I tried: Wave Drive 9, Wave Drive Neo 4, Wave Medal 8, Wave Medal Neo
tldr; All four shoes felt remarkably different!
Wave Medal 8 = The safest all-round choice for recreational and club players coming from ordinary indoor shoes. It offered me the most comfort, cushioning and toe-box clearance while still feeling more direct and table-tennis-specific than my old gym shoes. Probably you are able to find other gym shoes that will come close, but you want to fit the sport, so you start off with the Wave Medal 8.
Wave Medal Neo = On my feet, it felt slightly more direct and less cushioned than the Medal 8. The upper was also lower above my big toenails, and the transition into the heel padding felt rather abrupt, which is probably a personal heel problem.
Wave Drive Neo 4 = Fabulous designed shoes. More cushioned version before hitting Wave Drive 9. Seems very good for forefoot/toe players. Provided enough vertical toe space and was more direct than the Medal models without being as minimal as the Drive 9. However, the heel padding starts unusually high and irritated me.
Wave Drive 9 = The lightest and most direct shoe of the four. It should appeal to players who prioritise floor contact and quick directional changes. For me, however, the low toe box pressed against both big toenails, and the reduced cushioning made it the least comfortable option.
I play table tennis for almost 2 years and my old pairs of "normal" gym shoes broke down and had no grip left. My footwork is still underdeveloped and my worn-out gym shoes, which offered little grip and lateral support, certainly did not help.
So I started to search for "Table Tennis Shoes" and Mizuno was available and seemed good.
- All shoes I tried and described here are the same size.
- On the indoor floor where I tested them, I could not identify a meaningful difference in grip/stickiness between the four models.
- All four tested shoes have different rubber profiles. I don't know how to objectively test and tell something about it, because the shoes themself are also totally different from the ground up.
- My toenails are kept short. Wearing normal socks (Not ultra thin, not thickened).
- I had just a normal cheaper gym model. So every shoe won the table tennis category by default.
- All four Mizuno are dedicated table-tennis shoes, although some retailers list indoor shoes under the broader 'handball' categorie.
Size: Start with your measured heel-to-toe length. Do not transfer the EU or UK size directly from another brand. If you buy blindly with UK/EUR measurement coming from another brand, you will probably NOT fit!
Mizuno uses UK for their sizes, but it's important to measure your Heel-to-toe first and match that to their Footwear Size Chart. After that you can buy shoes and use UK to filter.
#1: Wave Medal 8 (81GA258221)
Sizing note: This model felt slightly more generous than the others. If your measured foot length falls just above a Mizuno size, the smaller size may still provide a snug performance fit.
+ The most cushioned of the four on my feet.
+ My toenails do not touch the top of the toe box.
+ Very comfortable. I barely notice the shoe because it does not create pressure anywhere. I could wear it all day.
+ The heel padding feels pleasant, with a smooth transition from the lower to the upper part of the heel.
- It feels like the heaviest shoe of the four, although that probably will not bother anyone coming from ordinary gym shoes.
- It provides less direct floor contact than the Drive models, but still feels more direct than my previous inexpensive gym shoes.
#2: Wave Medal Neo (81GA232531)
+ It feels lighter and provides more direct floor contact than the Wave Medal 8, although less than the Wave Drive Neo 4.
+ Less cushioned than the Wave Medal 8, but still comfortable.
+- The heel padding has a rather abrupt transition. It's strong on the upper part around the foot and has no padding in the middle and bottom. Interesting concept that might work out.
- My big toenails already touch the top of the toe box slightly. It remains tolerable, but I notice it.
#3: Wave Drive Neo 4 (81GA250031)
+ Excellent design, with blue on the lower left shoe and red on the right. Appearance should not outweigh fit and function, but this is still the best-looking model to me.
+ It felt particularly good when standing and moving on the forefoot, although I am not primarily a forefoot player.
+ My toenails do not touch the top of the toe box.
- The heel padding begins slightly too high for my heel. I find this more irritating than the slight toenail contact in the Medal Neo.
#4: Wave Drive 9 (81GA220514)
Sizing note: This model felt shorter and lower in the toe box than the others. If your measured foot length falls between two Mizuno sizes, I would lean towards the larger one. For example, with a 26.2 cm foot, I would test 26.5 cm rather than 26.0 cm.
++ Very thin sole with excellent, direct floor contact.
++ Very light.
++ Feels quick and responsive during movement and sudden changes of direction.
- Provides less ankle support than the other three models.
- Offers less cushioning than the other three models.
-- Both big toenails touch the top of the toe box. I dislike this sensation, even though I keep my toenails short.
I chose the Wave Medal 8 (2nd: Wave Medal Neo) because it was the only model I could imagine wearing for hours without thinking about the shoe. I play for enjoyment rather than competition, so comfort and a pressure-free fit mattered more to me than minimum weight or maximum floor contact.
What do you think of my choice? Are there any other table-tennis shoe brands available in Europe that I should try next?