Mizuno Alchemy 5 Running Shoe Review

The running shoe category that leads the way in offering high quality choices consistently across the widest range of brands would have to be the support group. This category sports many of the top models in the business. Shoes such as the Asics 2110 and Kayano, Brooks Adrenaline, Nike Air Structure Triax, Saucony Trigon Guide 3 and Omni 5 series are some of the better-known models in this category.

Into this fray comes the Mizuno Alchemy 5, the fifth edition of a popular trainer with a tremendous following developed over the last four years. The Alchemy 5 features Mizuno's Wave technology, which has provided significant protection from over-pronation in the earlier versions of the Alchemy in a package that remains flexible, lighter in weight and responsive. It's a great combination for runners who tend to train at faster speeds or those who modulate their training by incorporating training elements such as tempo runs or intervals.

For those unfamiliar with the Mizuno name, the company is the largest sporting goods manufacturer in the world and is based in Japan. The company has produces fantastic products in terms of quality of construction, as well as performance. Mizuno is best known for baseball equipment and golf clubs in this country, but they've been steadily developing a cult like following among serious runners. The quality of product is outstanding, and time after time, runners who have never heard of the brand are very impressed with the fit and function of the shoes when they try the shoes on the Running Warehouse treadmill.

Our wear testers for the Alchemy 5 are all experienced competitive and former competitive runners who over-pronate, the perfect runners to put the Alchemy 5 through its paces. They took the Mizuno Alchemy 5 through several weeks of training on a variety of off-road surfaces to see if the model lives up to Mizuno's reputation for providing the right amount of support in a lighter weight, responsive and great fitting package. Here's what they had to say:

Running Warehouse Wear Testers for the Mizuno Alchemy 5 (test conducted 2/1/06-2/14/06):

Erin Female, 24.
Frame size: Small
Occupation: Graduate Student, Physical Therapy
Average miles per week: 70
Current Trainer: Nike Zoom Elite II
Favorite Trainer: New Balance 833
Joe Male, 48.
Frame size: Medium
Occupation: Director of Marketing
Average miles per week: 20-30
Current Trainer: Asics 2100
Favorite Trainer: Asics 2100 Katie Female, 23.
Frame size: Small
Occupation: Graduate Student, Teaching
Average miles per week: 70
Current Trainer: Asics 2100
Favorite Trainer: Asics Kayano Armando Male, 47.
Frame size: Medium
Occupation: Physician
Average miles per week: 20
Current Trainer: New Balance 1221
Favorite Trainer: New Balance 1221

First Run Review

Fit: Mizuno shoes have a well-deserved reputation for fit. The Alchemy 5 did not disappoint. All testers liked the fit of this shoe. Average Wear Test Score: 4 out of 5

Erin: The shoe itself has good arch support for my falling arches. The upper portion of the shoe is a perfect fit for a narrow foot. This shoe does fit similar to the Nike Zoom Elite in stability; however, the cushioning is a little better in the Mizuno. The shoe fits true to size.

Joe: The Mizunos lace up great and feel fine from the first install. The upper has a nice design and it looks like a running shoe ought to look. I really do like the laces and the eyes since many shoes are hard to get comfortably snug. I really liked how the uppers felt.

Katie: The overall fit is similar to the Asics 2100 in that the toe box is wide enough for a narrow and slender foot. I feel that the heel is raised and slants down towards the toe box. Because of this my heel did not feel as secure as it does in the Asics 2100. I scored this shoe a 4 for fit because it is a comfortable shoe once you break it in a little bit; it becomes a bit more soft and flexible after a few miles.

Armando: I like the fit. I usually like a snug shoe. The toe box is not too big and the heel fit is great. There was a little hot spot under the ball of my right foot, which is not too unusual for me when first wearing a new shoe.

Cushioning/Flexibility

Mizuno products are traditionally a firmer, more flexible shoe compared to other similar models. Runners who are likely to train at a faster pace prefer the cushioning and flexibility exhibited by a Mizuno shoe. The Alchemy lives up to the Mizuno reputation by providing a firm ride and excellent flexibility. Average Wear Test Score: 3.81 out of 5

Erin: I find the heel cushioning to be slightly better in this model compared to the Nike Zoom Elite. Overall, the shoe provides good forefoot cushioning. I did not experience any stiffness in the shoe, not even on the first run, which doesn't happen very often.

Joe: I found the Mizunos to be too firm for me out of the box. I like a shoe with a nice give in the heel, so on those first runs you can feel the cushion. The Wave has a pretty solid heel even with its fancy open air Wave technology. They're fine in the forefoot in terms of cushioning.

Katie: The cushioning is not as soft as the Asics 2100 in the heel but it does offer a lot of cushioning throughout the heel to forefoot. The shoe becomes flexible after a few miles, unlike the Asics 2100, which feels flexible as soon as you put it on. Rocks do not easily penetrate the midsole, and I feel confident in the strong structure of the shoe over a long run, or high mileage. It is a solid shoe and well constructed for support and longevity.

Armando: Nothing that is "exceptional" in terms of cushioning, but on the other hand, nothing that is bad. I rate it just above average because I can't find anything to complain about and usually I can complain about something. Flexibility is not a problem. However, the forefoot cushioning seems too "flat" for me. This, however, is not too unusual for a new shoe for me. We'll see if it softens up for me with additional miles.

Stability/Support

A support trainer, given the nature of the category, should provide a solid base of support and be stable enough to protect against over-pronation. The Mizuno Wave technology is known to accomplishing both objectives admirably. Our testers agreed, giving the Alchemy 5 a solid score. Average Wear Test Score: 3.634 out of 5.

Erin: I felt that this shoe provided slightly more stability then my current Nike Elite II trainers. My feet felt very comfortable with the feel from the first run. I felt the ankle stability of the shoe to be particularly good.

Joe: It's a stable shoe and doesn't do anything to try to compensate or correct anything. I've had some Nike's that seemed to try to flatten my foot strike, and I didn't find that in the Mizuno.

Katie: I feel that the support of this shoe matched the support of the Asics 2100. I felt stable in the shoe and felt that I could easily do a long run or high mileage and feel confident that it would support my moderate over-pronation. It felt perfect for my foot type.

Armando: The support is good. I don't feel like the shoe is sloppy. It is also not a brick or a "dead" shoe (a shoe that gives nothing back with each step). However, it's not quite as responsive as a great shoe for me.

Heel/Toe Transition

The transition from heel to toe was liked by many, but was not quite outstanding for some of the testers. Still, the shoe performed well above average for this category. Wear Test Average Score: 3.5 out of 5

Erin: The cushion on the bottom of the heel provided a soft land; however, I felt the forefoot had a firm feel to it on the push off in road running. I think the shoe provides a smoother transition than the Nike Zoom Elite, mainly because of the increase in heel cushioning. The push off I would consider very similar to my current trainers.

Joe: It's a stiff last. I want to see how it will break in, and if I'll get long wear in return for the opening workouts being stiffer than I like.

Katie: It did not feel as smooth as my Asics 2100. I felt that the transition from landing to push off was choppy. The road feel was firm, but once I ran a few miles it did loosen up a bit, still not as much as the Asics 2100.

Armando: The transition is definitely above average. It is a very smooth shoe. Again, a little more firm and less responsive than a great shoe for me.

Summary

The Mizuno Alchemy 5 received one of the highest overall ratings from our wear testers. The shoe works extremely well for the runner who desires a shoe that is lighter in weight, flexible, responsive and who happens to over-pronate. This model has performed well season after season, and this update is no exception. If you have a narrow to normal width foot and are looking for a shoe with these characteristics, the Mizuno Alchemy 5 is an outstanding choice. Overall Rating: 3.88 out of 5

Here's what the wear testers had to say:

The "Likes" of the shoe.

Erin: The first run with the shoes went very smoothly. I usually walk a day in a pair of trainers before I run in them, if they are new, to get the initial feel and adapt. However, I didn't with this pair and felt comfortable with the first steps in them. Again, for a lightweight shoe, the heel cushioning is much greater than my current trainers, which I appreciated.

Joe: I really liked the upper and how well it laced and snuggled up on my foot. That made putting it on and running around very comfortable. It has a nice look to it.

Katie: I like the lightweight feel of the shoe. I also like the support of the shoe and I like the fact that it is structured and built well.

Armando: I like the initial fit, very good. The transition is good, a very smooth shoe. No real problem areas. Right out the box not a bad shoe, in fact above average for me. Back in my heavier training days I would have called this a good second shoe for morning runs and easy days.

The "Dislikes" of the shoe.

Erin: The arch is slightly higher then I would prefer. The forefoot cushioning could be slightly greater. The heel could have a tighter fit to secure my foot with the orthotic in place.

Joe: It's stiff. I haven't run in it enough to know if I it will "come on board" and loosen up more to my liking.

Katie: I do not like the way it feels like the cushioning drops off from heel to toe. It could be a little softer in the heal and forefoot.

Armando: The forefoot is flexible but a little "flat". Itdoesn't give back very much.

Mizuno Alchemy 5 Summary Sheet

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