Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37

It's hard to not imagine a future, 50 years from now in which the Pegasus 87 has just been released and I'm telling my grandchildren how I remember running in the Pegasus 37. Such is the confidence I have that the Pegasus will still be around then.

The Nike Pegasus has always been a very predictable shoe. Predictable in ride, fit, quality, and durability. That's why it's been so popular: you always know what you're going to get with the Pegasus.

Normally, every year the Pegasus has a “meh” release: only minor updates or changes so that Nike can keep their loyal Pegasus fanbase.

This year is an exception because Nike has changed the midsole of the Pegasus from Cushlon, to React which is a huge change. Cushlon has been used since the Pegasus 27 of 2010. Midsole foams have made huge advancements since 2010, especially in the last 3 years.

Not only has the midsole foam changed but the Zoom Air unit is now thicker — top-loaded, and only in the forefoot of the shoe compared to the full-length Zoom Air unit in the Pegasus 36. The airbag is now 10mm thick compared to 4mm in the Pegasus 36.

The airbag in the forefoot of the Pegasus 37 is also gender-based. The men’s version is denser than the women’s version.

I’ve never loved a pair of Pegasus shoes before. It’s always been a middle of the road trainer which doesn’t have much flair but also doesn’t do anything wrong.

Some might see this as consistent but I’ve seen them as boring. Will this be the first Pegasus to make me fall in love with them and become a Pegasus fan?

First impression

When I first took the Pegasus 37 out of its box, I was surprised at how thick and chunky the midsole was. Previous versions of the Pegasus have had an average, thin midsole but this one looked a lot thicker.

The paint on the midsole had an iridescent glow to it in the sunlight which made the shoe look very futuristic. The lace eyelets and the midsole paint shift colours from metallic purple to green in the light.

The first thing I noticed when I slipped the Pegasus 37 onto my feet was how squishy it felt underfoot.

In previous versions of the Pegasus, one could hardly tell that it had a Zoom Air bag in it but in the Pegasus 37, it is very prominent in the forefoot. It made me want to walk around on my toes so that I could feel the squish.

I ordered the women’s version of the Pegasus 37 because the women’s version has the softer airbag in it: 15 PSI compared to 20 PSI in the men’s. I generally prefer softer shoes to firmer ones even if it comes at a sacrifice in responsiveness.

I ordered my normal size in the women's version so I expected them to run small but to my surprise, it was the opposite. There was a bit too much space in the front of my toes and I could have gone a half size down.

It could be that the women’s version runs slightly larger than the men’s but I think the Pegasus 37 runs longer than most shoes.

Upper & fit

The upper of the Pegasus 37 is made from a light mesh that feels thicker, smoother, and more padded than the upper of the Pegasus 36. Breathability is also not as good as in the Pegasus 36 so the Pegasus 37 runs warmer.

The asymmetric tongue which is thin and flat is attached on the sides to the upper so no tongue slide occurs. I found the tongue to be slightly too short so it slipped downwards on runs.

I would prefer it if Nike used a thick, longer tongue like the one on the Pegasus 35.

The pointy heel counter of the Pegasus 37 flares outwards like previous versions of the Pegasus and on the inside of the shoe, there is padding to keep your heel in place.

This heel setup didn’t really work for me as I experienced a small amount of heel slippage, even when I used heel lock lacing. This happens because the rear is too shallow and the heel counter doesn’t come up high enough.

Nike has gotten rid of the Flywire cables which looked like strings and have implemented new Flywire straps which are wide and not stretchy. These straps which are there for midfoot support and structure gave me a problem.

This first 10 kilometres of every run in the Pegasus 37 feel fine but then I start to get a hotspot on the medial side of my right foot, close to the toe box where the first strap starts. Nike should have made the straps softer and more stretchy.

It takes some fidgeting with the laces at the beginning of every run to get the fit dialed in. The tongue is short so I couldn't make it too tight at the top or I'd feel the pressure. The midfoot and forefoot are narrow so I also couldn't make it too tight lower down.

The fit of the Pegasus is narrow and long. The fact that it gave me a hotspot on my foot is proof that it is a really narrow fit and I don’t think going up a half size will help because then it will be way too long.

The wide version might suit me better. The Pegasus 37 comes in narrow, regular, wide, and extra-wide versions.

Overall, I prefer the upper of the Pegasus 36. It gave me no hotspots or blisters, had a more accommodating fit, and was more breathable.

 Midsole & ride

Cushlon was quite a firm foam so the change to React in the midsole is a welcome one.

React feels slightly softer and a little more bouncy but it is still lightyears away from the responsive, springy TPU and Pebax foams. I can’t wait for the day that the Pegasus midsole is made from ZoomX foam.

The Pegasus 36 was firm but the Pegasus 37 is a medium-firm density. The Pegasus 37 is too heavy for racing and too firm for long distances.

It is best suited to faster runs (4 minutes 30 seconds per kilometre to 5 minutes per kilometre) at short to medium distances (5km to 20km).

It takes quite a fast pace in the Pegasus 37 to access the Zoom Air unit. At slower paces, the airbag doesn’t provide much responsiveness. When running in the Pegasus 37, I noticed that I tend to strike more on my forefoot because I subconsciously know that the airbag is in the front of the shoe.

The Zoom Air unit is top-loaded this year, meaning it sits closer to the foot, right underneath the strobel lining. This is a great change and it feels like there are firm bubbles underneath my forefoot.

It takes a lot of effort to get the Pegasus 37 up to a speedy pace and I really felt it in my legs as they began to tire during runs. It's certainly not an effortless ride.

Although the React midsole is softer than in previous versions and the Zoom airbag softer in the women’s version, I still feel that the Pegasus 37 is not soft enough to be a truly versatile, everyday trainer. I would only choose the Pegasus 37 for distances below 20 km because of the lack of cushioning and the upper which causes a hotspot. 

The Pegasus 37 is quite a stiff shoe as a result of the large Zoom Air unit in the forefoot. Even though the airbag has flex grooves in it, the Pegasus 37 still flexes behind the airbag, towards the middle of the shoe.

Stability in the Pegasus 37 is average. There isn’t much lean bias but the thick midsole makes it less stable than previous Pegasus versions.

Transitions are smooth from heel to midfoot but as you get onto your forefoot, you can feel the Zoom Air unit underfoot. I would prefer it if Nike made the Zoom Air unit thick but full-length.

The Zoom Air in the Pegasus 37 adds some sophistication to the ride character but it’s still not what I’d call a fun shoe to run in. It feels a little bit “plain vanilla” compared to other daily trainers such as the GlideRide with its rocker or the Infinity Run with its spongy-soft ride.

 Outsole & durability

The outsole setup of the Pegasus 37 is amongst the most durable currently available. There are two types of rubbers used: harder, carbon BRS1000 rubber on the lateral crash pad and also softer, blown rubber on the medial rearfoot and forefoot areas.

The rubber used on the outsole is very dense which is one of the reasons the Pegasus rides quite firm but also the reason why the Pegasus outsole is so durable.

The lug shapes of the blown rubber are now waffle-shaped, a throwback to previous Pegasus versions. The last 4 versions had pentagon-shaped lugs. The shape of the lugs doesn't change the ride in any way.

There is a deep dimple under the centre of the heel which is new for the Pegasus series. This dimple makes the ride slightly more cushioned and responsive by allowing space for the heel to compress downward.

Traction in the Pegasus 37 is great on dry and wet surfaces of all types.

Durability is one of the reasons the Pegasus is so loved and the Pegasus 37 takes durability up a notch. The hard outsole rubber shows almost no wear after two weeks of testing the shoe, running in it every day.

The React foam of the midsole is also durable as React doesn't lose much cushioning over the life of the shoe. There are also no signs of weakness on the upper.

The Pegasus should easily last upwards of 1000 kilometres of running. The highlight for me is the super durable outsole which I wish all Nike trainers used.

Comparisons

Nike Pegasus 37 vs. Nike React Miler

The Miler has a more comfortable, padded upper with a better lockdown and no heel slippage. The Pegasus 37’s midsole is firmer but it has the Zoom Air bag for extra responsiveness.

The Pegasus 37 also has a more durable outsole but I would still choose the Miler over the Pegasus 37 due to its more comfortable ride.

Nike Pegasus 37 vs. Nike Infinity Run

Both uppers suffer from heel slippage but at least the Pegasus has double last row eyelets for heel lock lacing. The Infinity Run has a much softer midsole but is less stable.

The Pegasus 37 has a more durable outsole. The Infinity Run wins with its squishy, more fun ride.

Nike Pegasus 37 vs. Nike Rival Fly 2

The Rival Fly 2 has a better upper with no hot spots. The Pegasus 37 has a softer, more responsive midsole with its thicker Zoom Air unit.

The Pegasus 37 is better for longer distances with the Rival Fly 2 being lighter and better for short distances. I'd choose the Pegasus 37 with its more responsive forefoot over the Rival Fly 2.

Conclusion

If you're a hardcore Pegasus fan and you buy the new version every year, chances are high that you will love the Pegasus 37.

For the first time in ages, the Pegasus has some flair. The 37 has a brand new React midsole which is slightly softer and more durable. It also has a new forefoot-only Zoom Air unit which is more than twice the thickness of the Pegasus 36 which makes the ride more responsive and softer.

The upper of the Pegasus 37 is narrow but longer in the front of the shoe. It is smoother, more padded but warmer than last year's version. It caused a hotspot on the medial side of my foot so be careful of the width of the shoe when making your purchase.

Pegasus 37 is a vast improvement over the Pegasus 36 but it didn't do enough to make me fall in love with the Pegasus series. I found the Pegasus 37 to still be too firm for long distances and not bouncy enough for a fun ride.

I did however really enjoy the prominent, thick air bag in the forefoot so it's possible that I have developed a tiny crush on the Pegasus 37.

For the next version of the Pegasus, I would make the midsole out of ZoomX foam for extra cushioning and response, and keep the thick Zoom Air unit but make it full length so that transitions are smoother. I would also make the midfoot Flywire straps softer and more stretchy to improve the fit.

The Nike Pegasus line has been a shoe legacy in running since 1983. It has provided runners with a new daily trainer every year. Those trainers have been pretty good too, being favorites of all kinds of runners from elite to casual runners.

This year's version is completely revamped, with everything being pretty much updated in some way. I put it through a good amount of testing and can say I'm pleased with the updates. 

Ride

In terms of the ride, I am very pleased with the Pegasus 37. I was able to run almost every type of run in this shoe, having done long runs, easy runs, long workouts, and short, fast race paced workouts as well.

In terms of the long run, my long runs are 10-12 miles at anywhere from 6'50-7'30 minutes per mile. The shoes provide enough cushioning, responsiveness, and support for the long runs.

For the 6-8 mile 7'15-7'45 minutes per mile easy/recovery/normal runs, this shoe did just fine, feeling soft and supportive at the easier recovery paces.

For the workouts, my training paces are anywhere from 4'50-6'00 minutes per mile, depending on what I'm doing.

For something longer like a 5-mile tempo or cutdown run, which is typically around 5:30-6 minutes per mile, the shoe had the perfect blend of responsiveness and support for miles, while not feeling too heavy or clunky.

I also had done faster intervals on the track and in the grass. Whether it was 1k or 2k repeats, the shoe felt extremely responsive, and I could really feel the Air Zoom unit helping me on those faster-paced workouts (4'45-5'20 minutes per mile.)

I am a 1600-5k runner, so I am not doing marathon training, but I know it would work on that as well.

First impressions/looks

In terms of looks, I really loved the look of this shoe. It looks sleek, has multiple colorways, and just looks very modern. It is very reminiscent of Nike's Zoom Fly 3 shoe.

Fit

In terms of fit, the shoe fits pretty true to size. I didn't really have any problems with the fit. The only thing people may have issues with is that the midfoot could be really tight depending if you have a wide midfoot or not.

I like a tighter fit, so I enjoyed a little snug feel in the midfoot. The toebox had a good amount of room as well.

Upper

The upper of this shoe is one change in this year's iteration. It is a translucent/mesh upper. One little problem was that the shoe didn't give me the feeling of being as breathable as I'd want, especially on the hot summer days, but it never got overly hot either.

I feel like there could have been more perforations for better breathability, especially in the toebox. One of the biggest changes to the upper is the elimination of the flywire cables that have been used in previous years and the addition of a midfoot band.

The midfoot band shapes to the foot, which provides a better fit, lockdown, and midfoot support. The shoe also has the Achilles flare, which helps relieve pressure on the Achilles.

Midsole

The midsole of this shoe is a React midsole with a forefoot air zoom nit. The React foam provides a well-cushioned and durable ride. The forefoot air zoom unit is 2.5x as large as last year's version, which was a full-length Air Zoom unit.

There are gender-specific Zoom unit bags. The men's version has a 20-psi Zoom bag, which is a little stiffer than the women's 15-psi Zoom bag.

I like this year's combination a lot more than the previous year's full-length Zoom unit and Cushlon foam. I found the midsole to be cushioned enough for longer runs and responsive enough for faster runs.

Outsole

I have always enjoyed the outsoles of Pegasus shoes. I found them to provide great multi-surface traction, which is good for someone like me who runs on both grass/packed dirt trails and roads as well. It is reminiscent of last year's outsole with some slight tweaks and changes.

The outsole of this shoe is composed of different types of rubbers. One of those rubbers is a Duralon rubber which consists of a blown rubber compound that provides grip and durability. BRS 1000 rubber is also used and is made of carbon rubber which helps reduce shock during impact.

One detail I noticed was that the rubber on the toe area in the front of the shoe is slightly off-centered towards the big toe. I believe the outsole itself could last a good amount of miles; I would say 400-500 miles until the rubber is gone.

Price

The retail price of this shoe is $120, which I think is a great price for a shoe that will do almost anything you throw at it. It doesn't necessarily excel at one thing best but performs great on all things.

It's a good all-around daily trainer. It's also a shoe that will last you for 400-600 miles, which is pretty good as well.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this shoe is a great all-around daily trainer. Whether you're doing a long run, recovery day, or a workout, this shoe will do just fine in it.

I've run 10-mile long runs in this, to faster than race pace intervals on the track, and have done recovery days on both road and trails, and this shoe performed great for all of it. It will last you long, and will not disappoint.

If anyone had to ask me for one shoe to recommend, or if there was one shoe I would have to run in, I would not hesitate to say the Pegasus 37.

And so, we have arrived at the 37th iteration of the Pegasus. Regarded as a trusted friend of road runners since 1983. It’s been called by Nike “the shoe for every runner”.

It is the iconic shoe that Joan Benoit-Samuelson ran in during the 2008 Olympic Trials, breaking tradition, as most competitors ran on elite or racing flat shoes. “Joanie” ran in the people’s shoes and ran 2:49.08 in the marathon, breaking the American record for the women’s 50-54 age group.

So Pegasus is definitely a staple in Nike’s stable -pun intended. =)

Cushioning

Pegasus 37 comes from having a full-length Zoom Air unit and a Cushlon foam midsole in the previous model, to the introduction of a single forefoot cushioning unit as well as a React foam midsole. This concept is around the same ballpark as with the placing of the Air Pods in The Nike Alphafly NEXT%.

This cushioning unit is set at 20 PSI for the Men’s version and 15 PSI for the Women’s. Nike claims that in testing, women suggested this as a way to have a softer landing.

The React foam is been finding its way through most of the Nike lineup since its introduction in 2017 as a cushioned, light, energy-returning midsole component. This is the first Pegasus 37 to incorporate it, so Nike is trying to keep the model familiar while revolutionizing it.

The weight of the Pegasus 37 comes in at 10.05 oz. (285 gr)  vs. 9.7oz (275 gr) on its previous iteration. It gains a little weight, 0.35 oz. or 10 gr. heavier (men's size 10).

This is probably due to an increase in stack high of 2 mm in both forefoot and heel, to make room for the cushioning unit in the forefoot and compensation on the heel to maintain the offset at 10 mm.

For comparison, Pegasus 37 has an offset: 10mm (Forefoot: 14mm, Heel: 24mm) while Pegasus 36 has an offset: 10mm (Forefoot: 12mm Heel: 22mm).

Another change is the replacement of the FlyWire lock-down system first introduced in the Pegasus 32 for a new midfoot band (very similar in function to the one in the Pegasus 31, by the way).

The Looks

Pegasus 37 changes everything yet nothing. The new model keeps the same simple silhouette with changes in the materials. The new “translucent upper” claims to be more breathable and light.

More subtle changes have been made to the look, more precisely in the midfoot profile, that is more similar to the Nike Zoom Fly 3’s shape in the side waves with painted accents. the rear end of the midsole also sports a more angled tail to match.

The new eyelet bands also make for a different and even more streamlined simple look. The swoosh also got back to more moderate proportions. The upper tail in the heel remains pretty much unchanged.

The design of the outsole is changed but reminiscent of the previous versions, with two modules, one for the waffle design lugs and one the outer rails. The new midsole is now two-toned in bright green in my colorway.

The upper now sports a barrier in the toe area, this was particularly useful to prevent splashing water from entering the shoe on the sides. This does not mean it’s waterproof but helps.

The Fit

This is the snuggliest Pegasus I have ever tested. The last of the upper seems to be quite narrow, as well as the width of the sole, especially in the arch.

I usually go half a size up in Nike, I did and although it fits me, it would be advisable to try before you buy or to consider getting a wider version on your size.

Other than that, the shoe is really comfortable. The only downside I can attest is with rubbing in my arch by the insole. As part of the testing process, I did a run without socks and paid the price for my daring attitude!

The Pegasus 37 offers a gusseted tongue for the first time, it was an issue before with the tongue displacing, and with that and the angular shape of it, it stays secure and in place. It also assists in the lockdown.

Who is FlyEase for?

It was a mystery to me knowing who is FlyEase made for. My first thought was people with disabilities in the upper limbs, having been able to put on the shoe with one hand. But it is so much more than that.

The two other applications I can think of would be one, you struggle with getting a specific fit and once you find it, never untie the laces. The other would be for triathlon transitions. Other than that it is a feature that is not noticeable while running and has no negative effect on the experience.

The Feel

This shoe is a different experience for both forefoot strikers and heel strikers and it is a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde kind of difference. When striking with the heel, you can feel the sinking in the React foam, that marshmallowy kinda feeling we all know and most love.

On the forefoot, it is still a soft and cushioned but more firm and stable ride because of the air pod located in the forefoot. It definitely makes you know which side of the shoe you strike on, in case you had a doubt.

The Grip of the outsole is superb, combined with the tight fit and arch lockdown, you can really tackle those tight turns in confidence. The increased stack height is not very noticeable even in this scenario. The performance in wet concrete is incredible.

The Performance

At first, I was a little perplexed when using these. As someone familiar with the Pegasus, it is the first time I actually need to break-in one of these stallions.

The feeling of stiffness in the outsole rubber during the first 20 miles of usage almost made me return them. After a while, they started to feel more familiar.

The Pegasus has always been very versatile, although it is a daily trainer, it can double as a tempo, or light trail shoe (thanks to their lugged outsole and high stack). I have even raced half-marathon in previous models.

The feeling of running in these is very pleasant. The difference in feel from the front and heel areas makes for a rewarding run when fore-foot striking, thus promoting this form of running, but if you prefer to heel-strike, the sensation is even more comfortable, although less bouncy.

This is a vast contrast from the previous version that carried Cushlon Foam and a full-length air pocket. This version does a major update on the feel with maintaining the Pegasus-like experience.

The bounce produced by the front air pods and the superb grip of the outsole makes for surprisingly fast race experience. It is the racing shoe for the common man.

Pros

• Versatile daily trainer, but suited for race day for your fun 5K
• Very accessible price point
• High projected durability
• Comfortable and bouncy ride

Cons

• The upper and last might be constrictive to many
• Felt rubbing from the insole while running without socks
• Weight is not really noticeable but higher than the previous model