Brooks Ghost 17 vs Mizuno Wave Rider 29:
Which to Choose

The headline difference is the foam and what it does under load. The Ghost 17 runs on nitrogen-infused DNA Loft v3, which skews soft, plush and reassuringly smooth — it takes the edge off pavement and rolls through a quiet, even heel-to-toe transition, but it's tuned for cushioning and longevity rather than spring, so it feels a touch flat when you ask it to accelerate. The Wave Rider 29's Enerzy foam goes the other way: firmer and less pillowy, but noticeably more lively and bouncy, rewarding a steady rhythm with a willing (if not explosive) rebound. Mizuno has also dropped the old plastic Wave plate entirely, so like the Ghost it's now pure foam doing the work. Weight is the other real separator — the Wave Rider is the lighter shoe at roughly 258g versus about 286g for the Ghost, a gap of nearly an ounce that you feel over long miles and when picking up the pace. Interestingly, the lighter Mizuno also carries a touch more stack (about 38/28mm versus the Ghost's 36.5/26.5mm), so it isn't trading protection for its lower weight; it simply uses a firmer, springier foam to get there. Everywhere else they converge almost exactly: both are genuinely neutral with no medial posting, both ride a wide, planted, stable platform, both pair a breathable engineered-mesh upper with a durable rubber outsole built to soak up daily mileage, and both start to feel dead rather than fast once you push past roughly 4:45 min/km. The practical choice, then, is soft-and-protective versus firm-light-and-springy.