Another year, another new Pegasus in the Nike franchise. For me, a shoe that has slipped a lot in recent years compared to the exciting movement of Nike in other product lines, such as the Vomero. The Pegasus used to be my go to workhorse, 5-6 years ago. It was a reliable daily trainer with a neutral platform that helps you hit your easy days easy and hard days hard.
The Pegasus 42 comes in with a brand new revamped full-length zoom-air unit, which differs from previous iterations that only had partial units in the heel. This is a slightly heavier (300g vs 297g) Pegasus with the same TPE/EVA ReactX midsole and the exact same construction (37mm heel and 10mm drop) as the 41. With its minor changes, how does the shoe line up and what are my general feelings?
Upper and Fit of the Nike Pegasus 42
What works for me
When I think of the Pegasus, I think basic, simple, does the job. The upper encapsulates this perfectly. It’s a generic mesh upper which is breathable and comfortable. There is ample cushioning in the heel collar and a pretty good lock down overall. I found the fit to be relatively true to size. I didn’t find any rubbing or feelings of discomfort when running in this shoe so there’s not really much more to say on this front.
What doesn’t work for me
There are a few caveats I did have with the fitting and lacing which are perhaps quite unique to my foot, but are definitely worth noting. While the shoe fits true to size, it’s on the narrower side, feeling more like a narrow and long shoe than a neutral one. Having a wide foot I did not necessarily need to go a size or half a size up, but if you prefer a roomier toe box and have a wide foot it would definitely be something to note. In terms of lacing my main issue is again that generic flat lacing style. While there’s nothing wrong with it, I think that most brands could by now switch to a ribbed or textured lace, just as it is so much more reliable, especially in wet conditions.
Midsole and Ride of the Nike Pegasus 42
What works for me
If the upper is a plus point, then the midsole for me was a big let down. I was a fan of the Pegasus Premium which had a full-length Zoom Air bag in its midsole that provided a very unique bouncy sensation. That shoe came in at 325g so I thought the Pegasus 42 would provide that similar bounce with a 25g reduction. While this was not the case at all, the ReactX midsole did feel quite nice underfoot when running easier, surprisingly soft as a foam. Despite a 10mm drop the shoe is a very neutral ride and does not feel overly aggressive. As a forefoot runner I actually found the shoe to feel a bit like the structure 26, just as the landing felt close to the ground and neutral.
What doesn’t work for me
That said, I really did not enjoy the ride of the Pegasus 42 overall. At 300g the shoe felt heavy, but I’m struggling to understand where the weight comes from considering the technology did not provide any bouncy or fast sensation. The shoe felt flat, for a 37mm stack in the heel I did not feel any propulsion, especially when running faster. The full-length Zoom Air unit may as well not have been there, especially when I compare the sensation of the Premium to this shoe.
The worst part of the ride for me is at faster paces. In my vision as a dynamic daily trainer, the Pegasus should be able to handle easy paces all the way to fast workouts. This shoe really felt its worst during my workouts, feeling like all my energy was being absorbed rather than returned. I think it’s something about the construction and use of materials where ultimately you are running so close to the ground that there is not much bounce in the forefoot of this shoe upon takeoff.
Outsole of the Nike Pegasus 42
Grip and Traction
As is the case with most Nike’s the grip and traction were fine. I have not extensively tested it in all environments as we are blessed with good weather this time of the year, but I imagine the grip holding up just fine. Where I usually see some shoes struggle, the Pegasus holds up just fine, but lets await further testing to see if my feelings change.
Durability
Similar to the above section, not a topic I can super confidently say this shoe excels at, but from my initial testing, I have not seen any wear on my pair. The midsole remains the same and the outsole shows no signs of wear. My only concern is a major portion of the midsole is exposed, so if signs of wear would occur, I imagine this being the first place. Otherwise the upper is nicely padded and I think you can expect the same from this shoe in terms of build and quality than you can for a lot of the other pegasus’ in the past.
Conclusion
Value for Money
Coming in at €140/$145/£130, the shoe sits on par with the market for your daily trainer style shoe. Considering no significant markup from the previous version, I think it’s a relatively fair price for a shoe that is kind of a mixed bag in terms of use case. I do think that you can get many better options, even within the Nike lineup (Vomero 18 / Vomero Plus), for a small premium compared to this shoe, which I believe would have more versatility. But overall, taking my personal caveats aside, I think the shoe does align with the market in terms of pricing.
Fitting it into a shoe rotation
Difficult to say as everyone is different, but I believe this shoe is more of a lifestyle/gym hybrid rather than a pure running shoe. I think it’s a great shoe for those who want one shoe that they can work out in, run in occasionally, but also wear on a daily basis for general comfort when walking. From a pure running perspective, I would only recommend using this shoe for your daily runs, maybe once in a while some faster work if the geometry suits your gait.
Final Verdict
For me a mixed bag kind of shoe. It provides a nice balance of stability and support while also having some versatility. But as a pure running shoe I just did not enjoy the ride or feeling of this shoe, especially compared to some of its previous iterations. If you want to buy a single shoe that you can use for many different things, even beyond running, this is a great, relatively affordable option. But skip it if you need a dynamic daily trainer for pure running, as I believe there are many better options on the market.
Comparisons Against Similar Shoes
Nike Pegasus 42 vs. Kiprun Cushion 500 Premium
Honestly these shoes feel the exact same under foot. If I was to blindly put both on and go for a run I doubt I would really be able to tell the difference. When you compare the 500 Premium costing almost half of the Pegasus, while providing the exact same sensation, it’s a bit of a no brainer for me.
Nike Pegasus 42 vs. Mizuno Neo Zen 2
Stability, support? Easily the Pegasus. Everything else? Far and clear the Neo Zen 2. Bouncier, softer, more dynamic, lighter, the Neo Zen 2 is a far better option from a running perspective, however does come at a slight premium.
Nike Pegasus 42 vs. Nike Vomero 18
Nike vs Nike, this is one of the shoes I would recommend people go for if they want something a little more dynamic, a little more fun, but still at an entry level range. The pegasus is better for the walking/lifestyle side, while the Vomero is better from the running point of view at just a 10$ premium.
Other People’s Takes on the Nike Pegasus 42
Lucie’s Take on the Nike Pegasus 42
I’ll start with the obvious: the Pegasus 42 is about as basic as it gets. This is the definition of a no-frills daily trainer: simple, straightforward, and designed to do the job without trying to impress.
Underfoot, the ride feels extremely flat. In the forefoot, you’re basically on the ground, and it’s hard to believe there’s a 10mm drop. There’s very little propulsion or assistance from the shoe, it doesn’t guide you or push you forward in any noticeable way. Combined with a relatively heavy build, this limits its use strictly to easy miles. Anything faster or more dynamic quickly feels out of place.
The upper follows the same philosophy: simple but effective. It’s breathable, comfortable, and features a generous amount of padding around the heel, which I personally appreciated. Fit-wise, I’d say it runs true to size. I have a wider foot and didn’t find it too narrow.
That said, the overall experience didn’t really click for me. The lack of responsiveness and the flat ride made runs feel a bit dull, and I even experienced some discomfort around the inner ankle on my left foot.
So, who is this shoe for? I would mainly recommend it to beginners looking for a simple, dependable option for easy runs. Beyond that, it feels more like a gym or lifestyle shoe than a performance-oriented running model.
