Nike Pegasus Premium Introduction
The Pegasus has long been NIke’s trail blazing daily trainer. Generations of runners have used this workhorse with wings to get them through their daily miles. In 2025, Nike has streamlined its daily offerings into 3 silos. The Structure which is for those needing some stability. Secondly, we have the Vomero silo which gives deep cushion. Then, we get to the Pegasus silo where you will find neutral daily shoes. Within each silo, there are 3 grades. Icon, Plus and Premium.
The Pegasus Premium marks the first of these top models to hit the streets. A full length air bag and a rather lifestyle look have caused much debate about whether they are for the streets or the runways. We put the mileage in to see if we could answer that question.
The Pegasus Premium upper is pretty good outside the tongue
Andy: Striking is a good way to describe the Pegasus upper. In hand, the very open knit upper with the mesh sides is a lot greyer than it looks in Nike’s product photos. The mix of materials, however, does lead to a good, comfortable foot feel. At the midfoot, the mesh wraps the foot well. Adding to this, a generously padded heel area secures a good lockdown.
Across the top of the foot, the knit section of the upper offers excellent breathability. There is no danger of overheating as the material is more hole than knit. This is a theme which continues with the tongue. Here, the material is a latticework piece of padding. While it does a good job of allowing breathability while protecting from lacebite, it is at least 2cm too short. If you need to use the top set of lace holes, there will be very little tongue between your foot and the laces themselves.
On the subject of the laces, they are fairly standard affairs. They offer little elasticity and do a decent job of keeping the shoe tied and locked down. As an extra benefit, the upper also offers a whole load of reflectivity to keep you safe on darker runs.
As far as the fit goes, I bought the Pegasus Premium in my usual size and, as with all Nike shoes, the fit for me is perfect. Out of all the running brands I have tried thus far, I have never had an issue with Nike’s fit. Their last and my foot are almost identical it would seem.
Overall, I find the upper to offer a comfortable, breathable and locked down fit. If Nike decide to fit a sensible length tongue in the Pegasus Premium 2, I can’t think what else they could improve. As a final plus, the upper seems pretty dirt resistant. I have run the shoe through a lot of absolute filth and it still looks pretty pristine.
A mish-mash of everything leads to a messy midsole
Andy: It is probably easier to list technology not in the midsole of the Premium. The product description of the Pegasus Premium reads like a Nike stockroom inventory catalogue. Zoom X – check! React X – check! Full length Air Zoom bag – Check! While it may not have the Joy Run balls and Shox, it does cover most of Nike’s current output. How does this kid in a sweetshop approach to creation work on the streets?
It’s strange. At the same time, the Pegasus Premium manages to feel both mushy and firm. When vertical force is put through the midsole, the Premium feels quite firm, it has a good push off and unlike Alex, I prefer it for moving faster. When lateral force is applied, it has a real sloppy lean to the feel. This is why I don’t like it as a speed shoe. It has an unsettling list when cornering.
When looking at the price of the Pegasus Premium, it should be competing with the likes of the SC Trainer from New Balance and the ASICS Superblast. When putting it on foot, it does neither. The instability makes me not want to wear it for faster, twisty sections and the forefoot firmness makes me want to avoid it for easy runs. Furthermore, I have spent the majority of each run scanning the floor for anything sharp which may leave me with a flat tyre when miles away from home.
Overall, I don’t see where the Pegasus Premium fits in my rotation. The weight and instability mean I won’t pick it for a speed session. Meanwhile, the lack of a real cushioned feel makes me leave it behind when I want to soothe sore legs. On the plus side, it does look good with a pair of jeans so it won’t be left on the shelf forever.
The outsole relies on tried and true waffles
Andy: The outsole is a version of Nike’s waffle design. With the exception of a 3 – 4cm long part of exposed foam in the midfoot area, there is a fairly full coverage on forefoot and heel. However, there is a centimetre wide scar of exposed Air Zoom bag right down the middle of the base. Again, this has me worried on the run that the airbag puncture and leave me high and dry.
That said, I have run the Premium through all sorts of muck and the grip hasn’t ever been in question. Sadly, with my footstrike, it has given me a rather slappy ride as the rubber is fairly firm. Durability seems to be good with very little wear visible on my outsole after a few weeks of running. If the Air Zoom Tempo is anything to go by, the outsole will outlast the Air Zoom bag in the midsole.
Is the Pegasus Premium a running shoe?
Andy: I, like many others, was fascinated by the Pegasus Premium. So much so that I bought it from my own pocket to answer the question of whether it was a running shoe or not. For me, it is a running shoe, just not a very good one. Especially when the price is taken into consideration. It is heavy, the ride is odd and I am not sure what I will ever use it for with so many other options on the market. Would I buy another pair at full price? Absolutely not. Would I pick up a pair for leisure wear in a good colourway when they end up in a Nike sale? Sure, they’re a pretty shoe.
They won’t be helping me on too many more runs though. Let’s wait to see what the Vomero and Structure Premium are like. Perhaps the top end of all the silos are all show and no go?
