Asics Gel-Nimbus 28 vs Mizuno Wave Horizon 9:
Which to Choose

On paper these two look like twins — both are maximum cushioning (6/6), both are tuned for easy-to-steady pacing (3/6), both carry moderate responsiveness (4/6) with no plate, and both land at the same overall stability score. Stack heights are nearly identical too: the Nimbus rides on a 40 mm heel / 34 mm forefoot platform, the Horizon on 41 mm / 33 mm. But the similarities hide two real differences. First, support philosophy: the Nimbus is stable-neutral — it steadies the ride passively through a wide max-cushion base and PureGEL heel, with no pronation correction — whereas the Horizon is a genuine stability shoe, using Mizuno's foam-based FOAM WAVE geometry to actively guide overpronation. Second, mass: the Nimbus weighs 278 g in a men's US 9 versus roughly 320 g for the Horizon, a real ~42 g gap you feel underfoot, and it pairs with a lower 6 mm drop against the Horizon's 8 mm. Ride-feel follows from the foams — the Nimbus's FF Blast+ is soft, calm and forgiving but a touch dead when pushed, while the Horizon layers a livelier Enerzy NXT top over a firmer Enerzy base for a soft landing that settles onto a planted, controlled platform. The Horizon also stretches its comfortable range further, listing the full marathon among its best distances alongside the 10K and half, while the Nimbus tops out at the half. Neither is a speed tool; both start feeling like more shoe than the pace needs once you drop under about 5:30 min/km.