Nike Pegasus Plus
When Nike announced they were expanding the Pegasus line, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. The Pegasus 41 was the first version of the Pegasus I had the chance to run in, and looking at the stats, I wasn’t sure if this was supposed to be more of a Vaporfly light or a pumped up version of the Pegasus. After running in the shoes, I’m not entirely sure that it is either of those things, but rather that it might just be a unique shoe that capitalizes on the Pegasus brand…
The Breakdown
Men: 8.6 oz
Women: 7.2 oz
Drop: 10mm
MSRP: $180
The Outsole
For a lighter trainer, this shoe has a more substantial outsole coverage than I would expect to see. I’d estimate about 60% coverage of rubber when looking at this shoe. I feel that there is plenty of grip for a variety of running including road and cross country running. When taking corners or moving over varied surfaces, you know that your footfall will be right where you expect it to be. It also adds to the Nike vibe by using their traditional waffle pattern outsole.
The Midsole
The midsole is made from ZoomX, Nike’s top of the line Peba based material found in the Alphafly and Vaporfly, so I while there is no plate, I was expecting to feel a bit more cushion and bounce underfoot than I do. The midsole is quite resilient however and I do think there will be plenty of miles to be logged in this shoe. In the future I would like to see Nike consider lowering the drop just a bit so they can add a bit more cushion in the forefoot.
The Upper
The upper of the Plus is definitely a more premium feel relative to the base Pegasus 41. The Flyknit upper feels more breathable and saves some weight relative to the 41. This upper feels like it rides the edge between a racer and trainer. It has more cushion around the heel collar than the Vaporfly, but isn’t nearly as plush overall as the 41.
The Fit
I recommend purchasing true to size.
Run/Walk
When Nike announced that a Pegasus Plus and a Pegasus Premium were coming down the line, it seemed like they were going to do something similar to what we’ve seen in other brands where we get a daily trainer, an uptempo shoe, and a racer that fall within the same model line. I think what they have done is create three unique shoe models that capitalize on the Pegasus branding but that should each be considered as individual concept shoes because while they may share some basic elements, the experience is quite different.
When I picked up the Pegasus Plus I really liked how light the shoe is. This is far and away the defining characteristic of the shoe and the experience of it for me. If you’re a runner who likes the light weight daily trainer, this shoe may be a prime candidate to go into your rotation. I don’t think this is an especially up tempo shoe, but I think that it falls solidly into a shoe that can be used for daily training and can go into the tempo/threshold zones if you want it to. This shoe seems to blend an old school feel with new school technology. If you’ve been running for years and miss the days when you could feel the road beneath you, but you want a shoe that provides a little more protection, I think this is a solid option.
The ZoomX foam doesn’t provide the same experience for me in the Pegasus Plus as it does in the Vaporfly. Obviously this shoe does not have a plate, but as I stated above, I would really like to see what this would feel like with a few extra millimeters of foam in the forefoot. When choosing to match the 10mm drop of the Pegasus, I think they lost an opportunity to give this shoe a bit more bounce and more uptempo sensation in the run. Right now it just feels like it falls a little flat on runs past the hour mark.
The shoe is quite stable and feels comfortable moving through a variety of surfaces. I think that it is a fantastic option for cross country runners or runners who like to hop off the concrete and get some dirt beneath their feet. While this isn’t the shoe that I necessarily reach for when heading out for a tempo session on the roads, I do like to take it out for track sessions. The cushion provided by the track balances quite nicely with the amount of midsole material on the Plus.
I personally lean toward shoes that have a bit more cushion, but I think this is a really fun shoe to run in and depending on your style, is a shoe that you should be able to get a lot of miles in.
The Gym
I think the Plus makes a great choice in the gym for the average person. The stack isn’t so high that it is going to interfere with any of the machines you might interact with, and the midsole feels stable and solid enough that I really enjoy lifting in it. If you’re doing heavy Olympic style lifts, I have some concern about the 10mm drop, I’d like to see something a little flatter for that style lifting, but for the average athlete, I don’t think that’s going to be an issue in general. I tend to stick more to the dumbbell/kettlebell options when I’m lifting now and it does really well for that approach.
I think this also makes a fantastic option for athletes getting into Hyrox or other hybrid style fitness plans. It runs really well and also handles the type of movements that they are doing quite nicely. It’s easy to move through station in, has excellent grip and the midsole is stable enough that whether you’re jumping or lunging, you know exactly where your foot is and where it will stay.
Daily Living
The biggest issue I see for this shoe when you’re looking at it for daily wear is the color availability. It’s got a great feel underfoot and while I don’t think I would recommend it for shift workers going past the 8 hour mark, it looks excellent and feels great underfoot.
