Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo

Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo - Does it really make you fly?

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The Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo is actually a combination of some of the previous Nike running shoe models. It has elements from the Pegasus 35, the React and from the Vaporfly 4%.

There has been a lot of hype around this shoe, as is often the case with the running shoes Nike launches. I was just really curious to find out if it could live up to that hype or not. Nike promises an 85% energy return, their highest yet, and therefore making it a fast shoe. It’s also a very light shoe, it only weighs 238 grams.

This shoe is basically a somewhat cheaper version of the Vaporfly 4%, but without the carbon fiber plate. The Vaporfly 4% claimed to make you run 4% faster (which could bring down your marathon time by minutes).

The New York Times has proven that the Vaporfly actually does make you 4% faster and that it isn’t only an empty marketing promise. Although the Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo doesn’t make any such promises, it does use the same kind of foam as the Vaporfly 4% and it does promise a high energy return.

Upper

The upper is made out of Flymesh with Flywire on either side of your foot to give it a more secure fit.

The upper is made out of two layers, the see-through mesh layer (which feels a bit like plastic) and an inner mesh layer underneath which looks more like Flyknit. Even though the mesh looks very breathable, the shoe was a little hot. Apparently, the two layers of mesh together made the shoe a little less breathable.

The shoe has a tight heel counter that keeps your heel in place and the collar extends upward and outwards to guide your achilles.

I have a bit of a wide forefoot and a small heel and this sometimes becomes a problem, but I had no issues with the heel of this shoe since I was securely locked in.

Midsole

The Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo has the same ZoomX foam which was used in the Vaporfly 4%.

The initial feeling you get with the midsole is that it’s a very cushioned shoe. It’s a kind of marshmallowy feel where you sink into it a little bit. But while running in it you also have a surprising amount of ground feel.

Outsole

The outsole is made of rubber and foam which small lugs to give you some traction. And although the Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo is a road shoe, it does hold up reasonably well on easy trails. It is also quite durable, after more than 50 miles in the shoe the outsole hardly shows any signs of wear.

Performance

The shoes are very responsive and have a good energy return, it feels like someone is slightly pushing you forward the entire time you’re running.

It does feel a little bit like you’re flying. It is, therefore, a good 5k or 10k running shoe (I actually ran my new 10k PB in them), but the amount of ground feel makes it a bit difficult to run longer distances in them. Especially when you’re a heel striker and not a super fast runner (this is probably less of an issue if you’re a 2-hour forefoot striking marathon runner).

I found a 10 miler to still be reasonably comfortable in the shoe, but the ground feel did start to bother me towards the end of the run. Even though the midsole feels like a marshmallow, that marshmallow flattens quickly when you land on it, so you can still clearly feel the road beneath your feet.

I also wonder how long the marshmallow feel will last in this shoe (although so far I haven’t had any issues yet). This combined with the lack of support on the inside of the shoe makes that I would not use this shoe to run a marathon in.  

Fit

The shoe has a wide enough toe box to give your toes enough room to play. And the mesh fabric is flexible enough to give you enough room where you need it. The Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo just isn’t very high in the front, which might be an issue for some.

I had half a size bigger than my normal size and that gave me just about enough space in the front. Could have probably gone a full size up.

Look

The Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo comes in several color options.

I had the clearly recognizable seafoam green/grey with hot pink ones, although to me it looked more like neon orange. Seafoam green with hot pink would not be the colors I would have personally picked when buying a running shoe, but it actually kind of works.

The shoe also has a very recognizable stripe running from the tongue down the front of the shoe to the outsole. It makes the shoe look fast.

Conclusion

The Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo is a fast shoe and you do feel a bit like you’re flying down the road.

It is a good 5 or 10-kilometer racing shoe and it is also still comfortable for slightly longer training runs. But the medial instability and the ground feel prohibit it from being a great marathon shoe.

Yes, the Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo is very comfortable and a good road shoe, but will not protect you enough during hours and hours of pounding on the roads.

Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo: Built for your speed workouts

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I almost immediately fell in love with these shoes, or perhaps I was an easy victim of Nike’s amazing marketing. I last ran on Nike shoes only a few hundred kilometers a couple of years ago, and I have never been a fan of Nike because, generally, I don’t believe they are a great fit for my wide feet.

I was in a Nike store for buying running socks and a hat, but I went away with a pair of Nike Pegasus Turbo too. I loved it as soon as I saw how light this model is.

Stride & transition

This is the light/race version of Pegasus. So, compared with the parent model, these trainers are much lighter and more suitable for faster sessions or race day.

I think that if you train with Nikes, Nike Pegasus Turbo is a perfect choice for race day, especially for distances above 5k.

I really like the heel pad. Some models tend to have a cumbersome heel pad, which promotes a heel strike. With Pegasus Turbo, this doesn’t happen.

This shoe will help you run with your natural type of strike, regardless of whether you have a heel, mid-foot, or forefoot strike. The transition is very smooth, and the cushioning is just enough.

Design

The design is great. I prefer the version with the red stripe, but I could only find the blue stripe version in my size.

I think there is no argument in saying that these trainers are among the best designs in the market. There is nothing I dislike about the design; everything is very cool.

Fit

They are true to size, but if you have big toes, you may have some issues. In the shop, I managed to run a minute in the shoes before my big toe started rubbing with the stripe. I thought that it was just a matter of giving it time and running some miles in them. 

However, even after dozens of miles, I still had that problem with my toe. So, the Nike Pegasus Turbo is not a good model for my feet, especially for long distances. You can not run hours at a steady effort, with discomfort like that.

That is one of the reasons why I didn’t switch to Nike Pegasus Turbo for race day.

Runner profile & workouts

Nike Pegasus Turbo is a must for those runners who do daily runs on Pegasus and for those who are generally neutral Nike runners. They are suitable for fast workouts and race day, especially for longer distances from 5k up to marathons.

One note of warning, most neutral Nike models, especially the lightest ones, amplify gait problems. I have very mild pronation, and this is more pronounced on my right side compared to what it is when I am wearing most neutral shoes.

For that reason and lack of room for my big toe, I decided not to wear these shoes on race day. If you don’t have the issues above, go for them. They are great trainers, but you must have the gait for them.

While, for that concern, the surface track and road are fine, while I wouldn’t use them for trails, especially in the winter. They are one of the lightest shoes for road running available on the market. For example, UK 7 (EU 41) is only 209g.

Durability

I didn’t log a lot of miles on these shoes, but the overall quality seems to be one of the best, considering the market. I have seen shoes that sell at a similar price but are much lower quality.

The outsole and upper sole seem very durable, and I estimate its life to last 400 miles. Considering the weight and the purpose of the shoe, that’s a lot.

Comparison

Compared to the Pegasus, the Nike Pegasus Turbo are much lighter and more suitable for race day. As such, rotating between Pegasus and Pegasus Turbo would be a smart choice. Both shoes have the same kind of fit.

When compared with Zoom Fly, people typically consider Zoom Fly to be more suitable for race day. However, Pegasus Turbo has nothing less (it’s a 50/50). It is really up to the athlete which shoe to wear for race day.

Compared with Vaporfly 4%, Pegasus Turbo shares ZoomXfoam with Vaporfly 4%, but without the carbon plate. If you cannot find or afford Vaporfly, Pegasus Turbo is a very good option.

Pros

• Good-quality materials
• Captivating design
• Light
• Just enough cushioning

Cons

• Price tag
• No much room for a big toe

Conclusion

In recent years, Nike has invested a lot of effort in improving their offer regarding their running shoes becoming one of the best brands. Pegasus Turbo is a perfect choice for runners who already train on neutral Nikes. 

However, the comfort is not the best, the captivating design is at the expense of comfort, and the stripe doesn’t give enough room for the big toe. Also, as in the case with other light neutral running shoes from Nike, the Nike Pegasus Turbo tends to amplify defects in the gait, especially if you have a mild pronation.

My verdict is that it is a must-have shoe but only if you already run on Nikes, or your gait is perfect, and you don’t have wide feet.