Don't disturb me! I'm in zen-mode.
Okay, so be it – it is my job... But then we must also talk about
Let me tell you something: Neo actually means "new", and Zen has to do with balance or harmony. Amazingly, it is not entirely coincidental that the shoe is named exactly that. The Neo line currently includes the Neo Zen and Neo Vista shoes. Today we are dealing with Neo Zen 2, which – as the name indicates – aims to get you in balance, so let's take a look to see if it can actually deliver.
Neo Zen and
are both neutral training shoes. Zen is without a plate, while Vista is with.
For a shoe to be in balance, the different parts must work together, and I actually think Mizuno has done a really good job of achieving that. Both the upper and midsole have seen some work. If you are holding Mizuno Neo Zen 1, you have a pretty wild shoe in your hands – it might not have been entirely in balance. It was a bit more untamed. Neo Zen 2 has been tamed a bit: easier to work with.
Mizuno Neo Zen 2 - Major changes
The upper was probably the part of Neo Zen 1 that most struggled with. It was very flexible, maybe a bit too flexible to control the Enerzy NXT midsole beneath it. The upper on Neo Zen 2 is a combination of knit and engineered mesh – and it does exactly the job it's supposed to.
Personally, I love the knitted part over the instep. Completely frictionless and smooth. It's really comfortable. The upper has gained more structure due to the more traditional engineered mesh part, which is said to be more stable than, for example, knit. Around the heel, you get a good amount of padding on a relatively firm heel counter. All in all, a big step closer to peace and balance. Zen.
Mizuno Neo Zen 2 - Do we find peace, find balance?
At first glance, Neo Zen 2 doesn't look like a shoe with the midsole depth it actually has. It measures a full 40.5 mm at the heel and 34.5 mm at the forefoot (6 mm heel drop), which means Neo Zen 2 sneaks in among the big max cushioned running shoes. What it doesn't look like from the outside, you feel when you put your nose in the shoe: You're lifted well off and protected from the ground.
I mentioned earlier that Neo Zen 2 seems more tamed than its predecessor. It's as if Mizuno, with their first launches in the Neo series, wanted to showcase what they could do with their new technologies, and then took notes and adjusted the shoe accordingly. It's the type of development we shoe enthusiasts want to see.
The midsole is made from a nitrogen-infused EVA, which I would describe as a very reliable foam material. A muted shock absorption. It is not used to trick you into an extreme bounce, which I actually think Neo Zen 1 had. No, it simply fits better with the technology that binds it all together, namely Mizuno Smooth Speed Assist.
Mizuno Neo Zen 2 - Destination: Complete balance
As you may have already guessed, we succeeded. We found the peace, we found the balance. Mizuno Smooth Speed Assist was the final piece in our Japanese puzzle.
To get the most out of Smooth Speed Assist, which is their term for a rocker geometry, it requires that the foam is not too soft. Mizuno has succeeded very nicely in making a shoe where the concept of the heel-to-toe phase feels completely natural. It's the shoe's biggest strength, as I see it.
I had an experience of quickly getting into a flow when running in Neo Zen 2, and that's rarely a bad thing.
Mizuno Neo Zen 2 - Versatile training shoe
I've already talked a bit about Japan, so I might as well continue. If you happen to be going to Japan – or any other holiday destination – Neo Zen 2 could actually be a good addition to your packing list.
If high-intensity intervals are on the agenda over the holiday, there are naturally shoes on the market that do it better, but they just don't have the versatility that Neo Zen 2 has.
Neo Zen 2 is a versatile running shoe. This versatility comes partly from its relatively low weight compared to other running shoes in the max cushioned category, while the durable XT10 outsole material is grippy enough for light terrain use.
Mizuno Neo Zen 2 quickly becomes a shoe you'll reach for again and again because it can be used in so many different scenarios. Mizuno Neo Zen 2 can, in my opinion, be the shoe that ties your running shoe arsenal together and creates balance.
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