Nike Pegasus Trail 2 Review

Over the past few months I have noticed I keep grabbing the same pair of shoes each morning. After rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I tend to gravitate toward the Nike Pegasus Trail 2. I’ve never liked a shoe enough to write a review, but I felt this shoe was review worthy.  

Now, for full disclosure, I am on the Nike Trail Running team, meaning I received these shoes for free and have been wear testing them for 3 months. I’m not being asked or paid to do this, I just like the shoe and thought you might too. So, let’s get to it!

Specs: 

Weight: 11.75 oz (Mens 10)

Stack: Forefoot 20.5mm Heel30mm

Drop: 9.5mm

This is a completely new build from previous versions of the Pegasus Trail. While last years edition of the Pegasus Trail had some solid features, the game has been totally elevated in this shoe. When looking for shoes, my preferences are smooth, springy and soft in that order. This shoe nails those points. While I typically trend toward a lighter, lower profile shoe, I actually liked this slightly more maximal feel. Overall this is a very versatile shoe. Often versatile shoes perform well on most surfaces but don’t excel on any surfaces. The Pegasus Trail 2, excels on just about every surface. 

Upper

The upper has a lot of new going on, some of which you may have noticed in the Wildhorse 6.

The pull tab at the back seemed excessive at first, but I find myself using it every time I put the shoe on, so it’s actually worth it. At first I didn’t like the look of the heel collar/gaiter, But once I got running it actually improved the fit around the ankle and achilles tendon. I rarely have an issue with getting debris in my shoes, but if you did, this would help avoid that. The tongue is stitched into the upper, keeping it from sliding to one side. This also makes it a surprisingly easy shoe to put on. I’ve worn this shoe on long runs and never had any rubbing or blister issues. The toe bumper is…robust to say the least. If there was a contest for best trail shoe toe bumper the Peg Trail 2 would take home the blue ribbon. The bumper actually wraps well around the front, protecting the sides as well. If you slam your toe into a rock, I really doubt you’re going to feel much. 

Midsole

This is where the product developers really got it right. The full length Nike React midsole delivers the smoothest ride I’ve ever felt in a trail shoe. React foam is just the right amount of soft to protect the feet and legs, while still returning a ton of energy and bounce on each step. No air unit in this midsole. The shape of the midsole is also pretty deliberate. Slight flaring in the heel and forefoot adds a bit of stability, making for an overall very stable and secure ride, which left me confident on steeper technical downhills. There is no rockplate, but I felt plenty protected with the foam and full length rubber outsole. Nothing is ever perfect, but this midsole comes pretty close.   

Outsole

The outsole performs well from the door to the trail to the summit. The rubber is the same material and thickness from toe to heel. The lugs are lower profile compared to Wildhorse and Kiger but provide a lot of surface area and ground contact. Trail runners tend to have the idea that big lugs mean good traction, and sometimes that’s true, but often a little more surface area provides plenty of purchase on the dirt while still delivering a buttery smooth ride that you might not get with a more lugged out shoe. The low profile outsole design does fall a bit short on really muddy trails as one might expect.  

Fit

Fit is always tough to talk about as everyone has a different foot shape, but for me, this is an effortless shoe to get on my foot, which for someone with the flexibility of a 90 year old is something I appreciate. For folks with narrow feet, the construction of the shoe allows you to securely tighten the laces without any bunching in the tongue. On technical and windy trails I feel secure on the platform, and don’t notice the foot sliding forward on steep descents. The insole/sock liner is not glued in, so you have some freedom with that. I did not have any issues with it moving around. Compared to the Kiger 6 and Pegasus Trail 1, this update is going to have a roomier feel. 

Durability

I’ve put around 300 mostly trail miles on this shoe and there is very little visible wear on the outsole. To compare the foam durability I put on my brand new pair, and my old test pair. While the old pair does feel a bit more shaped to my foot, I can’t feel any difference in cushion or bounce. Durability depends on how hard you run on the shoes, and the surface you are on, but this is the most durable shoe I’ve worn in a long time. The upper has plenty of mud but no real signs of wear.  

So, after 300ish miles, those are my thoughts. It’s still my go too shoe and over this coming summer these shoes are going to see a lot of wild country!