Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 7 Women's Shoe Review

The Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 7s pack a good level of cushioning into very lightweight shoes. This updated version has a more padded tongue and Enerzy XP underfoot for a high level of comfort on court. Zsofi enjoyed the balance of responsiveness and comfort shoe found from the underfoot cushioning. She said, "I always prefer light, speedy shoes, so these new Wave Exceed Tour 7s were right in my wheelhouse. I found the comfort level to be amazing! Even though the outsoles were not thick and I was sitting very low and close to the ground, there was still plenty of cushioning. I really enjoyed the cushioning throughout the playtest and found it to be one of the best things about these shoes. The heels are very nicely padded too, which was a sweet bonus."

After breaking in her Wave Exceed Tour 7s, Kyla appreciated the comfy feel she found. She described, "The comfort underfoot felt really solid, and the internal cushioning was very nice, giving the Wave Exceed Tour 7s a nice comfy feel that wasn’t overly plush. Ventilation in these shoes was effective; my feet didn't overheat even during extended play. I found the fit of the Wave Exceed Tour 7s to run a bit small, though. I typically wear a 7.5 or 8 depending on the shoes, and for this playtest even a size 8 felt very tight on my feet, so I'd recommend going up a half size. They felt better after I had worn them for a bit, and they were very secure on my feet. I found the uppers to be a little stiff, though, and I did notice some pressure and slight discomfort on the top of my feet during longer sessions. I also felt as though the laces were a bit slippery, and they sometimes loosened during play."

While she found the cushioning nice and plush, Brittany still had issues with the comfort and fit. She said, "I have been a fan of the snug medium fit of the last six generations of Wave Exceed Tours because I have narrow feet. I found this update to feel ever so slightly narrower. The length, however, is a standard length, and the arch, although low, gave me enough support. When I slipped them on I could feel plush cushioning underfoot, as well as a much-improved cushioned tongue. However, I struggled with overall comfort. The uppers were pretty stiff, and I hoped they would loosen up after a break-in period, but they remained stiff through the end of the playtest. This caused some rubbing and hot spots throughout the playtest on different parts of my feet."

Something about these Wave Exceed Tour 7s just didn't work for Michelle's feet. She explained, "I wanted to love these shoes, but they just made my feet hurt from day one to the end of the playtest. I thought it was something that would dissipate once the shoes were broken in, but that never seemed to happen. The fit is quite narrow and the toe box is snug and shallow, so I am guessing my medium-width feet just didn't fit properly in these shoes. They weren't short enough to go up a half size either. The arch support was also quite low for my higher arches. This was a bummer because the underfoot cushioning was so soft and comfortable. Unfortunately, my feet hurt after about 30 minutes of wear. This happened whether I was wearing them for tennis, padel, the gym or just around the office."

Wave Plate technology in the midfoot gives these Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 7s a stable platform while keeping them lightweight. Kyla, who prefers heavier court shoes in general, was surprised by how stable these Wave Exceed Tour 7s were. She said, "For lightweight shoes, the stability is impressive. My feet felt very secure when I was moving, even during quick directional changes. They don't have the same grounded feel as heavier models, which I prefer, but they still provide enough support to feel confident on court. Overall, they strikes a nice balance between lightweight speed and support."

Michelle never felt unstable in the Wave Exceed Tour 7s, but she would have liked them to be more supportive. She explained, "Usually when I have some foot pain like this, it is because of a lack of support. These Wave Exceed Tour 7s are very flexible, and I could have used a bit more support from them. That said, I always felt stable, which was good! I wasn't too worried about rolling over the shoes, which can sometimes be a side effect of shoes that are as light and flexible as the Wave Exceed Tour 7s."

The support level was also a weak point for Zsofi. She added, "These Wave Exceed Tour 7s weren't as supportive as I would have liked. It took a while for me to feel safe moving in these shoes because they're super lightweight and even more low profile than I'm used to. I did struggle a bit with locking my heels in. I had to really tighten the laces super tightly around my ankles (which was a bit annoying) to feel locked in enough."

The lack of support affected Brittany's experience with the Wave Exceed Tour 7s. She said, “The Wave Exceed Tour 7s cinched tightly around my ankles (using the last eyelets), and I sat deep enough in the shoes that my ankles felt secure during side-to-side movements. The stiffer uppers also helped add stability. However, I felt like my feet weren't being supported within the shoes, and because of that they were forced into the front of the shoes when I was playing. It felt like my toes were crammed in the toe box and I had too much room in the heel area. This caused a heel blister and some of the discomfort I was feeling. I tried remedying the situation by changing how I laced my shoes but didn't have any success."

Court shoes that are very lightweight often pay the price with reduced durability, but that is not the case with the Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 7s. Our playtest team found top-notch durability, and these shoes also come with a six-month outsole durability guarantee. "Durability-wise, I can't complain at all," Zsofi said. "Even after more than 10 hours of play, I basically didn't see any wear on the shoes, so I was honestly very impressed with that. With these shoes being so lightweight, the fact that the durability is this good is a big plus!"

The durability of the Wave Exceed Tour 7s impressed Kyla as well. She added, "Durability held up well over the course of the playtest, with minimal signs of wear or breakdown. The outsoles maintained their integrity, and the upper materials didn't show many signs of stress. I have a tendency to drag my toe to slow myself down when I run, and the toe box area showed very little evidence of that."

Brittany was surprised by how well her pair of Wave Exceed Tour 7s held up. She described, "One of the highlights of the playtest was the durability. My expectations for durability were a little lower since they’re such lightweight shoes. The Wave Exceed Tour 7s passed the test for me, and on top of that, Mizuno offers a durability guarantee! I have 15-plus hours on court in these shoes, and although I didn't get to fully test the durability as much as usual due to the blisters, I am seeing little to no wear. The outsoles look brand new, and there is no wear on the toe bumpers or uppers."

Like Brittany, Michelle wasn't able to push the limits with these Wave Exceed Tour 7s. She explained, "I am not going to lie, putting these shoes on was tough after wearing them a bunch of times. The result kept ending in pain and soreness, so I wasn't pushing the durability as much as I would have liked. We did just review the Asics Solution Speed FF 4s, and I thought these Wave Exceed Tour 7s compared favorably to those Solution Speeds in terms of durability. And the fact that they are backed by a six-month outsole durability guarantee is worth noting!"

The DX Rubber compound of the Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 7s in a modified herringbone tread pattern provided a good level of traction on hard courts for all of our playtesters. The mix of grip and give worked well with Michelle's game. She said, "I enjoyed the traction of these Wave Exceed Tour 7s. The actual court feel was nice and soft, but I still felt connected to the court and had a good amount of grip when I needed it. Sometimes the more speed-oriented shoes get a little slippery, but I didn't feel that way with these Wave Exceed Tour 7s. The rubber was consistent, and I felt like I could pick up my speed when needed."

Zsofi always felt confident in her movement with the Wave Exceed Tour 7s on her feet. She said, "Traction-wise, I wouldn't call the Wave Exceed Tour 7s slippery, but they definitely had more give than most shoes I've tested lately. I did enjoy that because it allowed me to adjust my footwork out of my shots easier, and I still had enough traction."

"Traction was good overall, and the Wave Exceed Tour 7s offered a dependable grip," Kyla added. "It took a session or two to reach my ideal level, but the traction wasn't overly sticky right out of the box, which I preferred. I felt controlled and secure without feeling stuck, which allowed me to move quickly and efficiently."

The Wave Exceed Tour 7s' traction was an afterthought for Brittany, which is not a bad thing. She described, "I didn't have to think about the traction in these shoes. I felt like the Wave Exceed Tour 7s gripped the court when I needed, but I was still able to move efficiently without being stuck. One thing I noticed was that the plastic midfoot shank was exposed underfoot and had some scratches from making contact with the ground. I didn't have any issues with that, but I could see catching it if I was on my back foot."

Weighing just 10.2 ounces (size 8.5), there is no doubt that these Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 7s are some of the lightest court shoes on the market. The light weight was a high point of the playtest for Brittany. She explained, "The second highlight of the shoes for me was the weight. These Wave Exceed Tour 7s were extremely light, and they transitioned well from heel to toe. I have no negatives here."

Zsofi felt like she was flying around the court in her Wave Exceed Tour 7s. She said, "These are some of the lightest shoes I have tested in a long time. I really enjoyed how speedy I felt moving on court."

The weight of the Wave Exceed Tour 7s impressed Michelle as well. She noted, "These are super light shoes! They feel speedy and fast; there's no doubt that they should go in the lightweight category. I will add that I would take a tiny bit more weight for a little more support."

Although lightweight shoes generally aren't Kyla's preference, she did like how fast she felt when chasing the ball in the Wave Exceed Tour 7s. She described, "These Wave Exceed Tour 7s are definitely lightweight, speed-focused shoes that feel quick on the court. While I personally tend to prefer heavier, more grounded shoes, I still appreciated how fast and agile these felt. They never felt bulky or slow, which is great for players who prioritize feeling light on their feet."