Breakdown

Comfort: 8.1

The Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour 2s did not disappoint when it came to comfort. Across the board, our playtesters appreciated the EnerzyNXT foam underfoot. Tiffani explained, "The biggest highlight of this review for me was how comfortable these Wave Enforce Tour 2s were. They were super soft underfoot, and the uppers were nice and supple, which gave my wider feet plenty of room to relax inside the shoes. I didn't need any break-in time for these to feel comfortable. The ankle and heel areas were also well padded for plenty of comfort, and although the tongues were thin, I didn't have any pressure from the laces on top of my feet. I could feel an arch support, but it felt soft, just like the cushioning. With all the padding, these shoes weren't super breathable, but they also weren't overly hot. One negative was that I found the sizing to be off. While the previous version felt short, I did stay in size. With these Enforce Tour 2s, I went up a half size and found a much better fit lengthwise."

There was no break-in period necessary for Zsofi. She said, "Out of the box, the Wave Enforce Tour 2s felt comfortable. I think the optimal cushioning underfoot was probably the biggest highlight of these shoes for me. When it came to weight, they were on the lighter side, which I really appreciated. I did go up half a size to find the best fit, which is important to note."

Brittany liked the plush feel of these Wave Enforce Tour 2s as well, although she would have preferred a narrower fit. She said, "Slipping the Wave Enforce Tour 2s on my feet, I immediately noticed plush cushioning underfoot that went from heel to toe. The ankle collars also had substantial cushioning. The uppers are soft and flexible, which meant I didn't have a break-in period; I could immediately walk to the court and start playing tennis without any issues. The tongues were on the thin side, and if I really cinched my laces, I could feel them pushing down on the tops of my feet. When it came to fit, I did go up a half size (from a US 8 to 8.5). The last generation ran a little short in length, and I felt this iteration was the same if not even slightly shorter. The half size up fit perfectly length-wise. For width, I found a generous medium fit with a roomy toe box that was just a little too wide for my narrow feet. In addition, I found the arch support perfect for me, and I didn't have any issues with ventilation."

With her high arches, Michelle was left wishing for a little more firmness from the Wave Enforce Tour 2s. She described, "These Wave Enforce Tour 2s were very soft -- actually a bit too soft for me personally. I think I may have been the only playtester to stay in their true size. I like a snug toe box and had no issues with length, and with the generous medium width I didn't want to be sliding around in a half size larger shoe. Right away, I was struggling with some arch pain. I do have the highest arches on the playtest team, and I realized after a week of wear that I would definitely need after-market insoles in these shoes. I could tell there was a lack of structure and rigidity to the Wave Enforce Tour 2s. They are soft underfoot, though, and no doubt they are comfortable! My feet just craved a bit more structure, and I could feel my arches aching after more aggressive movement on the court."

Foot Support / Stability: 7.6

These Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour 2s were so plush and cushioned that our playtesters would have liked a little more support to balance it out, although they did feel confident maneuvering in them. Brittany's ankles felt secure despite her narrow feet, but she noticed movement inside these shoes during aggressive play. She said, "I will start with the positive. I was happy to see that the ankle stability was excellent with these shoes. I used the last eyelets and was able to get a nice locked-in feel around my heels. Even with the plush cushioning underfoot, I never had any instances where I felt I was going to roll over the sides of the shoes. With that wider fit, though, I struggled with overall support because my feet moved around inside the shoes. It wasn't too noticeable during a light hitting session or doubles play, but I felt my feet moving side to side within the shoes when I was playing competitive singles matches. This caused issues with my first step and pushing out of shots, and it diminished the overall comfort."

Michelle noticed some differences between the Wave Enforce Tour 2s and the previous version. She explained, "These Wave Enforce Tour 2s weren't the most stable shoes, and there wasn't a strong presence of a shank. With that being said, I didn't ever feel like I was going to roll an ankle. I did feel pretty confident moving in these shoes, but my feet craved a bit more structure and stability. The uppers felt softer than the previous version, so they were a little less supportive. I really liked the previous version of the Wave Enforce Tours, so I had high expectations for this update."

Tying a different type of knot helped Tiffani lock her feet into her Wave Enforce Tour 2s. She said, "Mizuno changed the build somewhat, and the Enforce Tour 2s don't have the same sleeve as the first version. There are comfortable cushioned pods around the ankle, but they made it hard for me to find good support around the ankles. I fiddled around with the lacing, and in the end, opted for the runner's knot. That helped me lock in my ankles and keep my heels down inside the shoes. I didn't have any fear of rolling my ankles, so I thought stability was adequate. The uppers are soft, so I did have some instances of toe jamming, although it was not consistent."

The sizing of the Wave Enforce Tour 2s made it hard for Zsofi to find a good fit. She described, "I struggled getting the Wave Enforce Tour 2s locked in enough to get that nice stable feel under my feet. I definitely had to utilize that second eyelet, but even then, I really had to tighten the laces super tight to prevent feeling unstable. I had to almost tie them to the point where the shoes were hurting me around my ankles. However, these Wave Enforce Tour 2s still didn't provide enough support for the other parts of my feet, if that makes sense. I felt I couldn't go down a size to feel more locked in because of the short length of the shoes, but I also didn't feel locked in enough, and my medium-width feet were moving around inside the shoes too much for me to feel stable."

Overall Sole Durability: 9.2

One thing the whole team agreed on was how well the Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour 2s held up during the testing period. The DuRubber outsoles and the CPU on the uppers kept the playtesters’ shoes looking unscathed through all the wear and tear. Michelle isn't expecting to wear through her Wave Enforce Tour 2s any time soon. She said, "Durability was hands down a standout feature. We tested these Wave Enforce Tour 2s for close to a month, and I am not seeing much wear at all on the outsoles. The Wave Enforce Tour 2s are a very durable option, and I think I have many more months of wear left in these shoes!"

The durability impressed Brittany as well. She said, "I definitely put the durability to the test with the Enforce Tour 2s. I easily had 15-plus hours on multiple courts, including indoor hard and several different outdoor hard court surfaces, and I am seeing virtually zero wear anywhere on the shoes other than some dirt. The outsoles look great, and I have zero smoothing. The uppers and toe bumpers don’t show any signs of wear either."

"I'm very impressed by how well both the toes and outsoles are holding up," Tiffani added. "I've worn these shoes for at least 15 hours on hard courts, and they look brand new, aside from being dirty. I have not been able to make a dent in the tread."

Traction: 8.2

The Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour 2s also earned high marks for their on-court traction. Zsofi said, "Traction felt optimal with this outsole. I thought it had a great balance between give and grip."

Michelle also thought the traction was excellent. She said, "Even the rubber felt soft on these shoes! It was a pleasant feel on the court and allowed me to feel connected to the court with each step. As far as traction levels went, I was happy with what these shoes offered, and I felt like they weren't too tacky or too slick. The Wave Enforce Tour 2s were just right in terms of their feel on court and the traction they offered."

Brittany never had to worry about traction with the Wave Enforce Tour 2s on her feet. She explained, "There were a lot of things going on with the shoes, both positive and negative for me, but I didn't have to think about the traction at all during the playtest, and that was a good thing! I felt like the traction did what I wanted it to do, and I got the grip I needed when moving around. The soles also never felt too grippy, so I was able to push out of my shots without feeling stuck."

On the other hand, Tiffani would have preferred a little more give from her Wave Enforce Tour 2s. She said, "These Wave Enforce Tour 2s felt a bit too grippy for me on the hard court. That said, this is more of a preference than a problem. I wished for a bit more ease of pivoting, but I never felt stuck to the court during my first step to the ball."

Weight: 8.1

Our team had mixed feelings about the weight of these Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour 2s. While the playtesters all agreed that the Wave Enforce Tour 2s are on the lighter end of the scale for such a durable shoe, not everyone thought the shoes felt light while they were moving around the court. On the positive side, the weight felt optimal to Zsofi, who said, "When it came to weight, I had absolutely zero complaints. The Wave Enforce Tour 2s felt very light on my feet and and my feet felt close to the ground."

These Wave Enforce Tour 2s allowed Michelle to move freely on the court. She said, "These updated Wave Enforce Tours weren’t as light as the Exceeds, but they weren’t too bulky or heavy. This is a great pair of shoes for cushioning, and I appreciate that they don't slow me down or feel too heavy despite being comfortable. The Wave Enforce Tour 2s didn't feel any heavier or lighter than the previous version, which was a good thing!"

Tiffani was surprised that the Wave Enforce Tour 2s didn't feel lighter on her feet. She explained, "These shoes don't weigh a lot, but numbers tell only half the story. These Wave Enforce Tour 2s felt more like mid-weight shoes when I was running around the court. The cushioning is soft and the upper is soft, so it feels like my feet are sinking into the shoes, which is great for comfort but less great for speed."

Brittany agreed, adding, "The weight of this shoe family always shocks me. On the scale, they are very light; especially for such durable, stable shoes. However, they felt heavier than the scale indicated when I was moving around in them. I found them to feel average in weight compared to other shoes on the market. I think this may be because I was sitting a little higher off the ground due to the cushioning, and I didn't have that great court feel that I expect out of lightweight shoes."

Breakdown Summary