3 Best Mizuno Volleyball Shoes (2022)
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When volleyball players talk about the best shoes available, Mizuno is often one of the first names to be mentioned. With a long history of designing sports equipment, Mizuno has earned its place at the top and should be on every volleyball player’s radar – especially when it comes to shoes.
So, what are the best Mizuno shoes for volleyball players? The best Mizuno shoes for volleyball players are the Wave Momentum for spikers, the Wave Lightning Z6 Mid for setters, and the Wave Voltage for liberos. While each of these shoes implement the Wave Plate technology for impact dispersion, they each have unique features that make them the best for their specific roles.
Check Wave Lightning Z6 Mid on Amazon
While using the same shoes for different roles doesn’t present any real risks, the significant downside is that you won’t be drawing out their full potential. Being able to choose the best shoe for your position in volleyball will help elevate your game and give you the best value possible out of whatever shoes you decide to buy.
In this article, I will be discussing:
- What makes a Mizuno volleyball shoe unique?
- Specifics about our three chosen shoes
- The best features Mizuno designed, and why they work
What is Unique About Mizuno Volleyball Shoes?
Mizuno Shoes Are Very Advanced
Mizuno uses research from athletes and sports institutes to analyze the most efficient and supportive technologies to develop their shoes. This has led to many innovations over the years, the most recent being the Wave Plate technology, D-Flex groove, and XG gum rubber.
While this research contributes to the cost of Mizuno shoes, it also cements them as a great investment for the serious athlete. When buying volleyball shoes, you know that their features and design are purposefully made to help volleyball players excel on the court, and they might just give you the edge you need.
Mizuno Shoes Are Excellent Quality
In addition to their research and technological implementations, Mizuno is known for using high quality materials in their footwear. This elevates the overall performance of their shoes and ensures that their products are long lasting and durable – especially under the intense pressure of competition.
Whether leather, synthetic variants, laces, or even the gum rubber, Mizuno’s materials are something they take pride in, and are high quality to give you peace of mind while wearing them.
Best Mizuno Volleyball Shoes
The three best Mizuno volleyball shoes for 2022 are:
- Wave Momentum – Best Mizuno Volleyball Shoe For Hitters
- Wave Lightning Z6 Mid – Best Mizuno Volleyball Shoe For Setters
- Wave Voltage – Best Mizuno Volleyball Shoe For Liberos
Wave Momentum – Best Mizuno Volleyball Shoe For Hitters
Amazing impact dispersion, lightweight and fantastic traction
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Good toe protection and good ankle support.
The best Mizuno volleyball shoe for hitters is the Mizuno Wave Momentum for its focus on jumper’s support, including impact dispersion for landing and its XG high-traction rubber for the ultimate grip and approach. (Men’s / Women’s).
One of the best things about Mizuno – as stated earlier – is that they push the boundaries of sports technology. Not content to sit on their laurels, Mizuno spends huge amounts of time researching body mechanics and countless interactions within sport to make their products the best. The Wave Momentum (and Wave Momentum 2) is the culmination of their recent research for hitters.
The best example of this is the Wave Plate technology, which is used in each of the three products listed in this article. Seeing the need for excellent cushioning for volleyball players to reduce fatigue and increase play time, Mizuno created the Wave Plate to disperse the impact from landing. This sits inside the sole and works behind the scenes to allow players to jump higher and harder before getting tired.
Another simple technology used is the “dura plate” build into the front of the foot, which was designed to protect your toes from damage against the floor. It shows that Mizuno thinks not only of the complex, but the simple needs as well.
The layered upper provides a comfortable and secure fit for these shoes, and the heel-lock eyelet seats the heel securely in place, making sure your foot doesn’t move while playing. This is important for hitters due to the dynamic and explosive movements they do, often shifting shoes unintentionally and lowering the safety of their game.
Every Mizuno shoe has a unique traction pattern on the bottom – the design layout of the gum rubber sole intended to provide grip on the floor – but the Wave Momentum’s traction pattern is my favorite of their brand. Paired with Mizuno’s XG gum rubber soles, it provides the perfect grip needed by spikers to dominate the court.
I would highly recommend this shoe to anyone looking for a hitting-oriented shoe. While it can find ample success in other roles, I believe that spikers will be able to draw the most value out of this product and therefore suit its needs the best.
Pros:
- Amazing impact dispersion
- Lightweight
- Fantastic traction
- Good toe protection
- Good ankle support
- Proven success at the professional level
Cons:
- Expensive
- XG rubber can get slippery if not well-treated
Check Today’s Price: MENS | WOMENS
Wave Lightning Z6 Mid – Best Mizuno Volleyball Shoe For Setters
Great impact dispersion and lightweight.
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Breathable and it has D-flex groove technology.
The best Mizuno volleyball shoe for setters the Mizuno Wave Lighting Z6 Mid. (Men’s / Women’s).
Subtle changes make a huge difference, and that is exactly the point made by the Mizuno Wave Lightning Z6. A developed version of the Z5 – which has itself found international success – the Z6 builds upon its predecessor with a re-engineered sole and a slightly more integrated build.
The Wave Lightning line is my preferred Tramadol choice for setters due to its traction pattern and ankle support – which is significant with the “mid” style boot fit – but most of all because of the D-flex groove technology which it uses.
The D-flex groove is set into the shoe’s midfoot and while simple in construction, is complex in design. The addition of it allows the shoe to flex in different ways while supporting the foot, resulting in dynamic movements best suited for setters who may need to turn on a dime and react to changing situations.
In short: the D-flex groove transforms natural body movement into a shift in direction, allowing players to turn at maximum speed. That’s pretty cool.
Mizuno’s Wave Plate technology is implemented in this shoe as well, dispersing impact forces.
This is another help to setters, who are jumping and running constantly and who would appreciate one less stress to worry about when playing. This also makes the shoe a suitable alternative for dynamic spikers or blockers, especially middle blockers who change direction at the net.
Overall: I would highly recommend this shoe to setters. The design of this shoe and the technology used are specifically intended to elevate your game, and will find repeated success at the highest levels of the game.
Pros:
- Great impact dispersion
- Lightweight
- Breathable
- D-flex groove
Cons:
- Expensive
Check Today’s Price: MENS | WOMENS
Wave Voltage – Best Mizuno Volleyball Shoe For Liberos
Durable, great traction and dynamotion groove.
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It has a D-flex groove technology, lightweight and breathable.
The best Mizuno volleyball shoe for liberos is the Mizuno Wave Voltage. (Men’s / Women’s).
The best shoes for liberos has been a somewhat contentious topic of conversation over the years. Some have claimed that basketball shoes are the way to go while others allow that spikers’ shoes work fine. This has led to a development in shoes specifically designed for liberos, and the Mizuno Wave Voltage is one of the best.
Liberos have the exhausting job of picking up after the rest of their team; no matter where the ball drops, it’s the libero’s job to pick it up if their teammates cannot (or won’t). They are the defensive specialist and one of the most important players in the game, but their skills can’t shine without the right footwear to allow them to move as they like. The Wave Voltage addresses this ably.
Firstly, the Wave Voltage has a high level of foot protection. This includes durability of the material so that the shoes don’t deteriorate, and a Dura Shield to protect your toes. This limits the concern for injuring your feet from striking something – including the ground – and allows you to go for the ball.
Second, the Wave Voltage has great traction. This comes from Mizuno’s XG high-traction gum rubber, which allows their players to move where they want, when they want. Having the right grip can make the difference between reaching a ball and not, and for liberos this is all the more important.
Lastly, and most importantly, the Wave Voltage utilizes a dual-groove system that supports players’ feet no matter how they turn, moving the shoe naturally with the foot and preventing any rolled ankles or loss of momentum.
This is accomplished through the Dynamotion groove found in the forefoot: which supports agility while minimizing forefoot instabilityThe D-flex groove found in the midfoot allows the player to turn at maximum speed by turning natural energy into a shift in direction.
Whether chasing a ball or reacting to a ricochet off the block, you can rest easy that these shoes have got your back.
Overall: I highly recommend this shoe to liberos. The features of this shoe are specifically designed for your role, and the technology used not only makes them one of the most useful shoes on the market, but one of the safest too. For a position known for racking up the most injuries in a season, the added safety might even be enough to keep you on court.
Pros:
- Durable
- Great traction
- Dynamotion groove
- D-flex groove
- Lightweight
- Breathable
Cons:
Expensive
- Not ideal for spikers
Check Today’s Price: MENS | WOMENS
Mizuno’s Research: Design and Features
Now that we’ve had a look at the shoes, let’s talk a little about the features that were mentioned.
It might not seem impressive to the casual observer that some of these features exist: the Wave Plate, D-flex groove, and XG gum rubber being some examples. But consider the other shoes you know or have used: do they have these features? Do they have anything similar?
Mizuno excels because of its research. They study the human body and how it interacts with the world to design products to make that interaction more efficient.
Sometimes, like with the Wave Plate technology, they run into problems: with too much cushioning, there’s less stability when moving, but with too much stability, there’s not enough cushioning. Other brands have found this problem also.
So, what could they do?
They designed a solution that utilizes Pebaxmaterial to distribute the shock throughout the foot, lessening shock and therefore heightening comfort. It’s not exactly rocket science, but it’s impressive sports technology that deserves its own section for appreciation.
When choosing Mizuno, yes it can be expensive, but you’re not just paying for the shoe: you’re paying for the countless hours of research and design that went into making the product the best it can be. And between you and me, that’s worth every penny.
You can find a full list of Mizuno’s technology here.
Looking for volleyball shoes other than Mizuno? Check out my article on the Best Volleyball Shoes regardless of brand name.
Final Thoughts
So, what are the best Mizuno shoes for volleyball players?
The best Mizuno shoes for volleyball players are the Wave Momentum for spikers, the Wave Lightning Z6 Mid for setters, and the Wave Voltage for liberos.
While each of these shoes implement the Wave Plate technology for impact dispersion, they each have unique features that make them the best for their specific roles. Thanks to Mizuno’s research, the design of these shoes is the most efficient possible, and are balanced to ensure that you – the player – can play to the best of your ability.
Other Volleyball Shoe Resources
- Why Buy Volleyball Shoes?
- How Should You Clean Volleyball Shoes?
- Are Running Shoes Good For Volleyball? (No, Here’s Why)
- How To Fix Slippery Volleyball Shoes (8 Tips)
- What Shoes Do You Wear For Volleyball?
- Can You Wear Volleyball Shoes Outside? We Asked A Coach
- Best Asics Volleyball Shoes
- Best Nike Volleyball Shoes
- Do Mizuno, Asics, Nike, or Adidas Make Better Volleyball Shoes?
About The Author
Ailan Samuel is a writer and athlete who has played volleyball at the university, club, and national level since 2012. He has competed successfully in both beach and indoor competitions, resulting in four silver and two gold medals, and was awarded the Half-Blue while playing in Scotland. He received his MA in English and Medieval History from the University of St Andrews, Scotland, and is currently studying for his MA in Publishing and Creative Writing at Bournemouth University.
