Nike Pegasus Plus

Introduction 

The Pegasus Turbo series is perhaps one of the most popular and most loved Nike trainers of the past 6 years. Designed to be a faster, lighter version of the classic Pegasus, the Pegasus Turbo was one of the very first training shoes to have a racing foam in its midsole. It was the original super trainer.

When the original Pegasus Turbo launched in 2018, most of the speed trainers at that time were firm and had flat rides because they used EVA midsoles. The Pegasus Turbo had a much softer, bouncier ride which was unlike any other trainer on the market.

In 2022, Nike launched the Pegasus Turbo Next Nature. It had a ZoomX midsole which was made of scraps of ZoomX. This gave it a firmer, less bouncy ride than the first and second versions of the Pegasus Turbo. The Pegasus Turbo Next Nature received mixed reviews. Most runners who had loved the first 2 versions, didn’t enjoy the Turbo Next Nature.

The new version of the Pegasus Turbo is called the Pegasus Plus, a rebranding which Nike hopes will breathe new life into the series. It has a brand new midsole, outsole and upper but it still looks like it belongs to the Pegasus Turbo family. The stripe down the middle of the upper as well as the “PEGASUS TURBO” branding on the outsole are signature Pegasus Turbo design features.
The 2024 Pegasus Plus weighs 30 grams less than the Pegasus Turbo Next Nature. It also has 3 mm more stack height in the heel and the forefoot. The price has increased by $34.

Specifications

Upper

The Pegasus Plus’ upper is made of soft, stretchy Flyknit that feels a lot thinner than the Flyknit that was used on the Pegasus Next Nature version. It has ventilation holes on the side panels as well as on the top of the toe-box to make it easier for air to penetrate.

The flat tongue is not gusseted but there is a loop for the laces to go through on the middle of the tongue so there isn’t any excessive tongue slide. The top of the tongue has a notched design to prevent irritation to the base of your ankle.
There are reflective stickers on the tongue as well as on both sides of the heel counter so that cars can see you when you’re running in the dark.

The heel counter and collar are lightly padded and covered with a soft, smooth lining so comfort around the ankles is great. There’s no heel slippage and they also provide double first row eyelets so you can use a runner’s knot to get a more secure foothold.

The fit of the Pegasus Plus is true to size. It has a narrow midfoot and toe-box with a normal forefoot width. It’s best suited to runners who have narrow, low volume feet. It has a generally narrow fit which is typical of most Nike trainers.

Midsole

This is the first Pegasus Turbo version to have a full-length, 100% ZoomX midsole. It’s also the soft, bouncy kind of ZoomX, not the firm, recycled version that was in the Next Nature version. ZoomX is a PEBA based foam so it returns a high level of energy while being lightweight at the same time.

Inside the midsole, there is no stiffening device like a plate or shank, so the forefoot of the Pegasus Turbo flexes very easily. This also results in there being no forefoot rocker so your feet have to do the work during transitions.

Underneath the insole, there are small holes punched into the strobel lining. These holes increase the ride softness because the foam can be accessed by your feet much easier. In some of the Nike trainers, there are larger cutouts in the strobel lining but in the Pegasus Plus, that wouldn’t work because the ride would be too mushy.

The Pegasus Plus now has a medium stack height, making it more cushioned and more versatile than previous versions. The midsole feels thinner than the actual 35 mm it is in the heel because of how much and how easily it compresses when loaded.

Outsole

The Pegasus Plus has good rubber coverage on the forefoot and rearfoot, with no coverage on the midfoot. It’s the signature Pegasus waffle outsole design on the forefoot and rearfoot, which you’ll also see on various versions of the regular Nike Pegasus.

The rubber that’s used on the Pegasus Plus is a softer kind of rubber than used on Nike trainers like the Structure 25 and Pegasus Plus 41. This results in softer, more padded landings and a less abrasion resistant outsole. The midfoot which is not protected by any rubber will show wear first but it doesn’t affect the ride in any way.

Traction is good on dry surfaces and decent on wet surfaces. The waffle pattern helps to bite into the ground and the softer-than-average outsole rubber also helps to make the outsole more tacky.

Ride

The Pegasus Plus has a super soft, relaxed ride which is best suited to easy and recovery runs. The ZoomX midsole compresses very easily when you strike the ground and then rebounds, giving it a bouncy, fun ride. The entire midsole is one piece of foam, creating super smooth, consistent ride transitions from heel to toe.

It has a high 10 mm heel to toe offset, so the majority of the cushioning is in the rear of the shoe and heel strikers will find the ride more enjoyable than midfoot or forefoot strikers. The high drop helps to naturally roll heel strikers on the forefoot and eases transitions.

The Pegasus Plus is not the most stable of trainers. This is because of how soft and unstructured its midsole is. Its midsole base is not particularly wide and there are no lateral sidewalls for extra support. It’s best suited to neutral runners or runners who don’t need a high level of stability.

Short or middle-distance runs are what the Pegasus Plus does best and paces slower than 5 minutes per kilometer are in its wheelhouse. For faster paces, a firmer, stiffer trainer would be more suitable.

Conclusion

The Pegasus Plus is a substantial update and an upgrade over the Pegasus Turbo Next Nature. It has a softer, bouncier ride, it’s lighter and it has a more comfortable upper. One of the downsides is that its forefoot isn’t as stiff as the Next Nature version so it doesn’t feel as snappy- it’s more suited to slower paces.

This version of the Pegasus Plus is the softest version to date. If you’re looking for a super soft trainer for relaxed runs, the Pegasus Plus is your shoe. If you want a very flexible trainer with a natural ride, it’s also the shoe for you.

Compared to the regular Pegasus 41, the Pegasus Plus has a far superior ride due to its ZoomX midsole and its lightweight build. The two shoes don’t share much in common (except for the name) and they have very different rides. The Pegasus 41 feels more like a traditional daily trainer with a flatter ride whereas the Plus feels more dynamic and more modern.

In a Nike rotation, the Pegasus Plus fills the role of the daily trainer for racking up easy mileage. You can use the Zoom Fly 5 for speed training and then the Vaporfly 3 or Alphafly 3 for racing.

Reviewed by Brandon Law

Check out the Nike Pegasus Plus Collection Here