Breakdown

Comfort: 8.7

The Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 6s pack a high level of comfort into extremely lightweight shoes. Our playtesters were all impressed with the plush feel underfoot and the comfortable flexibility of the uppers. However, they did think the tongue would have benefited from a little extra length and cushioning. Mark is familiar with the previous version of these shoes and was pleasantly surprised to find that this version fit truer to size. He said, "The only aspect I was concerned about was the length, because the prior Wave Exceed Tour 5s ran about a half size long. As soon as I laced up my pair I could tell the length issue was resolved, and everything else was great! I felt Mizuno nailed it in terms of maximizing underfoot midsole comfort in a lightweight court shoe while keeping a low-to-the-ground profile. In addition, the uppers of the Wave Exceed Tour 6s were comfortable, supportive and breathable, and although the tongues were pretty spartan, the thicker laces made up for that. I gave zero thought to the arch support height, which is the best indication that it is nearly perfect."

The comfort of these lightweight shoes impressed Troy. He said, "Following suit with previous versions of these shoes, I found comfort to be superb. If I put these up against other lightweight shoes (let's say below 13 or 13.5 ounces), these Wave Exceed Tour 6s really stand out. I would almost go as far as saying these are the most comfortable shoes in the lightweight division. With that said, there is one small design flaw that keeps these shoes from being truly stellar. The tongue was just a little bit on the thin side, and it also felt slightly short, so I wasn't getting full coverage between the laces and the top of my feet. The tongue on the Wave Exceed Tour 4 was nice, thick and plush, with plenty of coverage on top of the feet, so that is why I might give the fourth edition the slight edge overall. This wasn’t much of an issue If I wore a nice thick pair of crew socks, but with thin socks or no-shows, it wasn't ideal. Other than that, the fit was just about perfect for me and felt great around my toes — nice and contoured. The fit was slightly off length-wise with some of the previous versions, but I didn't have that problem with the 6s.”

Jason was a big fan of the Exceed Tour 6's fit and comfort, with the exception of the tongue. He said, "These shoes have just about everything going for them in terms of comfort — just about. I thought the underfoot cushioning was pretty plush, especially for lightweight shoes. The shoes flexed well and didn't need a break-in period. And for fit, because the toe box didn't taper too sharply, I found the width to be good for me, even with an E-width foot. The one thing that I think is holding these shoes back is the tongue. It is so thin that I can feel the pressure points on the top of my feet when I tie my laces up tightly."

The tongue design was the only drawback for Chris as well. He said, "I very much enjoyed the ride of the Wave Exceed Tour 6s. The shoes felt very light and comfortable on my feet, with the exception of the lace system digging into my feet over the end of the tongue. The tongue was too short to protect my feet if I used the last eyelet, and the top laces were digging into my feet if I tied the shoes tightly. Everything else was very comfortable, though. The uppers flexed and moved with my feet exceptionally well, which made the shoes feel both comfortable and fast."

Foot Support / Stability: 7.9

The updated Mizuno Wave plate provides an even more stable platform for the Wave Exceed Tour 6s. Add in the sturdy, yet flexible, 3D-Solid upper, and these shoes are built to support your every move. The snug feel gave Chris the confidence to go for his shots. He said, "I felt very secure moving around the court in the Wave Exceed Tour 6s. I really enjoyed the low-to-the-ground ride because I felt very connected to my movement. It also felt like the shoes were working with me, flexing where I needed them to flex and supporting where I needed them to. I never felt at risk of rolling an ankle and my feet were secure inside the shoes, so I didn't have any issues with sliding into the ends of the shoes on quick stops."

Jason appreciated the level of support he got from such a lightweight shoe. He said, "I had no issues with the level of support these shoes provided. I could get a snug, locked-in feel and my feet didn’t move inside the shoes while playing. I thought the stability was slightly improved from the previous version. For being so light, I was impressed with the level of stability I was getting from the Wave Exceed Tour 6s."

Mark added, "Compared to a more substantial court shoe like Mizuno's Wave Enforce Tour, the Wave Exceed Tour 6 is more of a speed and agility story. That said, relative to other lightweight court shoes, the level of support and stability the Wave Exceed Tour 6 affords is among the best. I know how I typically feel after playing for three or four hours at a time, and if I was wearing lightweight shoes my knees and feet would often feel extra beaten up; that was not the case wearing the Wave Exceed Tour 6s!"

Stability is important to Troy, and he compared these shoes to the Mizuno Wave Enforce Tours. He explained, "When it came to support, I really liked the fit of these shoes and how well they held my feet in place. The upper material is pretty soft and flexible, so when I cinched up the laces, these Wave Exceed Tour 6s contoured well to the shape of my feet. The only downside to this soft and flexible feel is that these shoes weren't the strongest in terms of stability when I was making quick cuts or changing directions aggressively. I didn't have any issues as far as rolling over, but I did notice some give in the uppers when I made aggressive stops laterally, and I think this might be a downside for speedier players. That said, I really like the Mizuno Wave Enforce Tours for a bit more of a stable ride, so that is always a good option for a higher level of support and stability. For the player who prefers a more agile and flexible feel, these Wave Exceed Tour 6s are a great option."

Overall Sole Durability: 7.2

These Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 6s feature new DuRubber soles backed by a six-month outsole durability guarantee, which is impressive for lightweight shoes. Their durability surprised Jason, who said, "I was impressed by how durable these outsoles were for lightweight, speed-oriented shoes. I am doubly impressed that these shoes come with a six-month durability guarantee."

"As a player in his 50s, I would say the outsole durability of the Wave Exceed Tour 6 was good," Mark added. "And the fact that it features a six-month outsole warranty leans it toward great. On the other hand, if you are young, limber and have the ability to slide on a hard court, the durability warranty exchange might occur a little sooner than six months."

Troy noticed a sturdier rubber on the Wave Exceed Tour 6s’ outsoles compared to the previous version. He said, "The outsole rubber held up pretty well compared to other lightweight shoes. In the high-wear areas, I noticed that Mizuno made the rubber a bit stronger or beefier than the Wave Exceed Tour 5s. I wouldn't say that these shoes have a high level of durability on the outsoles, but they are pretty solid for lightweight shoes. I noticed some wear on the tread under the balls of my feet where I typically put the most pressure. The uppers and the tip of the toe box held up well, but I don't drag my feet all that much."

High-intensity training exposed signs of wear when Chris was testing these shoes. He said, "The Wave Exceed Tour 6s felt built for speed more than they were built to last. The uppers resisted my toe dragging pretty well, but the outsoles started to show quite a bit of wear. The area under the big toe of my right foot is a very high-wear area for me, and the Wave Exceed Tour 6s took a bit of a beating there. These are shoes best suited for match play for me rather than long training sessions, where I'm going to burn through them too quickly."

Traction: 9.0

Our playtesters all agreed that the traction of the Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 6s provided a good blend of grip and give. The responsiveness came as a nice surprise to Chris. He said, "I loved the level of traction I found in the Wave Exceed Tour 6s. I felt like I moved exceptionally well in these shoes. The amount of grip I got, combined with the low-to-the-ground ride, made these some of the fastest feeling shoes I've tested in a long time. While I found plenty of grip to help me push off hard for a fast sprint, I also found enough give to pivot and take small adjustment steps without feeling like the shoes were getting hung up on the court."

The level of traction was optimal for Troy. He said, "Like previous versions of the Wave Exceed Tour, I enjoyed the feel and the level of grip that the DuRubber outsole provided. I felt very confident when coming to a stop. The outsole rubber gripped the court well and allowed me to stop and push off without any slipping or loss of energy in my step. There was enough grip to the outsoles for stopping and starting, but the rubber didn't seem to be too sticky, so I would say there was just the right amount of traction for my preferences."

Jason was also happy with the traction, adding, "The rubber material provided a nice balanced level of traction. It wasn't too sticky, so I was able to slide out of shots a bit, but it also wasn't so slick that I would lose grip when pushing off."

Weight: 9.3

One of the most striking features of the Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 6s is their light weight. All of the playtesters appreciated the speed and agility they experienced while testing these shoes. Jason put it succinctly, saying, "The standout feature of these shoes is probably how lightweight they feel on court. If you want match-day speed, you'll find it here."

The Wave Exceed Tour 6s just melted into the background when Mark was on court. He said, "Like the location and height of the stock arch insert, if I am not giving any thought to the subject during play, it must be fine. And that is definitely the case with the weight of the Wave Exceed Tour 6s, which I believe is around 12.7 ounces for a men's size 10.5."

Chris appreciated the effortless, unobtrusive feel of these shoes. He said, "Apart from the one comfort issue I had from the laces digging in, I was able to play in the Wave Exceed Tour 6s without giving them much thought. The weight and feel of the shoes was very natural, and I felt light and fast on my feet in them."

The weight of these shoes was a good fit for Troy, and he would even accept a little more in exchange for some extra padding on the tongue. He explained, "These Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 6s felt super light and speedy. Based on the measurements we do in-house, this sixth edition of the Wave Exceed did go up in weight ever so slightly compared to the last version, but they still felt very quick and explosive. I enjoyed that these shoes are lightweight (sub-13 ounces), but I would have been fine with a bit more weight built into these if it meant a more padded tongue. I also like the bouncy feel to the midsole, which I felt added to the quick, explosive feel that these shoes possess."

Breakdown Summary