I did a set of fast 200m intervals on the track in Nike Air VaporMax Damskie the U5 and the baggy fit was a bit of a problem on the turns – my forefoot slipped around a bit. Cinching the laces a bit tighter probably would have helped, but I didn’t want to stop the momentum of the workout. I have not had any slippage issues on the road in them.As with previous versions, the insole of the U5 is non-removable, and arch support is minimal to non-existent.Running Warehouse lists stack height of the U4 as 18mm heel, 14mm forefoot, whereas the U5 is 13mm heel, 11mm forefoot. The difference should be immediately noticeable to anyone with experience running in previous iterations of the shoe. The U4 felt like an ultralight racing flat to Nike Air Max 90 Hombre me, the U5 feels almost more like a barefoot-style shoe than a flat. There is very little sole underfoot, and it’s a fairly firm ride. It almost fits and feels like the Merrell Vapor Nike Air Max 90 Womens Glove with a thin slab of foam added to the sole.After my first few runs in the U5 I was surprised to notice that my calves were tight and sore. I’ve been running a in zero drop shoes a lot lately, so this surprised me a bit. I attribute the soreness to the combo of the firm, minimal sole and the fact that they made me want to push the pace. Mizuno uses it’s new U4ic midsole compound in the U5, and they claim it provides equal cushioning in a thinner package. The shoe feels more minimally cushioned to me.The outsole of the U5 carries over the nubby design from previous versions of the shoe, though in a slightly different pattern. I have about 20-2Nike Air Max 95 Femme 5 miles on the pair in the photo above, plus I’ve been wearing them to work, and wear seem to be most noticeable on the exposed EVA in the midfoot and forefoot. I have not experienced www.denisbensimon.frany major durability issues, but as always my ability to comment on durability is limited by the number of miles I am able to get on shoes before writing reviews (it’s difficult to review lots of shoes and get a lot of miles on each).Gone are the drain holes under the midfoot that were found in previous versions– this should make some people happy as I’ve heard complaints that they let water in when running through puddles (that’s my general experience with drain holes – they’re Nike Internationalist Dames more of a risk for letting water into a shoe on wet day than really helping get it out). One other change is that the concavity under the heel is larger in the U5 – this Nike Air Max 95 Homme isn’t an issue while running, but while walking on hardwood floors or tile it acts like a suction cup.
The Mizuno Universe 5 is a bit hard to peg. It’s designed to be a racing flat, and given its weight, you can’t help but want to run fast in the shoes. I’ve done a track workout, a few tempo runs, and a few easy runs in the shoes and they perform well. However, since sole is so thin, it’s very flexible and lacks the longitudinal stiffness of other racing flats. As such, it lacks the pop found in a shoe with a stiffer sole like the adidas Hagio. I guess it comes down to preference – a stiffer flat may provide more pop, but stiffness typically means a bit more Adidas Superstar Womens sole material and thus greater weight.Comparing the U5 to it’s closest competitors, the Asics Blazing Fast and New Balance RC5000, the U5 feels more flexible and has a much Nike Air Presto Womens roomier fit (note – I have the Blazing Fast, but have not run in them yet). It’s also more flexible than the Universe 4. My feeling is that the Universe 5 runs a lot like some of the minimalist shoes that are out on the market. Shoes like the adidas Gazelle and New Balance MR00 come to mind.I’d be remiss if I didn’t comment on the appearance of this shoe. Mizuno has a history of making the Universe a flashy shoe – the original U4 was bright orange and had flames on the upper. When I first saw a photo of the U5 I was appalled. I thought they looked hideous. I have to say, the shoes have really grown on me. The design is certainly unique, and I’ve taken to Adidas NMD Womens wearing them out and about simply because they look unlike any shoe I have ever owned. You will get comments if you wear these!
