Wednesday , March 27 2024

Mizuno Wave Ignite Review

Mizuno Wave Ignite

It has taken longer than I would have liked to get this review out, but finally the Mizuno Wave Ignite has been tested! Now, I know many of you are looking for a review of the Ignitus, but the Ignite offers the same technology and fit as the slightly more expensive Ignitus (more on this below). Keisuke Honda is the player responsible for the rapid rise of the Mizuno brand over the past 12 months – notably from his spectacular free kicks and performances at this summerss World Cup, so I was pretty excited when I was finally able to get them out onto the field and into some games. For testing, I wore a size 9.5US  (not my regular 9US size due to lack of availability) in the yellow/black colorway.

Ignite versus Ignitus
The difference between both versions is simple – the Ignite is constructed using a premium synthetic upper, while the Ignitus is made of a super soft K-Leather. The Ignite is designed to give a lighter feel and increased durability, compared to supreme comfort and touch from the K-Leather version.

Breaking In
I have to admit, my experience breaking these in lasted longer than I would have liked. In order to get them into game action, it took several training sessions where I needed to revert back to my go-to boots midway through. In all, it took 2 weeks before I felt fully comfortable wearing them in a game, which is longer than other boots. The main reason behind this, and one of the more important things to mention, is that the sole plate is pretty stiff to begin. You will need to spend some time breaking these in to get the best out of them.

Mizuno Mukaiten Panel

What is the Mukaiten Panel?
One of the more appealing aspects of this release is the side Mukaiten Panels that exist on both boots. The idea behind the Mukaiten panel is simple – deliver a shot from the instep that produces no spin. When you strike the ball with your instep, it naturally creates spin on the ball, like the technique of curling a shot around a wall. The Mukaiten Panel is grooved and is made of a rubber like material. I spent a lot of time testing this out on shots to see if it did in fact create less spin. And after many hours, I found that there did seem to be less spin on shots but I definitely did not reach the heights of no spin. I also found the panel to be a little higher than the area where I strike shots. This of course could be related to my technique, but I couldn’t work out how striking the ball in that region could produce no spin without having to turn your foot to a very acute angle.

The Black Panels – 360 Bio Vamps
Officially, the black panels are actually called the 360 Bio Vamps, designed to give players 2 different types of ball contact. The front area consists of a deeper groove that create additional spin on shooting, while the goal of the instep area is to offer additional control and touch on the ball.

Mizuno 360 bio vamp

Sizing and Fit
These boots fit true to size. I ended up testing a 9.5US, but a 9US would have been a far better fitting boot (the size I will order for the Ignitus review). If you decide to order, choose your normal size. In terms of fit, the Wave Ignite fits medium to wide and reminded me a lot of the Nike T90 Laser III.

Performance
Throughout testing, I found the actual performance of the Wave Ignite to be extremely positive. The took time to break in, but once I was comfortable wearing them in game action they worked out extremely well.When striking the ball, they feel great – well protected and I did feel like I was able to get an extra element of power behind shots. They are also excellent for striking set pieces, whether it is free kicks or corners. For me, it was mainly on corners and I did feel like I was at an advantage using the 360 Bio Vamps. They seem to give you an added psychological advantage.

Mizuno Wave Ignite

Negatives
The biggest negative for me lies in the weight of the boot. In my opinion, Mizuno could easily lower the weight of the boot. There are several areas including the extensively padded tongue and the highly protected heel  area where Mizuno could focus on reducing the overall weight. I didn’t necessarily find the boots to be overly heavy, but it is an area where there is room for improvement. The other negative is the fact that Mizuno have not entered the US market – making the boot extremely difficult to get your hands on.

Mizuno Wave Ignite

Summary
It is quiet unfortunate that Mizuno have decided not to enter the US market yet, as these boots would be an extremely welcome addition. When/if they finally do decide to release some ranges here, there is no doubting that many players will be excited to get their hands on a pair. There are several aspects of the Wave Ignite that should excite players looking for something different, including the Mukaiten Panel and the 360 Bio Vamps.  I found that after breaking them in, the Wave Ignite is a very strong performing boot on the field. In terms of position, I think these are most suitable for players who are in the mold of Keisuike Honda, attacking midfielders who take set pieces. They are also a pretty good option for defenders or center-mids, who like to get stuck in on tackles, as they offer good protection. All in all, I would recommend getting a pair of these if you get a chance – they are worth the money you have to pay in order to get them!

Where to get a pair!
The best way to get them here in the US is on eBay. Check eBay Listings.
Most of the time, the listings are from the UK and some from Japan so expect to pay higher shipping fees. If you are lucky and check at the right time, you might even find a few pairs sold here in the US.

About Bryan Byrne

The mastermind behind the revolution that is SoccerCleats101. Bryan started this website back in 2008 and has been testing boots on a daily basis ever since. Check out our About Page for more details on Bryan and the website.

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36 comments

  1. Good Review. You mentioned that these boots could have been lighter, but I was under the impression that these boots were only 219 grams which is 7.2 ounces. In that case this by all standards is an incredibly light weight boot.

  2. Thanks for the review.

    Couple of useful information to supplement the review.
    http://mizunofootball.com/mukaiten/index.html#/ho

    gives the step-by-step guide on how to shoot like Keisuke Honda. Perhaps the most important aspect is step #6 – the follow through, where it instructs the kicker to maintain the kicking foot's position at the time of impact throughout the follow through by 'pushing out' rather than swinging through.

    On the Mizuno site, the Wave Ignite, the boots tested here, is called Wave Ingnitus SL; and Wave Ignitus is known as Wave Ignitus MD.

    Both boots weigh in at 245g or 8.65 ounzes for 27.0cm (US Size 9) according to Mizuno site.

    Hope this helps.

  3. Curtis,

    The Ignite weigh in at 9.25oz – which is still lighter than the likes of Preds or T90's and great weight for a boot, but I still feel there are areas where Mizuno could reduce the weight without losing out on performance.

    Hide,

    I like the "How to shoot" guide!

  4. great review once again bryan.

    i was thinking about buying the wave ignitus for next outdoor season, but i don't wanna order them from europe and then find out that they don't fit properly, and i was hoping u could help me a little with that.

    i've bought like 4 pairs of shoes in the last year from soccer.com and they always end up being too small or too big. i fit somewhere between a 9.5-10, but sometimes even a 10 is too small.

    i've had the tiempo legend 2's 9.5, and they are just a little too small (10 would probably perfect).

    I also bought a pair of diadora LX K-Pro red ones, and those are really long and wide at the back.

    my f50.8's (size 10) and puma 1.08 (10.5) are just a little too short.

    9.5 fits me really well in the vapor V's. but the shoe thats had the best fit so far have been the valsport fouriclasse's. they were super soft and comfy, but they tore away at the toe area.

    I have a torn cartlidge so having the right size really makes a difference in terms of how painful the knee feels. Based On the above info what size would u recommend i get in the mizuno wave ignitus k-leather ones? also are there any other shoes out there that u think would be better for me? they don't have to be flashy/popular/expensive etc

    i've also been to the local shops but they don't really have of top shoes out there so i can't try them out in the store

    sorry for writing such a long post, but if bryan or anyone else could help me out here, it would be much appreciated.

    thanx

  5. thx for de great review! i have been worrying bout ordering the size as my usual size for Nike cleats are UK 9.. so im wondering what size i should get if im tend to get this as i love them much!

  6. To Sam,

    Probably you should check out the jp size before buying the cleats since it indicates the actually length of the shoes or insoles and thus more or less universal across brands

  7. @kenzie,

    I wear uk9 maestri elite and uk9 wave ignitus

    Great review Bryan, I think the Ignitus is much easier to break in. About the mukaiten panel, it helps if you know the technique.

  8. There are two new colorways of the Ignitus available for pre-order now on Pro Direct Soccer (with a US size 9 available)! Will you be purchasing a pair of these in the future for review?

    Also, it should be noted that the Ignitus (not the Ignite) weighs in at a trim 229g/8.1oz. This makes it a more than 95g/3.4oz. lighter than a Predator X, and 105g/3.7oz. lighter than a K-leather Laser III

  9. @ tasos

    thx! im wearing laser 2 uk 9 and tiempo uk9 …. so a UK 9 ignite will do? haha.. hope the size will be right! As cant find any Mizuno cleats here at malaysia for me to test wear.. sad. XD

  10. hey,

    great review as always, but in the testing vid i don't think you should have used the tracer for mukaiten cause the tracer is meant to fly straight and true. The mukaiten is probably easier to pull of using an adidas matchball. =D cough jabulani cough haha.

    but yeah if you have the chance to use a teamgeist or last years champions league ball, it would be easier to do the mukaiten.

    but of course you need to learn the proper technique.

  11. Another evaluation successful!

    Bryan, do you think of this new model can still Mizuno take the place of Morelia's Japanese?

    It is a tip for a new rating: Mizuno Morelia Japanese!

  12. i always have a thing for the stud designs on the mizuno's less that of the morelia. are these design any good on turf? hard? soft ground?

  13. Great review.

    I talked to prodirect's US-based customer service rep and they said that they plan on bringing Mizuno boots to the US store within a year. We'll see if that actually happens but if it does, I'll be buying a pair of Ignitus.

  14. Hey bryan,

    You said that you were going to be reviewing the ignitus in a size 9. I'm not sure if you already had them, but I just wanted to let you know that there is a pair up for grabs on the US ebay for a good price.

  15. try the mukaiten panel with the jabulani. you will get a crazy knuckle.

  16. Bryan do the boots you review often weigh in at different weights then what they are supposed to be? Because prodirect soccer has these boots listed at 219 grams. I haven't found there weight listed anywhere else.

  17. In terms of weight —-

    I weigh each boot I review, and the Mizuno Wave Ignite in a size 9.5US officially weighs 9.25oz (or 262g.)

  18. To Curtis:

    Boots change in weight as per their size. Often what companies do is they will say their boot weighs this much and its weighing i think a size 8, so if you wear a 9 or 9.5 it weights more. The bigger the boot the more its going to weigh.

  19. Good review – but PLEASE. don’t tell them to reduce padding on the toungue or protection in the heel – this is just madness. ‘light’ weight boots are the worst gimmick going around at the moment. Give me plenty of padding please, i like to actually protect my feet, not feel like Im playing in a pair of socks.

  20. No I understand that Seven. It's just 2.3 ounces magically being taken off is a lot.

  21. I agree with mike. As long as the padding does not take away the feel of the ball it is very much desirable. (and padding hardly ever takes away ball feel) Less padding = damaged metatarsals and niggling injuries/pains. Removing padding just to reduce the weight of what is designated a power boot is not what we consumers want at all…

  22. ordered one form Pro direct soccer. they r having sales on mizuno ignite and Ignitus SG . What a great deal. hope u guys can go get it. now onli worries is the size. lol

  23. Remember people, ignitus (kleather weights) heavier… the ignite's are 219g , according to prodirectsoccer

  24. i recently just bought the mizuno ignite from pro direct for £50 as they are having a sale. im still waiting for them arrive. the only worry i have is the size as i usually wear an UK 8 or 8.5 size, i currently wear a pair of adidas adipure II (k-leather ones) size 8.5 and they are pretty tight around the toe area. i bought mizuno ignite in a size 9 and i was wondering if ill have problems fitting in my new boots.

    i heard great things about the mizuno ignite and the fact that keisuke honda wears them, i couldnt resist buying them

  25. Hey bryan,so compared to the t90 laseriii,wich one is better?

  26. hey bryan! test the mizuno supersonic wave!

  27. hey bryan, i want to order these from prodirectsoccer.com and i am a size 8 in US but i dont know what the UK size is i would appreciate if u could tell me so i can buy one. thanks 🙂

  28. @sorush

    A size 9US is the equivalent of a size 8UK – you might need to take a look at a conversion chart to get the most accurate size, but I recommend ordering true to your US size.

  29. i have to say these reviews are awesome. they give me great insight on each cleat. But i do have a question about these mizunos. I am still not sure how to size this particular shoe. I mean each shoe company is different so i am confused. i wear gym shoes at size 13 but I had a pair of nike mercurial miracles at 11. Plus, i just tried on a pair of Diadoro Kobra K Pros and they were also 11. so is 11 acceptable for these two or not?

  30. @Vince,

    That is a tough one! Most players will go down in size between their soccer and running shoe so it seems like you have found your sizes! I found the Mizuno brand fits me perfectly in a size 9US and that is what I also wear in the Diadora Kobra review. So, in my opinion the size 11US should be a suitable fit.

  31. Keisuke Honda jumps towards/transfers his bodyweight towards his standing leg during the follow through. I think that's one of the techniques that could help produce a full-on Mukaiten shot. In essence, I believe it is similar to C.Ronaldo's knuckleballs; the only difference is that Honda's Mukaiten shots don't dip as much but rather has the possibility to knuckle to any direction up, down, left or right.

  32. Hi Brian:
    Do you have a chance of testing the Ignitus K leather version? How is the sizing/length compare to predator X? I wear a 10.5 in predator X shall I get the same size in these?

  33. thanks for the review. seems like a pretty solid boot. Just out of curiousity, you mentioned during the break in period that you had to go back to your "go-to" boots on occasion; just wondering what are your go-to boots?! =)

  34. thanks for the review. seems like a pretty solid boot. Just out of curiousity, you mentioned during the break in period that you had to go back to your "go-to" boots on occasion; just wondering what are your go-to boots?

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