ShoeGeometry

Hoka Bondi 9 vs Mizuno Wave Sky 9

Two shoes compared on measured geometry. Each cell carries a provenance badge; open a shoe for sources.

heel boneHoka Bondi 9: heel 43 mm, forefoot 38 mm (drop 5 mm); toe rocker 35 % of length, radius 41 % of length; heel bevel 12 % of length, 20 mm high at the back, ending about under the heel bone.Hoka Bondi 9: toe rocker 35 % of lengthMizuno Wave Sky 9: heel 44 mm, forefoot 38 mm (drop 6 mm); toe rocker 33 % of length, radius 37 % of length; heel bevel 11 % of length, 22 mm high at the back, ending about under the heel bone.Mizuno Wave Sky 9: toe rocker 33 % of length
  • Hoka Bondi 943/38 mm · toe rocker 35 % · heel bevel 12 %
  • Mizuno Wave Sky 944/38 mm · toe rocker 33 % · heel bevel 11 %
Illustrative profiles, not photographs: drawn from published stack heights and photo estimates of the unloaded shoes on a common length (300 mm), heels aligned, toe to the left; dots mark where each toe rocker starts; the dotted vertical line is under the heel bone (12 % of length), so a heel curve reaching past it is a bevel in front of the heel bone. Dotted lines use typical values where a shoe has no measurement. Exact values are in the table below.

Which suits you

If you wantPickBecause
A smoother roll at toe-offMizuno Wave Sky 935 vs 33.3 % toe rocker; 38.8 vs 45.1 mm toe tip
More cushioning under the heelAbout the same43 vs 44 mm heel stack
More under the forefootAbout the same38 vs 38 mm forefoot stack
A lower dropHoka Bondi 95 vs 6 mm drop
A stiffer, snappier forefootMizuno Wave Sky 945 vs 90 /100 stiffness
A wider base under the forefootHoka Bondi 9123.2 vs 120 mm forefoot base

From the values below, with differences inside measurement noise shown as about the same. This describes the shoes, not what is right for your feet; comfort in the first few runs decides.

MetricHoka Bondi 9
Max cushion · Road
Mizuno Wave Sky 9
Max cushion · Road
Heel-to-toe drop5 mmStated6 mmDerived
Heel stack43 mmStated44 mmStated
Forefoot stack38 mmStated38 mmStated
Weight298 gStated292 gStated
Toe rocker35 %est.33 %est.
Rocker radius41 %est.37 %est.
Rocker rise angle27 degest.34 degest.
Rocker angle at toe58 degest.68 degest.
Toe tip over ground39 mm*est.45 mmest.
Visible rocker lift onset78.5 %est.76 %est.
Toe spring (relative)18.3 %est.22.5 %est.
Heel bevel length11.5 %*est.10.7 %*est.
Heel bevel height20 mmest.22 mmest.
Midsole width (forefoot)123.2 mmMeasured120 mmMeasured
Midsole width (heel)104.2 mmMeasured99.9 mmMeasured
Toe box shape75 %*est.—
Interior forefoot width94.1 mmMeasured95.7 mmMeasured
Toebox width72.5 mmMeasured70.4 mmMeasured
Longitudinal stiffness45Derived90Derived
Midsole firmness87Derived—
PlateNo plateNo plate
Primary foamSupercritical EVAMIZUNO ENERZY NXT (nitrogen-infused EVA) + ENERZY base, Foam Wave
List price$170$180

Key differences

  • Hoka Bondi 9's heel-to-toe drop is 5 mm, 1 mm lower than Mizuno Wave Sky 9's 6 mm.
  • Hoka Bondi 9's heel stack is 43 mm, 1 mm thinner than Mizuno Wave Sky 9's 44 mm.
  • Forefoot stack is about the same: 38 mm for Hoka Bondi 9, 38 mm for Mizuno Wave Sky 9.
  • Weight is about the same: 298 g for Hoka Bondi 9, 292 g for Mizuno Wave Sky 9.
  • Toe rocker is about the same: 35 % of length for Hoka Bondi 9, 33 % of length for Mizuno Wave Sky 9.

Read more about both shoes

We measure the shape. For how they feel over many miles, and for lab tests of cushioning, grip and fit:

Hoka Bondi 9

Mizuno Wave Sky 9

Independent sites; we are not affiliated with them.

Hoka Bondi 9 details · Mizuno Wave Sky 9 details · Add more shoes