New Balance 1012 vs. Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 review
New Balance 1012 is a durable running shoe that is built for the severe overpronator with midsole technology that provides excellent stability and motion control. Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 combines motion control with cushioning while keeping weight to a minimum, providing runners with a smooth ride, flexibility, and durability. Learn how these two running shoes differ and where they are similar.
In two previous articles I reviewed the New Balance 1012 and the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 motion control running shoes for women.
The New Balance 1012 is a running shoe that is comparable to the Mizuno Wave Renegade 4 and not the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10, so theoretically speaking the New Balance 1012 and the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 should differ quite a bit. Let's compare them and take a look at where these New Balance and Mizuno running shoes are similar and how they differ.
Looking at the New Balance 1012 and Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 side-by-side gives a good comparison of the two types of motion control running shoes.
Both the New Balance 1012 and the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 have a medial post in the midsole that is typical of all motion control running shoes and designed to keep your feet in a neutral plane during the gait cycle and control pronation.
In the New Balance 1012 it is called Stabilicore medial support system and in the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 it is called Wave technology. Both help stabilize the transition from heel strike to toe off and provide shock absorption. And in both running shoes, this support system runs along a great length of the shoe from the heel to past the midfoot area.
Looking at the uppers of the two running shoes, it is immediately clear that the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 has slightly more mesh than the New Balance 1012. Mesh provides breathability, but also fits loose around your feet. This looseness is mostly counteracted by the addition of synthetic overlays.
The synthetic overlays are similarly placed on both running shoes. Both running shoes tend to give a secure fit around the heel. But the New Balance 1012 might provide a more snug fit around the midfoot area where there is a LockDown Liner integrated into the lacing system. However, moving more towards the forefoot, the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 might provide a tighter fit than the New Balance 1012.
The outsoles of the New Balance 1012 and the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 look similar in shape, but the place of the durable rubber differs quite a bit in that they are each other's opposite in the forefoot. The Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 tends to give more support on the insides of the forefeet, while the New Balance 1012 provides it more on the outsides.
So if you tend to run and land more on the outsides of your feet, the New Balance 1012 might be better suited if you're looking for durability. On the other hand, if you run or walk more on the insides of your feet as overpronators tend to do, the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 might last longer. Look at the wear pattern on a pair of old running shoes to determine what kind of runner you are.
The heel area of both trainers have a similar shape and structure, but the crash pads are more segmented on the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10, which means that it will absorb shock better in the heel area and not allow it to transition to other parts of the running shoe and therefore not affect your ride thereby giving you a smoother transition from heel strike to toe off.
In addition, while both running shoes provide flex grooves in the forefoot area, the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 might be a bit more flexible in that are too. All in all, the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 should provide you with a very smooth ride.
Where the women's running shoes are concerned, the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 weighs approximately 275 grams (9.7 oz), while the New Balance 1012 weighs 323 grams (11.4 oz), which is 48 grams (1.7 oz) heavier making the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 one of the lightest motion control running shoes around.
If you're looking for a flexible motion control running shoe that provides a smooth ride and is very light in weight, the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 might be the running shoe to go with.
If you're looking for a slightly heavier shoe that provides good stability and a secure fit in the heel and midfoot areas, the New Balance 1012 might serve you well.
The Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 comes at a suggested running shoe price tag of US $109.95, while the New Balance 1012 is almost $20 more expensive at US $129.99 when you compare motion control running shoes by price.
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