Article by Steve Gedwill, Zack Dunn and Sam Winebaum
Nike ZoomX Pegasus Plus ($180)
Pros:
Versatile: enough springy ZoomX cushion for daily training, light and responsive enough for tempo runs, well shod with durable gripping rubber for road and dirt. Sam/Steve/Zack
Mix it up: flexible, lively supercritical foam ride that works the feet differently than plated shoes. Nike’s only performance non plated Sam/Zack
Very breathable upper Sam/Steve/Zack
Cons:
Famous v1 center of toes pink webbing strap returns and as before can press on the big toe, especially when new Paint it! Sam
Forefoot could use more stack/snap. Steve/Sam/Zack
Price: Yes, ZoomX midsole, durable outsole, versatility and decently light weight but at $180 for a non plated shoe pricing is up there and above competitive shoes. Sam/Steve/Zack
Introduction
Sam: The Pegasus Plus is a flexible, moderately stacked uptempo road trainer powered by Nike’s supercritical ZoomX foam. It stands out as a higher drop (10mm), non plated training option In a market increasingly dominated by plated high stack trainers and racers. It competes with the few remaining (and all excellent) shoes in its category such as the Adizero SL2 and ASICS Noosa Tri 16. It provides an option for the “traditionalists” and for all runners to vary their rides and give the feet a different more engaged workout.
The model first emerged in 2018 on the heels of the Vaporfly (RTR Review), had a second version in 2019 (RTR Review) then the heavier Nature version in 2022 (RTR Review). So essentially except for the lighter Streakfly Nike had no light uptempo non plated trainer in their line up in recent years.
The Pegasus (Turbo) now called Plus returns with a slightly higher stack height (and weight), ZoomX magic and a stout upper in a visual design essentially identical to the original from 2018.
We set out to test the Plus. Where does it fit in a rotation? Is such a shoe still relevant? And how does it compare?
Stats
Approx. Weight: men's 8.6 oz / 244g US9
Sample Weight: men’s 8.42 oz / 239g US8.5 (Peg Turbo 2: 7.4 oz / 211 g US8.5)
Stack Height: men’s 35 mm heel / 25 mm forefoot ( 10 mm drop)
Platform Width: 85 mm heel / 65 mm midfoot / 110 mm forefoot
Most comparable shoes
Pegasus Turbo 2 (RTR Review) Sam
ASICS Noosa Tri 16 (RTR Review) Sam
Adidas Adizero SL 2 (RTR Review) Sam
.
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Steve: The Pegasus Plus marks the return of a legendary shoe from Nike which was known before as the Pegasus Turbo. Will it live up to the hype of the original? Or will it fall flat like most movie sequels tend to do?
What I can say for sure is that the shoe looks fantastic and delivers the nostalgia of the original Pegasus Turbo. There is something to be said about the stripe down the center, it’s classic and it looks fast!
I love the signature Swoosh that is painted on the different textures of the upper and midsole.
The upper is a breathable mesh that features a non-gusseted tongue that is held in place by the laces via a loop in the tongue near the top. The laces are run through plastic eyelets that have a thin plastic backing that runs almost the length of the tongue. The tongue is thin but well padded and quite comfortable.
The heel counter provides a nice hold, is well cushioned and reminds me of the Hoka Mach in terms of the height and comfort.
At step in, the shoe feels great! It has that signature Pegasus feel, light, soft and the comfort you’ve come to expect. I didn’t experience any issues with lock down and felt like my men’s 12 ran true to size. The Pegasus Plus upper is the perfect middle ground of secure and roomy.
Does it perform as good as it looks? “Pegasus Nation, Let’s ride!” -Quarterback Russell Wilson (probably)
Sam: The shoe above the Pegasus Plus. The shoe below..the 2018 Pegasus Turbo..
Other than the OG’s more pointed achilles collar and different outsole configuration they can be hard to tell apart. We do know the Plus has at least 3-5 mm more stack height front and back with the same 10mm drop.
The upper is moderately thick “two tone” engineered Flyknit. I found it surprisingly breathable during runs in our very high humidity summer weather.
A signature feature, visual for sure, but also for front of upper support is the pink sewn on webbing strap down the center of the toe box.
As with the OG, I absolutely noticed it pressing on my dodgy big toe at first try on and for the first run. After that first run it became far less noticeable as the Flyknit stretched some and the sockliner packed down a bit. I wish Nike came up with a different less intrusive approach to this cool visual element which I assume also provides some front structure without resorting to thicker mesh or overlays as the foot is for well held in what is otherwise a quite unstructured toe box.
In the photo above, peaking out below the tongue are the midfoot underlays. They not the common plasticky ones but a soft liner type mesh bonded to the upper. The tongue has no gusset.
The midfoot hold is very good with the padded yet still thin tongue with unpadded wings, narrow thin flat laces and eyelets all working well together. Do make sure you double knot as they easily come undone otherwise.
The heel counter is notably rigid all the way to the top of the achilles collar, very comfortable and contributing for sure to the notable rear landing stability.
The fit is true to my usual size US8.5. As said above, the pointy toe box and center strap do require some break in as the strap has only a touch of stretch and less so than the rest of the upper.
Zack: The Nike Pegasus Turbo OG was one of the more beloved recent Nikes. The Plus is very reminiscent of the original Pegasus Turbo, which in the last few versions the style has strayed from.. With that being said, I was extremely excited for the shoe, as the OG Pegasus Turbo was one of my favorite shoes of all time.
In terms of the upper, It seemed to be somewhat of a mix of all the previous iterations of the Pegasus Turbo’s, with it having similar overall design to the original, the performance factor of the second, and the fit of the third. I had very little issue with the upper of this shoe, except for one slight hotspot near the midfoot, under the last lace of the tongue. However, with adjustment of the laces, this problem was fixed.
Other than that slight issue, I really enjoyed everything about the upper. I thought it was very comfortable, had fine lockdown, and was quite breathable. I also thought the tongue was designed perfectly, as it was not too padded but had just enough to be able to feel comfortable.
Midsole & Platform
Steve: The midsole features a full slab of ZoomX foam at 35/25mm rear/forefoot stack height, so a 10mm drop. I felt like the 10mm drop was quite noticeable at step in, which is not surprising because I have spent a lot of time recently in 4 and 5mm drop shoes. I’m honestly a little surprised by the stack height numbers, as it appears to have a thicker midsole.
The ZoomX feels springy, but I’d be lying if I said it felt like the ZoomX featured in the Vaporfly or AlphaFly. It feels slightly firmer and more dense in the Pegasus Plus, which could be partly due to the type/amount of rubber on the outsole. The insole is your typical Nike insole and is not glued down.
Sam: Pure 100% ZoomX PEBA foam here with a total stack height of 35mm heel / 25mm forefoot, a height and 10mm drop that only a few years ago would have been found in a well cushioned daily trainer. Today that stack height is on the more “minimal” side, especially upfront.
The ZoomX foam is as we expect, springly and energy returning but somewhat more dense in feel than in Nike’s ZoomX racers.The heel cushion is for sure deep and as much as I could wish for.
The forefoot is “thinner” and as a result flexible with the outsole providing some moderately snappy flex. There is plenty of front cushion for the uptempo focus of the shoe and for those preferring a more traditional daily training ride with good road feel. The drop is for sure noticed with, after a stable solid heel landing, a distinct sensation of plunging forward to a flexible toe off. Not so thin or flexible upfront that my feet got tired but for sure a different way to work the feet than in a higher forefoot more rigid rocker type shoe that are so common the last couple years.
Outsole
Steve: The outsole provides nice coverage of rubber with the center of the midsole being exposed.
The red stripe on the upper continues on the outsole and even says “Pegasus Turbo” even though Nike is technically calling this the Pegasus Plus. As with other Pegasus models, the grip is solid and should provide plenty of durability.
Sam: Nike never spares rubber and grip in their trainers and here again we have plenty of rubber and traction from the waffle pattern lugs for “terrain”, of course road, but also dirt and gravel with one of my runs on a hard pack granite dust rail trail where I had fantastic traction.
I would add that the extensive front rubber clearly provides stability and some response to what is a relatively soft midsole.
Zack: The outsole is fairly simple with the signature waffle pattern that Nike incorporates on many of its models, and especially so in the Pegasus lineup. I found it gripped great on both dry and wet surfaces and have no complaints at all.
Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations
Steve: I will say I’ve been a long time fan of the Pegasus Turbo line. The Pegasus Turbo was what I would consider to be my first “racing shoe.” So to say I was excited to run in the latest model would be an understatement. I even delayed my morning run waiting on the Fedex truck to drop these off. Well enough about my obsession, let’s get into how they performed!
My first run was 6 miles with strides which was a nice test with getting a little speed going. The 10mm drop had that feeling of pushing me forward or “up on my toes” but honestly I kind of enjoyed it.
The ZoomX foam was energetic enough, but lacked that typical softness I’ve come to know in the Alphafly and Vaporfly. The forefoot also left a bit to be desired, more cushioning would have been nice.
However, I will say the Pegasus Plus really shined during the strides, it felt light, nibble and responsive. Which is exactly what I felt like the Pegasus Turbo of old did best. The next day featured a 14 mile long run and I felt the Pegasus Plus held its own. For longer, easy miles I’d probably prefer a tad more stack up front and a more conservative drop height. My legs and feet didn’t feel destroyed afterwards so it’s safe to say you could easily run a half marathon in these.
This is a tough one for me, I wanted to love this shoe more, but it’s not much of an upgrade to the Pegasus Turbo of the past. With so many great shoes on the market, the Pegasus Plus doesn’t really stand out among the competitors. For $180 I think there are better options and at a better price point as well. I’d gladly pay $140 for the Hoka Mach 6 or the New Balance Rebel V4, which are both better shoes in my opinion.
If you love the original Pegasus Turbo, you will likely enjoy this shoe. For me it is just missing a little of that ZoomX magic and with so many great offerings on the market, I can’t justify spending $180.
Steve’s Score: 8.0/10
Ride 8 (50%): Fit 9 (30%): 6 Value (15%): Style 9 (5%):
😊😊😊
Zack: In terms of the ride, I found it to really be great. As previously stated, it provided great comfort while still being fairly lightweight underfoot. I do think this is quite versatile shoe, being able to be used for a wide range of paces.However, I will say it shined brightest at moderate to tempo paces.
I do agree with the other testers that this shoe does not seem as magical as the original which is greatly due to the fact that there are so many recent shoes that have this same type of modern supercritical foams and often at a lower price than the $180 here,
Overall, I do think the shoe is pretty great and perhaps so because this type of lightweight trainer is my favorite kind of run shoe, I really do enjoy the shoe a lot and can see myself grabbing these often. However, I do think there are better options nowadays which makes lowers the value of Plus
Nonetheless it is a great shoe!
Zack’s Score: 9/10
😊😊😊😊
Sam: Very similar in looks and ride to the OG Turbo with moderately more cushion, the Plus is a throwback to simpler, higher drop, less cushioned shoes of the near past with, of course, state of the art foam in ZoomX. The upper is comfortable and secure, the ride while more “minimal” than what is now common is energetic and well cushioned particularly at the heel.
I tested them at various paces including a tempo 7 miler on the rail trail as well as easier daily paces and it was at tempo paces that it shined. Light, quick if soft and a bit thin off the front, and plentifully cushioned at the heel with a nice stable rebound due to its 35mm height and very solid heel counter
I do think the mid to forefoot might benefit from a small shank or plate to increase snap and response for tempo purposes or a touch more foam height up front which could acoomplish the same.
While for sure a superb quality shoe with a great upper, great supercritical foam, durable upper and great versatility its priding at $180 for a quite simple construction shoe was a good “value” in the original Turbo in 2018.. Today its direct competition in weight, stack height, purposes and “almost” in foam performance (for me) such as the Adizero SL 2, Hoka Mach 6, and ASICS Noosa Tri are priced $40-$50 less
As one of the few lower stack, higher drop trainers still available the Plus should appeal to runners seeking a more traditional ride for all or at least some of their workouts and to Nike fans seeking a performance light daily trainer. It sure appeals to me as I find it important to mix in more flexible, higher drop, lower stack shoes with today’s plated rigid rocker behemoths.
Sam's Score: 8.9 / 10
Deductions for pricing, webbing front strip and a bit more toe off snap
😊😊😊 1/2
4 Comparisons
Pegasus Turbo 2 (RTR Review)
Steve: The upper is much better on the Pegasus Plus, which leads to the Pegasus Plus being the more comfortable shoe. Much better lock down and heel hold on the Plus as well. The performance is similar, both are quite light and nimble. I’d give the edge slightly to the Plus as it does feel a little more protective.
Zack: Steve did a great job in summarizing the differences between the new and old Pegasus Turbo, so I won’t repeat anything he said, but his take matches my exact thoughts.
Hoka Mach 6 (RTR Review)
Steve: In terms of a non-plated all around shoe that can do it all, I thought this was a good comp. I think the Pegasus is a little bit more comfortable on foot, but the Mach outperforms it in just about every other category. I like the feel of the midsole foam better on the Mach (seems to be just a bit softer and bouncier). Both are pretty lightweight and can handle speed work well. But for $40 dollars less, I’m taking the Mach 6.
Sam: The main difference between the Mach and Plus is the forefoot stack height. The Mach has a 37 heel mm / 32mm forefoot which means it has 7mm more forefoot cushion than the Plus. This is felt of course as a more cushioned forefoot and a stiffer flexing one. The Plus is more agile feeling given its 10mm drop and thinner forefoot. The Mach leans more daily trainer and for longer distances while the Plus leans more uptempo and shorter distances. Both have performance fitting type uppers.
ASICS Noosa Tri 16 (RTR Review)
Sam: Lighter and higher stacked at 7.6 oz / 215g for near maximal 34.5 /29.5 stack height, the 6nm drop ASICS has a rocker profile vs the e flex profile of the Nike. Its FF Blast FF Plus is not quite as energetic as ZoomX and is a bit firmer if more quickly responsive. Its ride and geometry are more stable if it is not quite as much of a “fun” ride. AT $135 it is clearly a better value. Both fit similarly.
Adidas Adizero SL 2 (RTR Review)
Sam: The SL2 is in many ways nearly identical to the Plus sharing the same stack height, weight, stout outsoles and, in their own ways, energetic modern midsoles. The SL 2 is somewhat softer and is less stable. Its upper is simple and less supportive thus making it less suitable for tempo training than the Plus and its stouter upper. Keeping this in mind, at $130, $50 less than the Plus,.it is a better value as a moderate mileage fun daily trainer.
Comparison Review Pegasus Plus vs Adizero SL 2 (10:12)
Index to all RTR reviews: HERE
Tester Profiles
Steve: A former high school track runner, turned physique competitor who then jumped back into the running scene. I’m 38 years old, 6’0 tall, 180 lbs and currently running 30-40 miles per week. My most recent Half Marathon time is 1:45:59 and I am currently training for my second Chicago Marathon this Fall. I am from Tampa, Florida originally, but have called Chicago, IL home for the last 6 years. I’m a huge running shoe geek and work in the craft beer industry! @steve.runs.chicago on Instagram.
Zack: is a collegiate runner at Lewis University. I’ve been running for 8 years, and focused solely on running after giving up on years of baseball and wrestling. I race distances between 800 meters and 10K whether it be on the track, the roads, or on cross country courses. I do most of my training on the roads, some training on the track, and occasionally run trails logging anywhere from 65-80 miles a week. My typical training consists of easy days, long days, workouts (fartleks, tempos, interval training, etc.). My typical training paces range from 7’30 a mile on easy days to sub-5 minutes a mile on fast interval days, and with many paces in between. My personal bests are 4:20 for 1600m, 8:42 for 3000m, 14:51 for 5K, and 25:24 for 8k.
Sam is the Editor and Founder of Road Trail Run. He is in his 60’s with 2024 Sam’s 52th year of running roads and trails. He has a decades old 2:28 marathon PR. These days he runs halves in the just sub 1:40 range if he gets very, very lucky. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week mostly at moderate paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Utah be it on the run, hiking or on nordic skis. He is 5’9” tall and weighs about 162 lbs, if he is not enjoying too many fine New England IPA’s.
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