The Mizuno HYPERWARP 96 is a race shoe limited to 696 pairs worldwide, for people who want that lightness itself: about 96 g (27.0 cm, per shoe). Early release Dec 4, 2026 on the official online store and brand stores, with some retailers from Jan 2027. Stack is 36.0 mm forefoot / 39.0 mm heel, and it's World Athletics approved.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
See the HYPERWARP 96 as a “showcase of lightness,” built with even the laces and inner strap removed. The stack matches the ELITE 2, yet it weighs 60% as much. The cuts go beyond the midsole into the upper. So I don't use it as a yardstick for choosing a race shoe; I use it to read the gap against the mass-market PURE 2.
Key points
- 39 g lighter than the PURE 2 (about 135 g). About 29% (39 ÷ 135)
- Same 36.0 / 39.0 mm stack as the ELITE 2. Weight per mm of heel stack is about 2.46 g, 70% of the PURE 2's about 3.55 g (96 ÷ 39, 135 ÷ 38)
- Release Dec 4, 2026, early on the official online store and brand stores. 696 pairs worldwide
96 g per shoe. A marathon race shoe under 100 g, and with a 39.0 mm heel stack. This isn't a shoe made light by making it thin.
Mizuno named it HYPERWARP 96 after its weight and is making only 696 pairs. What did they cut to reach that number? I read the release date and the gap to its mass-market siblings from Mizuno's announcements.
When is the HYPERWARP 96 released? Weight and official numbers
Release is Dec 4, 2026, first on Mizuno's official online store and brand stores. Some retailers from Jan 2027. 696 pairs worldwide.
| Item | HYPERWARP 96 |
|---|---|
| Release date | Dec 4, 2026 (early on the official online store and brand stores; some retailers from Jan 2027) |
| Weight | About 96 g (27.0 cm, per shoe) |
| Stack height | Forefoot 36.0 mm / heel 39.0 mm |
| Drop | 3mm |
| Plate | Yes (full-length carbon SMOOTH SPEED PLATE) |
| Midsole | MIZUNO ENERZY XP+ LIMITED EDITION (sculpted) |
| Upper | DUAL SKIN UPPER (no laces, no inner strap) |
| Quantity / approval | 696 pairs worldwide, World Athletics approved |
World Athletics is the international governing body for athletics. Road races cap stack height at 40 mm, and 39.0 mm is 1 mm inside that (40 − 39.0).
Mizuno HYPERWARP 96 (out Dec 4, limited to 696 pairs)
Pre-release: available from Dec 4What did the HYPERWARP 96 cut? vs the first-generation PURE
The 96 has no previous generation. The comparison is the first HYPERWARP PURE (about 137 g), released Dec 2025, the lightest shoe of the first generation.
| Item | First PURE | HYPERWARP 96 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | About 137 g | About 96 g | −41g |
| Heel stack | 34.5 mm (calculated) | 39.0mm | +4.5mm |
| Midsole | Lighter version of ENERZY XP | Limited edition of ENERZY XP+ | Changed |
| Upper | Lightweight woven upper | DUAL SKIN UPPER (no laces) | Changed |
4.5 mm more stack and 41 g lighter. Two numbers that usually move in opposite directions are moving the same way. The release gives four reasons: a new midsole foam, a 3D-shaped carbon plate, the upper construction, and a simplified build without laces or an inner strap.
The standout is the upper. Mizuno explains that the DUAL SKIN UPPER varies the density and direction of TPU fibers by zone to balance lightness and fit. Instead of lacing down, the tension of the upper itself holds your foot.
As someone who runs 500 km a month, I read race-shoe weight “per mm of stack.” A thick stack is naturally heavier, so unless you divide by stack you can't see how much was cut. The 96 comes to about 2.46 g per mm of heel stack (96 ÷ 39.0), about 70% of the PURE 2's about 3.55 g (135 ÷ 38.0), the lightest mass-market model.
HYPERWARP 96 vs PURE 2 and ELITE 2
Here it is next to the two mass-market shoes coming out the same winter. Numbers at 27.0 cm, per shoe.
| HYPERWARP 96 | PURE 2 | ELITE 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | About 96 g | About 135 g | About 160 g |
| Stack (forefoot / heel) | 36.0 / 39.0mm | 35.0 / 38.0mm | 36.0 / 39.0mm |
| Release date | Dec 4 | Nov 6 | Nov 6 |
| Quantity | 696 pairs | Mass-market | Mass-market |
vs PURE 2: 39 g lighter, with 1 mm more stack front and back. That's about 29% lighter (39 ÷ 135). The PURE 2 is the lightest mass-market model, “for runners who run with a high cadence.”
vs ELITE 2: Exactly the same stack at 60% of the weight (96 ÷ 160), a 64 g gap. The ELITE 2 has a two-layer midsole, with the lower layer handling stability.
- You want a sub-100 g shoe for its own sake → HYPERWARP 96
- You want a sub-3 race shoe, picked for lightness from the mass-market line → PURE 2
- Same stack, plus a stability layer → ELITE 2
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Mizuno HYPERWARP PURE 2 (out Nov 6)
Pre-release: available from Nov 6What I like
Lighter without cutting stack. The shortcut to a light shoe is a thin midsole. The 96 keeps the same 39.0 mm as the ELITE 2, the thickest mass-market model, and weighs about 96 g.
Built inside the rules. The release states clearly that it's World Athletics approved. Even as a limited showcase, it's a shoe you can race in.
They spell out the whole build. Midsole, plate, upper and how the laces were dropped: the announcement says what made it light. Mizuno also says it will use this technology in future HYPERWARP models.
Things to watch
- Only 696 pairs. Not everyone who wants one will get one.
- Dimensions may vary slightly. The release notes that the manufacturing process can cause slight variation in dimensions. The 39.0 mm heel is 1 mm from the limit.
- No laces. You can't adjust the fit with laces. Whether your foot shape suits the upper is exactly how comfortable it'll be.
Who the HYPERWARP 96 is for
- Good fit: People who want the ultimate light race shoe for its own sake. Runners used to low drop and high stack who are fine with a shoe that doesn't lace up.
It's a scarce shoe. If you want to fine-tune the fit with laces, the mass-market PURE 2 and ELITE 2 suit you better, with almost the same stack. For comparisons with other brands' plated shoes, see the max-cushion carbon comparison article.
HYPERWARP 96 price and how to buy
| Model | Official price | Rakuten price range |
|---|---|---|
| HYPERWARP PURE 2 (out Nov 6) | JPY 35,200 | JPY 35,200 |
| HYPERWARP ELITE 2 (out Nov 6) | JPY 29,700 | JPY 29,700 |
Early sales are on two channels only: Mizuno's official online store and brand stores. Retailers follow from Jan 2027. If you want one on release day, watch for the official announcement first.
At shops, watch out for more listings than the limited quantity, or prices far off the market. The release says each pair comes with a serial code.
Mizuno HYPERWARP 96 (out Dec 4, limited to 696 pairs)
Pre-release: available from Dec 4
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Mizuno HYPERWARP ELITE 2 (out Nov 6)
Pre-release: available from Nov 6FAQ
How does the HYPERWARP 96 fit?
Weight and stack are measured at 27.0 cm. The upper is the DUAL SKIN UPPER, with no laces and no inner strap; the tension of the upper itself holds your foot.
How much does the HYPERWARP 96 weigh? How is it different from the PURE 2?
About 96 g (27.0 cm, per shoe), 39 g lighter than the PURE 2. The stack is 1 mm thicker front and back, and the 96 drops the laces and inner strap from the upper.
When is the HYPERWARP 96 released?
Early release on Dec 4, 2026 on Mizuno's official online store and brand stores. Some retailers get it from Jan 2027, and there are 696 pairs worldwide.
Gear in this article
Ads and images: Rakuten IchibaSources
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