Mizuno Neo Zen 2 Reviews

Narrower and stiffer than the original without any pop.

A runner prefers the original Neo Zen's feel, finding the Neo Zen 2 snug at true size with a less accommodating toe box.

About 33 miles (53 km) of easy cruising, hilly mountain roads, 5K-pace 200s and threshold 1K repeats. They found the foam bouncy yet protective, firming up at pace, with a planted, stable feel and a secure heel lock from the mesh-and-knit upper. The fit is narrowish and pointy, so wider feet may need trial and error with sizing. They see a do-it-all trainer from easy to threshold runs.

Two testers ran easy miles and strides together, with one of them reporting two 10-mile runs. They liked the bouncy, cushioned foam that stayed stable through corners and still picked up the pace. Downsides: one found the outsole waxy and slippery on a frosty deck, the upper feels narrow, and the oversized heel collar seemed pointless. They graded it a B overall, a good daily trainer in a competitive price bracket.

More stable and less wild than v1: built for base mileage, long runs and recovery days with some life underfoot. It runs slightly long, and wide feet will feel crowded in the midfoot and toe box. The Evo SL and Ride 19 are better for pace.