Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35: Is it worth the hype?

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The Nike Pegasus series has been around for 35 years. Many of Nike’s best-known running shoes have been Pegasus shoes. I have run around 150 miles in the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35, and I can say it truly surprised me.

Whether it was the full-length Zoom Air unit or the 33mm Cushlon cushioning, the shoe really does impress me in terms of running.

First impressions

When I first saw this shoe, I was caught by the bright colorways that Nike had made for it. It looked much more cushioned than any other Nike running shoe, which made me want to try it more.

It had a very modern aesthetic and feel to it. I wouldn’t even hesitate to wear this shoe as casual wear. The overall appearance of the shoe was very pleasant overall.

Upper

The upper of the shoe is made of a form-fitting engineered mesh. It has a zigzag pattern which looks very modern and flashy. It is very breathable and works great in any kind of weather.

It has flywire cables that adapt to the foot of the runner and keeps it secure. A good detail Nike added was a reflective strip on the back of the shoe which is great for night running.

Durability

In terms of durability, this shoe is amazing. The shoes have barely shown any wear and tear in the outsole or upper after tough mileage.

The overall design of the shoes is very well made and very durable. They are durable for road or trails but better for roads. The only thing that concerns me in durability is the midsole, in which it creases and shows wear very easily after the first few runs.

One thing I do like that Nike did in terms of durability was having the outsole unit of the shoe in a waffle design that helps the flexibility and grip capacity of the platform.

Comfort

In terms of comfort, these shoes really surprised me. In these shoes, Nike has added a full-length Zoom Air unit which is meant to be responsive for long distances.

That being said I think the hype about that personally was a little overrated as I did feel good responsiveness but nothing extremely out of this world. The Cushlon foam that Nike uses surrounds that air unit and is meant to deliver durable cushioning throughout your run.

The one thing I didn’t really find comfortable was the lipped heel which had little cushioning and caused some discomfort in longer runs. With that being said, I do think this is one of Nike’s best-cushioned shoe, if not the best in terms of comfort.

Price

The price of this shoe is a little pricey coming out at anywhere from $80 - $120. I do think the shoes are definitely worth those prices when it brings high quality.

What I like about this shoe

I really like the overall versatility of this shoe. These shoes can be used for really any kind of run, from speed runs to long recovery runs.

I also like how you don’t have to be fast to run in these shoes, but you can be, and they’ll do great. I also really like that the design of this shoe is very modern and simple but not being overly flashy.

Why you should buy this shoe

I believe you should buy this shoe because it does great on any run and is made for most runs. It can go fast and is lightweight but still has the cushioning that’ll last you miles upon miles. This shoe truly does get the job done, and it’ll do you good no matter how fast of a runner you are.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35 is an everyday trainer from Nike that is very versatile. They provide good structure and good cushioning for longer runs, and they’re lightweight and definitely can go fast.

It doesn’t matter whether you're a beginner or a veteran; these shoes won't let you down.

The Nike Zoom Pegasus 35

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Nike has been a long time competitor in the running shoe space. With ambitions of breaking the 2-hour marathon, Nike has really been pushing incredible shoe technology.

I mainly run in Adidas, but after hearing so much praise from the old and new Pegasus lineup I finally wanted to give these a try. After all the hype I have heard around this shoe, I must say I’m not as impressed as I initially would have thought.

Midsole/comfort

After just a few runs in the shoe, I did notice wrinkles starting to form in the midsole. While this doesn’t seem to have any effects on the shoe for now, it does make me worry about the durability of the midsole.

I am mostly an Adidas runner, but after hearing from so many runners that this was one of the best shoes they have ever trained in I wanted to give them a chance.

My expectations of the cushioning system were really high, and I must say I feel like the shoe underperformed a little. While the full-length Air Zoom did provide some comfort for my mid-foot strike, I really was expecting a bit more cushion out of the shoe.

The shoe didn’t offer as much cushion as I would have liked, but it performs well as a stable and responsive shoe.

The Pegasus 35 weighs in at 9.9oz for a men size 10, but it actually felt quite light when on the foot. The heel didn’t feel too heavy, like some Adidas Ultraboosts, which made the shoe a bit more comfortable on longer runs.

Outsole

Nike has made a lot of bold claims about the durability and multi-surface traction of the Nike Pegasus 35 outsole.

After running and training in these shoes for a few months I can easily confirm the durability of the outsole. The grid pattern outsole works really well on any surface up to a gravel trail. I never felt uncomfortable with the grip of the shoes even in wet conditions.

The outsole pattern also helps with the flexibility of the shoe. The flexibility and beveled heel counter really made the transitions smooth while running.

I normally don’t like having excess material in the heel, but in this case, it didn’t seem to add much weight and bulk so I’ll give it a pass.

Upper

The mesh upper was breathable and comfortable even on longer runs. My foot would get a bit warm on hotter days, but it never became too big of an issue.

The engineered upper provide some stretch where needed and the flywire lockdown system making sure your foot stayed firmly in the shoe even at a faster pace. 

The Pegasus 35 does have quite a large tongue, but thankfully it never became an issue. 

Looks/price

The shoe comes in plenty of colors so you're sure to find one you like. As subjective as looks are, I personally still don't know if I like the way the shoe looks. The shoe does have a futuristic vibe to it which Nike claims also makes the shoe more aerodynamic. 

The Nike Zoom Pegasus 35 comes in at $120 but regularly goes on sale to $80-100. I think that is a great price for such a workhorse of a shoe. The versatility of the shoe is where it really shines. Being able to use it as a casual, training, and running shoe really make this shoe worth that price tag just a bit more.

Training off the roads

It’s always fun to lace up and tear up the road, but I think it is just as important to hit the gym and train with weight as well.

With a 28mm heel stack height, the shoe does lift you off the ground a bit. That being said, I never felt unstable when squatting or deadlifting at normal weights. I also liked that this shoe was not bulky. It was lightweight and breathable enough to not bother me while working out.

Conclusion

My expectations for this shoe were quite high. The Nike Pegasus series has a lot of praise from all types of runners. While it was a great runner, I don’t think it quite lived up to all the praise it receives. 

That being said, I think it is still a great versatile shoe for running and training.

The design of the shoe is defiantly a bit different than what we have seen in the past, but I think it fits the new lineup of shoes coming out of Nike. The wide range of colors available means there is something for everyone taste and the price is reasonable for the technology your getting.