Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo 2 Review
A new version of Nike's premium training and racing shoe is here fixing a lot of issues I had with last year's model. Can the new lighter upper change my opinion? Let's see!
What Is It?
The Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo 2 is Nike's premium lightweight daily trainer. I was an early adopter of last year's model but I never really loved that shoe. It had promise but I was critical of the upper which I felt was bulky, warm, and over-built. This year's model addresses nearly all of my complaints making it an even better shoe. The one big question remains, is it worth it?
As a recap, the Zoom Pegasus Turbo 2 is a flexible daily trainer that combines a lightweight upper along with a midsole that's a combination Nike React and ZoomX foams.
The midsole and outsole remain unchanged from the previous version.
The new upper is a very breathable synthetic lofted mesh. The upper is also has a very thin but soft liner that is very comfortable. The new simple heel counter is very thin but is given some structure thanks to a small flexible cup. It's also lined with some padding along with a tapered design to create a better fit and provide more comfort around the achilles area. It has a simple tongue with just a tiny bit of padding which provides just enough protection while remaining very low profile.
All of these changes make the make the Pegasus Turbo 2 more than 0.6oz (17g) less than last year's model. In my US men's size 10, the shoe only weighs 7.8oz (221.13g). They also continues to have an aggressive 10mm drop.
Why Did I Get It?
I'll be honest. This shoe was not on my radar at all. However, my wife saw them on sale for $119 USD (even though they were just released) and asked me if I wanted to try them. Knowing that they had completely redone the upper, I said yes. For that price, I'd give them another shot.
How Have They Worked Out?
Over 42 runs of 14 miles or less and 300+ miles comprised of tempo runs, fartleks, intervals, and a race, I've come up with the following observations:
The Good
- The lighter weight made the shoes extremely versatile.
- While these shoes excelled in my faster runs, they were also good for easy runs.
- Simpler and more effective breathable upper
- They ended up being a great race day option (if you don't want plates).
- Enough eyelets for heel lacing
The Less Good
- The cushioning started to feel flat after 225 miles but I lightweight of the shoes made them more enjoyable to get to 300 miles.
- The shoelaces came undone very easy (required triple knots)
- It's still very expensive compared to what is on the market
The Best Run
- In what was supposed to be an off-season training run during a race, I ran a lifetime half-marathon PR (1:33:14) about 150 miles into the shoes.
Is It Worth It?
At $180 USD it's still an expensive shoe. Despite all the improvements and as much as liked this improved version, I still wouldn't buy it for this price. If you can find it for $120-130 then it's probably worth getting if you're looking for a lightweight daily trainer that you can race in.
It's a shame because it's a pretty great shoe but it's just wildly overpriced due to the ZoomX foam tax. If you don't like the feeling of plates then this could be your special racing shoe that is actually pretty durable otherwise there are other options (even from Nike) that offer better value.