre and nylon plate gives the shoe a very ‘dialled-in’ ride. It feels fast, but stable, cushioned but responsive and energised all in a very accomplished manner.
Mizuno has worked on the ‘footprint’ of the shoe too. It has a broader base and this also helps with the overall stability. It’s by no means a stability shoe, but it’s not wobbly in the way some soft, springy shoes can be.
Mizuno Neo Vista
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Shoes Similar to Mizuno Neo Vista
Comparison models that instantly come to mind when thinking of the Mizuno Neo Vista are the ASICS Novablast 4 and Saucony Endorphin Speed 4. Both these models are in their fourth-generation versions so have a slight advantage over the Mizuno in terms of proven ability, but I think the Mizuno is instantly on a par with both shoes.
The ASICS Novablast, while designed as a faster-paced shoe is a model that has become a go-to model for many runners. I’ve noticed recreational joggers choosing the shoe due to its super-soft feel. I also like the feel of the shoe but have reservations about its stability.
Having spoken to many wearers of the Novablast, they’ve purchased it online and without the benefit of gait analysis in a specialist running store. When I’ve then looked at their gait while running on the treadmill I’ve been amazed at the high percentage of wearers excessively over-pronating in the shoe.
This isn’t to say the Novablast is a bad shoe, it’s just not a very stable model. Of course, all this said, people enjoy running in the shoe and its sales figures prove its popularity. The Neo Vista offers a similar, if not better combination of cushioning and propulsion but in a more stable package in my opinion.
The Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 is another model that sits in the performance trainer/tempo shoe genre.
The Endorphin is also a shoe, that while aimed at faster-paced running has crossed the divide for many and become a daily trainer. Again, if it works for you then there’s no argument, but I prefer to mix things up a little throughout my weekly training. I also find that shoes of this type aren’t as durable (and as good value for money) when used day-to-day.
The Endorphin provides a great, fast feel and is noticeably responsive. The nylon plate works well and proves that carbon is not always needed. It is a little more expensive than the Mizuno and the cushioning stack isn’t as high.
In a perfect, money-no-object world, I’d have both the Saucony and Mizuno, choosing the Saucony for the slightly shorter efforts and the Mizuno for longer faster-paced runs.
My Verdict
The Mizuno Neo Vista represents a great leap forward for the brand, with the ENERZY NXT foam proving the magic element to make the shoe a serious contender in this category.
At the price point, the shoe also sits in a very competitive position and at its price I think it offers very good value for money.
Personally, I think the shoe suits those faster-paced tempo runs and interval sessions on the road, but I can easily see it becoming a versatile daily trainer for many in the same way the ASICS Novablast and Saucony Endorphin Speed have for many runners.
Don’t let the unusual upper design put you off with this shoe, the fit is great and once on the foot, it caresses it beautifully.
The Neo Vista take only a couple of miles to ‘break in’ and even on the first run in them, each mile your progress becomes better and better.
The shoe offers a super-soft ride that’s highly responsive, but stable at the same time, providing a confident footing on those faster days out on the road.
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