Table of contents CoreScoreVerdictProsConsComparisonNike Air Zoom Pegasus 35 reviewDesign of the Pegasus 35Stable, comfy rideOutsole of Pegasus 35Secure fit in the Nike Pegasus 35Performance of the Pegasus 35ConclusionFacts / SpecsPopularityVideo reviews

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35 review

The Nike Pegasus 35 has been going since 1983, with the Nike Oregon Project using this, or the turbo, as their daily trainer. The fact that elite athletes such as Mo Farah and Yomif Kejelcha wear this shoe means it must be of a high standard.

Design of the Pegasus 35

The Pegasus 35 looks great. They are a sleek, fast looking shoe having similarities to the record-breaking Nike Vaporfly 4%. Personally, I like the look of the heel counter and love how the sole finishes at the back of the shoe.

The creases on the inside of the midsole can be seen

Stable, comfy ride

The midsole provides a stable and comfortable ride. It is responsive and can handle some speed. Many heel strikers will find this well cushioned, but since being a forefoot striker, I personally found this a bit on the firm side.

I purposely landed with my heel and noticed more cushioning than landing my normal way. Having very mild plantar fasciitis meant I noticed a difference when I changed from Under Armour Bandit 3 to the Pegasus 35.

The firmer sole caused some mild pain on the sole of my foot. This was fixed after rolling out my calves and the soles of my feet. A very noticeable point aesthetically though, are the creases in the midsole. It doesn't take long for this to happen and is especially noticeable on the inner of the shoe.

Outsole of Pegasus 35

The outsole is an interesting design, featuring two lanes of horizontal lines and geometric design for the mid and inner side of the sole. After running 200 miles plus in these shoes the outsole has lasted very well, still retaining some of the texture on the surface of part of the sole.

Zoom in and take a look at the texture on the outsole after 200+ miles

Many of these miles were on a trail made up of fine gravel. The horizontal lines do well at avoiding pickup of most of the stones. There is a white part in the middle of the shoe without the black layer which has some indents after running on gravel.

This included some bigger sized rocks, although this hasn't had a big effect. The outsole provides very good durability.

Secure fit in the Nike Pegasus 35

The upper provides a secure and comfortable fit. It has an outer thinner layer with a thicker inner layer. The inner is cushiony, especially around the heel, providing good support and being very strong.

On the other hand, breathability is a downfall of this shoe. Your socks do end up with a nice sweat patch at the end of a run.

I have heard other runners complain about their feet getting hot on longer warmer days. If you frequently run in the wet, be prepared for a smelly shoe.

With the new design of the heel counter, I did find my heel slipping slightly. I didn't find it too noticeable.

The holes on the outer layer of the heel collar can be seen

Around the heel collar, a hole is developing on the outer grey material from rubbing against the tongue. I started noticing this around 150 miles.

Overall the upper provides great support, leaving your foot snug and secure. It is well made and durable.

Performance of the Pegasus 35

The Pegasus 35 is primarily a daily trainer but can handle some speed. They are great for threshold days and can handle intervals quite well. I have taken them out on a few 16km runs, and they've held up well over the distance, staying comfortable throughout.

They are labeled as a road shoe, but I have found them good for the trail I run on, which is made up of fine gravel.

This is the fine gravel that I ran many of the miles on which is made up of crushed rock

Conclusion

Overall, this is a daily trainer that most people will be happy with. It is very versatile, handling a range of distance and speed. Of course, not everyone is going to love a shoe, but I think most people will at least be happy with this as a daily trainer.

Facts / Specs

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Turhan Giles

Turhan Giles

Hello, my name is Turhan. I just started running in 2018 and I cover around 40km per week. I have mainly competed in cross country and shorter distance races. I normally run on a rail trail nearby and get on the track when it's time to tune up for a race. I love the trails too.