Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 - Women's Review

The Pegasus is back and (almost) better than ever! Nike truly nailed it with the aesthetics of this lightweight and breathable superstar. The beveled heel and emblematic color schemes available are just the beginning of what makes this runner a smash hit. Nike created a shoe that magically forms to its owner's foot contours without sacrificing functionality. Highly breathable and responsive, the Peg 36 lacks only in upper comfort.

Performance Comparison

Responsiveness

Our reviewers were blown away by how wonderfully responsive the Pegasus has proven to be. The responsiveness of these kicks definitely kept us on our toes. From its maiden voyage to its beat up state a couple months later, this pair propelled us forward and allowed us to push our limits. We loved sprinting workouts in these rockstars, due in large part to the new heel design that frees the Achilles tendon.

Landing Comfort

We acknowledge that the arch snuggling sensation of this pair of Nikes might be too aggressive for some runners and too flat for others. But our reviewers agree, the arch softly cascades underfoot, providing a supportive and comfortable ride. The arch is made up of Cushlon ST foam, which creates the unthinkable… a responsive and cushioned runner! While other shoes outshined the Pegasus in this category, we all agree that the synergy between landing comfort, responsiveness, and breathability culminate in a great pair of shoes.

Weight

Nike chose to decrease the weight this time around by removing the cushioning from the tongue. Unfortunately, we feel that the only thing missing from this shoe is — you guessed it — tongue cushioning to help keep the laces from digging into sweaty and swelling feet. A pair of women's size 7 weighs in at 15.16 ounces (7.58 ounces per shoe), 0.32 ounces lighter than the previous model. The choice to shave off less than half an ounce at the expense of some cushioning isn't necessarily a bad thing for lighting fast speeds logged over relatively short distances. However, the lack of tongue cushion takes these kicks out of contention for being a top distance shoe in our book.

Durability

The mesh that these shoes are comprised of is not the most durable. We aren't necessarily upset about how long their lifespan is, but given the price tag, we wish it was a bit longer. We scored their durability as average and hope that Nike tweaks the next round of the Pegasus to be a bit more long-lasting.

Upper Comfort

This is where the 36 version of the Pegasus falls short for us. The tongue is made up of one thin and uncontoured piece of mesh, and we aren't a fan. The drawback is the tongue's lack of cushion. Combined with the unforgiving laces, runners who like a snug upper fit might find the bare bones design to be a bit uncomfortable. The lace fibers are tightly wound, and if this shoe is worn snuggly, they cut into the top of the foot — this is the main reason we don't recommend this shoe for long-distance runs.

All of that aside, we do appreciate the heel collar on this shoe. The taper works with the natural anatomy of the heel to allow full range of motion, skirting around would-be hot spots and providing room without rub. Solid technology there, Nike!

Breathability

Nary a shoe could compare to the breathability of the Pegasus 36. The uber breathable mesh lacks comfort but makes up for it by allowing the breeze to move through even on the steamiest of track days. The only downside of the exceptional and airy mesh is that mud and water can easily get into the toebox of the shoe. We won't wear this shoe on rainy days, but it is an excellent shoe to have in your collection.

Value

The price point for this pair of kicks is fair and to be expected from a reputable brand like Nike. But if you're looking for a versatile shoe, we recommend you keep looking. Because this shoe is highly performing in only some areas, it might not be the best if you're looking for only one everyday runner. We'll pay up to keep this shoe in our rotation, but if it doesn't perfectly suit your needs, we recommend you keep shopping.

Conclusion

We love it, we hate it, it's complicated. Wait, that's actually just how we feel about track workouts. Hot and steamy track days go with the Pegasus 36 like peanut butter goes with bananas. They are a match made in heaven! We appreciate the levity and responsiveness of the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36, but due to its less-than-stellar upper comfort, it isn't our first choice for long-distance days. Overall, we really like having them as a workout specific option, though. When we are ready to kick it up a notch and leave our running buds behind, we grab the Peg and tell our friends to eat our dust!