Pegasus Turbo is back, only this time it wears a new badge. Nike’s calling it Pegasus Plus, and despite the familiar lineage, this one feels like a total reset again. If you remember our Pegasus Turbo Next Nature review, that shoe had drifted far from the OG Turbo’s brief; the Plus swings the pendulum back, landing closer to the original Turbo’s roots than PTNN ever did. In the Pegasus lineup, the Plus sits a notch above the Pegasus 41, signaling “faster miles” without jumping all the way to plated-racer territory. The rebranding from Turbo to Plus does look a bit rushed. Flip it over and you can still spot Turbo stamped on the bottom-sole.
Check out our two person review of both Men’s and Women’s editions:
Pegasus Plus uses an engineered Flyknit upper with a full-length ZoomX midsole (no plate) and a high-abrasion rubber outsole. Nike lists the shoe at ~245 g (men’s UK8/US 9) with a ~9.5 mm drop. The shoe is much lighter than Pegasus Turbo Next Nature. UK 10 weighs about 278g, when compared to PTNN’s 290g. While it has shed some weight, it is not the lightest uptempo trainer in the market. New Balance Rebel, Asics Novablast etc., are much lighter, almost by 10-20g. However, compared to plated counterparts such as Zoom Fly 6, Magic Speed 4, Deviate Nitro 3, Boston 13, this one is much lighter.
Full-length ZoomX is the star of the shoe. It is lighter and springier than the ReactX found in the regular Pegasus, aimed at more bounce and quicker turnover for steady/tempo days. Like the earlier Turbos, there is no carbon or plastic plate. Stated drop shows as 10mm, same as classic Peg. The stack height is 34mm, two mm more than the previous edition, which has a livelier underfoot feel from the foam.
The upper is engineered Flyknit with perforations over the instep to improve the airflow, and to cut the weight. It’s one of the lightest Flyknit upper’s I have seen, while still feeling durable. The stripe adds an interesting ascent to the upper, but it does hamper the airflow a bit. Despite the lightweight and seamless nature, the upper maintains the shape and structure. An excellent job by Nike on the upper.
The tongue is quite well done without bulking up the upper or restricting the airflow. Though it is not gusseted, it stays in place well.
The forefoot of the shoe is quite tapered similar to classic Peg. So if you are a regular Pegasus user you will feel right at home. If you have a wide-forefoot or wide-toes you may want to test the fit before you consider this shoe. The height of the forefoot and toe-box is much better than most shoes though.
The anterior wall of the outsole is raised to support the midfoot. So it does help a bit with stability. Surprisingly the heel has excellent structure and plenty of padding for an up-tempo trainer.
There is plenty of rubber on the outsole and has a traction pattern that is good for asphalt roads and pavements. The outsole is embossed with “Nike Pegasus Turbo” throughout the length of the shoe (it’s a first) with the Nike logo in the middle.
Aravind
My Puma Deviate Nitro 3 just crossed 900 km of mileage. While it is still runnable, the snap and character are gone. So I have been looking for alternatives in my rotation. Being a Pegasus Turbo user in the past, the Pegasus Plus felt like the natural swap for my current half-marathon cycle. With Nike US stores running a discount, it became the easy pick: something light and lively for steady to tempo days without going into plated-racer territory.
Aditi
The racing season has started, and so has my hunt for reliable daily trainers — because let’s be honest, no number of trainers is ever enough. My shoe rack currently sports a healthy rotation of Nike and Puma (and no, this isn’t a sponsored review).
My main objective for these shoes was to have a daily trainer, which will help me alternate with the current ones, as we have a long season ahead. My last Peg 41, I used for 1000+ kms, and it did me good.
Aravind
I have run about 160km in Plus so far; Hill Sprints and Strides, Long intervals, Progression runs, and long runs. The shoe could take it all. Despite the relative low stack height, the shoe works quite well, and the ride stays confident and lively. The best part here is the full-length ZoomX: excellent energy return and a natural roll that never feels forced. Flex through the midfoot/forefoot is noticeable. On Durometer, its softness is measured at around 30-35HA, which makes it a medium soft midsole.
At faster speeds such as strides, hill sprints, long intervals, the shoe works really well. While there’s no spring board effect on landing like carbon plated trainers, it does offer a quick response. For steady and progression runs, it adapts well to the pace. On very long runs (the longest I have run is 35km), the forefoot can feel a touch thin late in the run.
Aditi
I have run around 100 km. I did a few tempo runs, while the shoe feels light, it’s missing the bounce, despite the ZoomX foam running through the midsole. If one has used the Deivate Nitro from Puma, the PWRPLATE is highly responsive compared to this one, at a cheaper price point. During my tempo runs, especially, I could feel the lower bounce much more pronounced, as compared to the Puma Deviate Nitro 3.
During the hill repeats, with short strides, the shoes glide along and help in take off. However, the changes are felt over longer distances. If one is looking for long-distance daily trainers with shorter workouts in between, this is suited to you just right. It is very comfortable in hill repeats and short bursts of speed too.
Aravind
The shoe fits true to size similar to other Pegasus models. However, the thinner Flyknit upper meant it is not as snug. The lacing however is very adjustable and with the flexible I could adjust to fit well.
Breathability of the shoe is excellent, making it an excellent choice for long runs in the heat.
Aditi
The shoe fit is good and stays snug. The heel protection and the toes box do a good job of keeping the ankle protected and toes airy. No sweat accumulation post a long run. The feet are well secured during the run, and no movement inside the shoe.
Aravind
Relatively low stack height, and slightly wide midfoot and heel offers good stability for neutral trainers. The raised wall on the midfoot helps a bit as well. However, if you are looking for stability as an overpronated runner, this may not be the best choice.
Aravind
No prizes for the grip, but it is very decent on roads, and pavements. I had no issues in handling the slightly dirt filled roads, and wet roads as well. But the traction doesn’t feel great on roads with loose sand and construction debris though.
Aditi
I have run in Pegasus Turbo Plus - post and during rain, the grip is unshaken on Bangalore roads.
Aravind
The outsole is holding up very well with almost no wear after 1600km. There is not much compression observed in midsole either, which is otherwise typical for ZoomX. The Flyknit upper is also holding very well. I’d estimate 800–1000km of life.
Aravind
I loved the sporty, elegant look. The Stripe on the upper is super cool, and gives a nice contrast to the rest of the upper which is simple. I have the Platinum Tint/University Read colorway which looks gorgeous. The flyknit upper and stylized outsole only makes it better.
Toe box
Forefoot
Heel
Size
Ventilation
Stability
Responsive
Cushioning
Grip
Ground Feel
If you are looking for a daily trainer with a bent towards speed training, but don’t want to run in a carbon plated shoe, Pegasus plus is an excellent option.
Aravind is a technologist, marathoner, and self-confessed running shoe geek. He’s passionate about the intersection of technology and running, with a keen interest in running mechanics. Aravind is also the co-founder of GeeksOnFeet, a platform dedicated to helping runners train smarter through data, technique, and community. Find him on Twitter: @imgeeksonfeet
Aditi Pandya is a life long athlete. She was born to run and play sports. Aditi is the co-founder of geeksonfeet.com.