Nike Pegasus Plus 2 Review: Is It the Best Nike Daily Trainer Right Now?
The Nike Pegasus Plus 2 is the shoe I think Nike originally had in mind for this part of the lineup. The first Pegasus Plus felt like a half-hearted effort that arrived late and was slung out after the Pegasus, Plus and Premium range had already been planned. This second version is a complete redesign, and after putting real miles into it, I have a lot of good things to say. I also have a few complaints.
Nike Pegasus Plus 2 specs and price
The Pegasus Plus 2 costs £155 and is billed by Nike as an uptempo daily trainer. It has a full-length ZoomX midsole and a visible Air Zoom unit in the forefoot. The stack is 38mm in the heel and 28mm in the forefoot, which gives a 10mm drop that might put some runners off. It has a mesh upper and sawtooth laces. My UK 9.5 weighs 274g and fits true to size.
Where does it sit in the Pegasus range?
The lineup runs from the standard Pegasus to the Plus and then the Premium. The Plus is meant to be the one for uptempo training, and it would pair well with a Vaporfly or Alphafly on race day. You could do your daily and long runs in this and save the race shoe for the big day.
Personally, I think this should be the base model Pegasus. It's much better than the standard shoe, and Nike could then build a proper super trainer above it with a plate or TPU in the midsole.
How does it ride?
The ZoomX foam is the highlight. It's very similar to what you get in the Vomero Plus, which is one of the best shoes you can currently buy, so it works really well for me. It's also resilient. I've run on the gravelly canal towpath and the foam hasn't picked up any lumps or bumps, and the Vomero Plus foam has held up brilliantly over a lot of long runs. I haven't run in the Pegasus Plus 2 in the rain, so I can't comment on wet grip.
I've done somewhere around eight to ten miles at a time, including middle-distance workouts, easy runs and a bit of marathon pace. It handled all of it and did what I'd want from a daily trainer. Compared with the standard Pegasus, the ride is clearly better, and you don't feel like you're running on concrete under your forefoot.
The Air Zoom unit
I'm neutral on the Air Zoom pod. I don't really care that it's there, and it doesn't hurt the ride. Like every Nike air pod I've tried, though, it squeaks. It's the main reason I wouldn't buy the Pegasus Premium, because that shoe squeaks for fun. The Pegasus Plus 2 is far less of a problem, but it's still an annoyance you should know about.
Fit, upper and comfort
The fit is comfortable, with a thick mesh upper, a roomy toe box and plenty of foam around the heel. The laces are very good and the lockdown is excellent, which helps make it a super comfortable shoe to run in.
The one thing that irritates me is the tongue, which is far too short. It just sits there, and I don't understand why Nike made it so short. It doesn't affect the ride, but it's an annoying quirk on an otherwise well-fitting shoe.
The weight problem
At 274g, the Pegasus Plus 2 is too heavy. Much of that comes from the Air Zoom unit, which adds weight the shoe doesn't need, and I'd like to see Nike drop it. To put it in perspective, the 361 Mega 3 Pro, one of my favourite shoes at the moment, weighs a little over 200g and is a lot more fun. It's nowhere near as heavy and it feels much better on foot. Next to it, the Pegasus Plus 2 feels like night and day.
Who is the Pegasus Plus 2 for?
Any Nike fan is going to love it, and if you like the standard Pegasus, this is the clear upgrade to go for. I struggle to see who else it's for. It's a good Nike Pegasus, and compared with some of the rubbish Nike has put out in recent years, it's a decent step forward. But against what else is out there, Nike is still a little behind the rest.
At £155, the price isn't over the top and it's well in range with the competition. It goes up against something like the ASICS Novablast 6, which I think I'd probably still prefer, though that's not to take anything away from this shoe. I just really like ASICS.
