Nike Pegasus Premium Review: A Premium Running Experience?

The Nike Pegasus Premium.

All shoes are reviewed by the Fleet Feet tester team, which represents a wide variety of goals, foot shapes, running locations and terrains. Reviewers pound the pavement, climb the hills, tackle the trails, then come together to compare notes. Debates ensue over the feel of the cushioning, the purpose of the shoe, and how it compares to last year’s model. While each reviewer has their own individual preferences, we hope that capturing our debates will help you make an informed decision.

When it comes to running shoes, Nike has been a leader in innovation. Who can forget their first carbon-plated racing shoe, the Zoom Vaporfly 4%, that completely changed the sport of road racing as we know it?

When I learned that Nike was unveiling a new trainer, combining all of their best technologies (besides that glorious carbon plate), I couldn’t wait to get it on my feet. The Nike Pegasus Premium features a full-length Air Zoom unit sandwiched between ZoomX foam and ReactX foam. We’ll dive into these technologies and what they mean for your run below.

Shop Now

Tech Specs

Nike Pegasus Premium

Weight 9.7 oz (W), 11.5 oz (M)
Stack height (heel/forefoot) 45 mm/35 mm
Heel-to-toe drop 10 mm
Category Supertrainer
Price $210
Comparable to… HOKA Skyward X, Mizuno Neo Vista

Ride

Between firm and balanced ride

Cushioning

Maximum cushioning

Energy

Between responsive and propulsive energy
The Nike Pegasus Premium.

Air Zoom & ZoomX & ReactX, oh my!

I mentioned above that the Pegasus Premium uses three key technologies in the midsole. First is Nike’s ZoomX foam, a firm compound that sits right underfoot to provide a responsive ride. It’s used in Nike’s top-tier racing shoes like the Vaporfly and Alphafly, as well as speed work shoes like the Zoom Fly 6.

Underneath the ZoomX is a full-length Air Zoom unit embedded in the midsole and shaped to mimic the contours of the foot. The Air Zoom Unit essentially acts as a spring, with tensile threads inside that contract and pop up as you land and take off.

This is the same technology used in the Alphafly, although the Pegasus Premium’s Air Zoom unit runs throughout the entire midsole versus the pods in the forefoot of the Alphafly. This is done because running at faster paces, like you would in the Alphafly, encourages a forefoot landing while running at slower speeds encourages a midfoot or heel landing. The full-length Air Zoom unit ensures that runners can enjoy the benefits no matter how they land.

And remember that React X foam I mentioned earlier? This plush, bouncy midsole foam is used underneath the Air Zoom unit in the heel to add a bit of softness to the ride.

All of these technologies combine to create a rather unique ride.

“Running in the Pegasus Premium was the equivalent of riding a magic carpet, because the experience felt as if I were in a whole new world,” Mandy says. “It felt as if I strapped a pair of springs on the bottom of my feet. I went out for a long run over the weekend and was excited every step of the way. Walking, running and just moving felt effortless, efficient and effervescent.”

Like Mandy, Kate and I both wore our shoes for some walks before trying them out on our runs. We both noticed how stiff the cushioning felt while walking.

“For walking, this shoe felt weird,” Kate says. “It has a really springy sensation, but it’s completely stiff and the outsole is flat. There is no flexibility to this shoe’s midsole or outsole whatsoever. Stiffness is common in most speed shoes these days, but the difference is that most speed shoes have a rocker shape to help propel you forward. With a totally flat outsole, the Peg Premium is springy, but I wonder why Nike didn’t choose a shape that makes it more propulsive.”

I definitely thought the shoe felt stiff while walking, and I was a little disappointed in anticipation of what that would mean for my runs. I really dislike firm shoes, and I was hoping these wouldn’t feel like bricks on my test run. However, I broke out into a huge grin as soon as I started running. I finally understood the hype around these shoes. They instantly transformed from stiff slabs into bouncy springs.

Okay, that may be a little dramatic, but they definitely felt responsive. They still felt firm on the run, but not in a bad way. It felt like the firmness of the ZoomX foam and the springiness of the Air Zoom unit were combining to give me some extra pep in my step. I don’t know if it was the chilly weather, the fact that I hadn’t run for a few days prior, or the delightful underfoot sensation but I found myself needing to constantly remind my legs to slow down.

The Pegasus Premium is rounded out with a waffle traction outsole, designed to deliver superior grip on the roads. I live in South Florida, so I have no winter weather to contend with right now, but Mandy mentioned the shoes felt nice and grippy despite having to run on some remnants of snow.

Comfort takes priority

The Nike Pegasus Premium.

The Pegasus Premium is topped off with a breathable upper using Nike’s circular knit material, which they claim will “keep you cool mile after mile.” It’s January and about fifty degrees where I live, so I’ll have to test that statement later once the Florida temperatures return to their usual swampiness.

It’s no surprise that this shoe is built for comfort first. There are a lot of little details that don’t do the weight any favors but add to the overall experience of the shoe. Shiny silver Nike logos adorn the heel and forefoot while a plush tongue and padded heel collar hug you in all the right places. The heel collar tapers out a bit to reduce rubbing on your Achilles, which I appreciate since I always seem to get blisters in that area. There are extra eyelets on the sides to tie the marathon loop if you need to cinch down the fit of the heel, which I found myself needing to do before I headed out for my run.

The fit of the Pegasus Premium is what I can only describe as narrow. It fit perfectly for my medium-width, low-volume (feet that don’t take up a lot of space within the shoe) feet because I enjoy a snug-feeling shoe. Kate agreed with me but Mandy, whose feet are shaped similarly to mine, mentioned that the toe box felt quite roomy.

Unsure about the width or shape of your feet? Your best bet will be to head into your local Fleet Feet. Fleet Feet outfitters use 3D fit id® foot scanning technology to gather information about your feet and the support they need by taking precise measurements of your foot length, width and arch height, so you can learn a lot about your feet while you’re there.

Nike Pegasus Premium versus Nike Pegasus 41

Tech Specs

Nike Pegasus Premium

Nike Pegasus 41

Weight

9.7 oz (W), 11.5 oz (M)

8.8 oz (W), 10.4 oz (M)

Stack height

45 mm/35 mm

37 mm/27 mm

Heel-to-toe drop

10 mm

10 mm

Category

Supertrainer

Daily trainer

Price

$210

$140

Full disclosure, we haven’t tested the Pegasus 41 but since the Premium is the latest addition to the Pegasus franchise, we wanted to compare the Premium and the original side by side.

The Pegasus 41 features a full ReactX midsole as opposed to the ZoomX and ReactX combination used in the Premium. While both shoes use Nike’s Air Zoom technology, the Pegasus 41 has a smaller unit in the forefoot and in the heel versus the full length unit in the Premium.

The Premium has a higher stack height (the difference in height between the ground and your feet), a higher weight (thanks to more cushioning) and a higher price tag (which I think is justified since it offers more premium technology than the 41).

The outsole of the Nike Pegasus Premium.

How does the Nike Pegasus Premium compare?

We took a look at some comparable models to see how the Pegasus Premium stacks up. Here’s what we found.

Tech Specs

Nike Pegasus Premium

HOKA Skyward X

Mizuno Neo Vista

Weight

9.7 oz (W), 11.5 oz (M)

9.2 oz (W), 11.3 oz (M)

7.4 oz (W), 9.4 oz (M)

Stack height

45 mm/35 mm

46 mm/41 mm (W), 48 mm/43 mm (M)

44.5 mm/36.5 mm

Heel-to-toe drop

10 mm

5 mm

8 mm

Category

Supertrainer

Supertrainer

Supertrainer

Price

$210

$225

$180

The Pegasus Premium, HOKA Skyward X and Mizuno Neo Vista are all their respective brands’ version of a supertrainer—a shoe that combines the high-performance technology found in racing supershoes with the comfortability and durability needed for daily runs.

While the Pegasus Premium doesn’t have a carbon-fiber plate like the Skyward X or a glass-infused nylon plate like the Neo Vista, its full-length Air Zoom unit delivers a similar level of responsiveness.

I found the Pegasus Premium the firmest of these three shoes, the Neo Vista the softest and the Skyward X somewhere in the middle.

Who is the Nike Pegasus Premium best for?

The Nike Pegasus Premium.

The Pegasus Premium is perfect for runners who are obsessed with the experience. Thanks to an innovative midsole that feels springy, responsive and just plain fun, this is a shoe that can transform any run from blah to blissful.

“This shoe is designed for people who want to make running more fun by adding springiness and pep,” Kate says. “While I didn’t enjoy it for walking, it’s a good running shoe for various paces.”

Because the shoe is quite a bit heavier than anything I’d use for a hard workout, I wouldn’t recommend this to runners seeking a speedwork shoe. I think it’s perfect for daily miles and some moderate paces, but for true speedwork I’d reach for the Zoom Fly 6.

Shop Now

Keep Reading