Mizuno started life back in 1906 providing Western gear for the Eastern world. It all started with baseballs and American sporting paraphernalia; however within a year Mizuno started to produce their own range of athletic apparel made to order for discerning Japanese clients. A short 7 years later and production stepped up a gear to full production of sporting goods. A rapidly expanding range saw world class golf clubs come into production and by 1935 Mizuno had founded the world’s largest golf showroom. They developed an extensive range of Skis and are world renowned for their high quality baseball bats. The local market was rapidly expanded to offer their world class sporting goods internationally and have become a truly worldwide brand. However it was not until 1983 when Mizuno started to offer the first high quality shoe range with the launch of their RunBird trainers.
Since the RunBird was launched, Mizuno have developed their range of footwear to span many sports most notably the fields of running, football, rugby, volleyball, table tennis and handball. However it is for running shoes which Mizuno is most famous, which were on the feet of legend Carl Lewis when he broke the 100M sprint world record in 1991.
When it comes to footwear the development of Mizuno Wave technology has revolutionised their contribution to running and have provided the perfect balance of cushioning and stability. The Wave Plate disperses the forces generated when the foot hits the ground, and dissipates the energy across the whole of the shoe. The wave plate offers differing degrees of cushioning for the feet in important areas of stress, and can be easily customised to suite all types of running styles. However it doesn’t stop there, as interconnecting studs within the sole offers an innovative suspension system which gives maximum stability and one of the most well balanced shoes on the market.
Ultra slow motion studies have demonstrated that during the stride, shoes distort around the heel and collar of the upper which can result in heel slippage. Mizuno have countered this by developing the Dyna-motion fitting system, which allows the shoe to respond to the changing movement of the foot to ensure the best possible fit throughout the stride. Shoes are anatomically designed for both genders to ensure a perfect fit and keep both sexes in the perfect comfort. The combination of performance based technologies throughout the shoe provide the maximum grip, stability and cushioning and some of the most comfortable shoes on the market for both indoor and outdoor sports.
Whilst better known for their long distance running footwear, Mizuno are making considerable advances in their football boot designs, adapting the latest technological advances to produce some of the most futuristic boots on the market. They used the latest computer software modelling to produce their innovative Wave Shinken boots. The shoes feature a bio-panel, which consists of a grid of pads to offer maximum ball traction, greater speed and exceptional ball control. Kangaroo skin uppers offer perfect comfort and mould perfectly to the feet, whilst asymmetric lacing and a fold over tongue hides the laces away for greater ball control. The range has been developed to offer both budget and professional standard boots for both indoor, Astroturf and grass and in the words of Mizuno provide “instant touch, feel and flexibility”. Few wearers would disagree with their claims. They are boots to be reckoned with and are challenging the more traditional football boot manufacturers for their fair share of goals.
Whatever your sporting choice, if you haven’t taken a look at Mizuno before it’s time to take a closer look at what’s been happening in the land of the rising sun and to give your feet that extra competitive edge.