- Nike’s marketing pitch: An energized ride for everyday road running.
- Upper: Engineered mesh, sleeved upper.
- Midsole: Two Zoom Air bags inside ReactX foam, 10 mm heel drop.
- Outsole: Carbon rubber.
- Weight: 297 gms/ 10.4 Oz for a half pair of Men’s US 9/UK 8/EUR 42.5/CM 27.
- Stack heights: 37 mm (heel), 27 mm (forefoot).
- Available widths: D – regular (reviewed), 4E – extra wide.
- Previous model: Nike Pegasus 40.
- Country of origin: Vietnam.
- Recommended use: Daily training, tempo runs, half-marathons.
- Footstrike orientation: Heel, midfoot/forefoot (full contact).
- Median lifespan: 400 miles.
- Recommended paces: Slower than 4:00 min/km (6:30 min/mile).
- Recommended temperature range: Warmer than -5° C/23° F.
Pros
- Versatile comfort
- Supportive ride
- Secure fit
- Outsole grip
- Multiple widths
Cons
- React behavior is temperature dependent
- Better for heel strikers than forefoot strikers
- Boring ride when compared to peers
- Fewer/wider lacing rows add top-down pressure
- Scarce reflectivity
Also consider:
- Asics Cumulus 26
- Saucony Ride 17
- Puma Velocity Nitro 3
- Brooks Ghost 16
- Mizuno Wave Rider 28
- New Balance 880V14
- Use the Nike Pegasus 41 for daily runs and tempo workouts
- Use the Nike Vaporfly 3 or Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 for marathons
- Use the Nike Streakfly or Hoka Cielo Road for intervals, and short races
In this review:
SUMMARY AND VERDICT
Two Zoom Air bags inside a foam midsole. A sleeved upper. Waffle outsole something something.
The 2024 Pegasus 41 bears an uncanny resemblance to the 2014 Pegasus 31.
If someone were to shave down the React X markings from the midsole, it would look like a nicely put-together shoe from 2014.
But that’s a major difference between the two. Over a decade ago, we said that the Pegasus was getting a bit long in the tooth, and the Pegasus 31 was just what the franchise needed.
On the other hand, the Nike Pegasus 41 isn’t all the different from the Pegasus 40, or the ten other versions that preceded it.
Don’t get us wrong; the Peg 41 is a decent running shoe for everyday runs, but it feels dated and at the back of the pack, innovation-wise.
If you ask us, the Pegasus Plus (see pictures above) should have been the Pegasus 41. At the very least, the Vomero 17 form factor should have been the basis for the new Pegasus.
And why not? The Saucony Ride 17 uses e-TPU now, a hand-me-down from the Triumph. The New Balance Rebel 4 uses a foam similar to that of higher-priced models.
Nike is going to drag this form factor for another 1-2 years while competing models push forward into the future with newer foams and ride experiences.
It’s a pity because when we say the Pegasus feels dated, it’s not about how it looks or its components. It’s about how it behaves on the road, which is at odds with how modern running shoes behave.
The Pegasus 41 is not a bad running shoe, and is actually a decent everyday trainer.
But should you prefer a more refined ride experience, we recommend the Saucony Ride 17 for versatile everyday runs or the Asics Cumulus 26 if you need a soft and lightweight daily trainer.
THE NIKE PEGASUS 41 COMPARED WITH NIKE PEGASUS 40
Overall, the new Peg is similar to the outgoing Peg. That shouldn’t be a surprise considering how alike they are, construction-wise.
Meaningful updates include the softer rearfoot midsole and higher top-down lacing pressure.
Based on appearances alone, the heel stability should have improved due to the wider midsole base. The Pegasus 40 had scooped rearfoot sidewalls; the Pegasus 41 doesn’t. The sidewalls have been filled out nicely.
The 41 no longer has a stiff cellulose board under the foam lasting.
However, the Pegasus 41 is missing an invisible component. The heel Zoom Air bag of the Pegasus 40 had a stiff cellulose board on top. This time, the foam lasting is placed directly over the Zoom Air bag, and makes it easier for the foot to sink in. We’d say that the stability is the same as before.
Also, the wider transition channel under the heel lowers the center of gravity while also making the Peg 41 softer during heel strikes.
The Pegasus 41 has one less lacing row than the 40. This means that the lacing needs to cover more ground with fewer rows, leading to a tighter top-down feel.
On the upper, there’s more space (both width and length) between the opposing eyelets, so the laces apply a greater top-down pressure than the Pegasus 40. The tongue flap is softer with a superior hand feel.
The lacing feels different because the Pegasus 41 now has four eyelets + the heel lock eyelet. The Peg 40 had a 5 + 1 configuration. Removing one eyelet row means that the laces have to cover more ground with fewer rows.
This change increases the top-down pressure.
THE MIDSOLE DESIGN AND RIDE EXPERIENCE
We said that the Pegasus 41 feels “dated” to run in. What does that even mean?
Modern running shoes don’t rely on antiquated cushioning systems as they did in the past. Most of the cushioning comes from the foam, and a stiff component (like a plate) is sometimes added to improve the quality of transitions.
This approach lets the character of the foam be the highlight during a run. A few good examples would be the Saucony Ride 17 which now uses a full-length Pwrrun+ (expanded PU foam) midsole rather than Powergrid (2014-16) and EVA. Or the Brooks Glycerin that went from using DNA Gel units (pre-2014) to a 100% DNA Loft V3 midsole.
Asics still advertises the Gel units, but everyone knows that most of the cushioning is delivered by Flytefoam.
The Nike Pegasus 41 has two thin Zoom Air bags inside a React X foam midsole. But the Zoom Air bags are too thin to be noticed, and they limit the React X foam stack from reaching its full potential.
The Infinity 4’s all-React midsole has a better bounce than the Pegasus 41, and likewise for the Pegasus Trail 5.
When used as a standalone midsole material, ReactX foam isn’t bad at all. Sure, its firmness (or softness) fluctuates depending on whether it’s too cold or too warm.
The cushioning feels responsive and bouncy on Nike shoes with single-density React X midsoles like the Infinity 4 and Pegasus Trail 5.
On the Pegasus 41, the Zoom Air bag and ReactX cancel each other out. The Zoom Air bag limits the compression travel of the React X stack, and Zoom Air isn’t springy.
Through its sheer size, the Zoom Air bag makes a difference on the Alphafly.
Zoom Air works great on the Alphafly 3 (and the 2021 Tempo Next%), but it’s not the same design, not even close.
The gist is, that the Zoom Air bags make the shoe very boring. It dilutes the cushioning experience of the ReactX foam and adds very little value. As we said, the Pegasus 41 would been a much better shoe with a layer of Zoom X over React.
This is a rearfoot striker’s shoe. With a 10 mm heel-to-toe offset, the 37 mm tall heel hoards most of the React foam. Forefoot strikers will find cushioning plushness only in the first two layers – the thick footbed and the foam lasting under it.
At walking speeds or slow jogs, the superficial softness adds the most value.
Once in motion – say during a steady-state run at 5:00 min/km (8 min/mile) paces – the cushioning has some give, but without any springy feel. The difference between the heel and forefoot cushioning is noticeable. Given its taller stack, the heel compresses a lot more than the forefoot.
We’re not sure if removing the cellulose board from the Pegasus 40 was a great idea. The cushioning sink over the heel Zoom Air bag is noticeable, and there’s a slight hesitation when transitioning from the heel to the midfoot.
The forefoot lacks a functional rocker, so the toe-offs require the foot to do most of the work. A ‘roll forward’ assist is not available.
Nike has made the midsole base wider under the heel than the last model, so the stability is decent and the ride feels neutral.
The outsole traction is very decent under dry surface conditions but could be better over damp sidewalks and paths. You don’t feel 100% confident when pushing back with your forefoot on wet roads.
The low profile forefoot and overall firm-ish cushioning make the Pegasus 41 decent during tempo efforts. That said, we’d limit the speeds to 4:00 min/km (6:30 min/mile) and slower.
RECOMMENDED ROTATION
The Pegasus 41 will cover your daily runs (including tempo training), so if you plan to run marathons or intervals, having other shoes in the rotation will help.
The Nike Vaporfly 3 or Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 are proven plated racers for half marathons and marathons.
The plated racers will also work for shorter races. For traditionalists, low-profile racers like the Hoka Cielo Road and Nike Streakfly are worth a try. We recommend the Hoka Cielo Road over the Streakfly.
For an extreme (super narrow) upper fit, the adidas Takumi Sen 10 is our top pick for a racing flat.
IS THE NIKE PEGASUS 41 DURABLE?
The Nike Pegasus 41 may not be much fun to run in, but it’s never had known (widespread) durability issues.
450-500 miles is the mileage that most runners should expect of this shoe. The outsole wear and tear, along with the flattening of the insole is expected towards the end of its lifespan.
THE UPPER DESIGN AND FIT
The full inner sleeve is reason why the Nike Pegasus 41 fits narrower than comparable neutral trainers like the Cumulus 26, Ride 17, and Ghost 16.
Most trainers only have a partial gusset securing the tongue, meaning that it doesn’t extend to the toe box.
Here, it’s different. The sleeve goes all the way to the front, so this is a dual-layered upper design. The thicker mesh creates a snug interior while making the Pegasus warmer than shoes with a single layer construction. This has always been the case with the Pegasus; even the 40 was the same.
The inner sleeve is made of a spacer mesh with a bit of squish. So what the upper lacks in ventilation, it makes up with a cushioned wrap around the foot. The standard ‘D’ width fits very securely around the forefoot and the midfoot. An extra-wide (4E) is an optional purchase.
Like the Pegasus 40, the midfoot uses a strapping system that responds well when laced. For reasons explained in our comparison break-out, the laces feel tighter on the foot.
The toe-box isn’t cramped, but lacks the ceiling and splay room found in competing neutral trainers. The full sleeve fills the available space around and above the toes, and that results in this snug fit.
There’s no problem with the heel fit; the Pegasus has always done a good job of preventing heel slippage.
We feel that not having a waterproof Gore-Tex variant on the Pegasus 41 is a lost opportunity. Most brands now sell a GTX variant for their everyday neutral trainer, so it’s time Nike did too.
The Shield version used to be a good buy originally when shoes like the New Balance 880 GTX, Ghost GTX did not exist.
SHOES COMPARABLE TO THE NIKE PEGASUS 41
The Ride 17's insole is made of Pwrrun+ E-TPU foam. It's thick enough to be replaced by a stability Orthotic.
If we had to pick one shoe out of the current crop of daily neutral trainers, the Saucony Ride 17 would be it. Its versatile ride is comfortable and transition-friendly for faster efforts. There’s enough cushioning for a half-marathon, and the Pwrrun+ (E-TPU) foam doesn’t stiffen in freezing temps.
The Asics Cumulus's midsole is soft but not mushy.
For a softer ride, we’d choose the Asics Cumulus 26. It’s nothing like the 25 or 24; the midsole uses a soft layer of Flytefoam over a foam outsole without any rubber. This is the softest and lightest shoe within the daily trainer segment.
The Brooks Ghost 16 gets a DNA Loft V3 midsole foam like the Glycerin, but that doesn’t change its character. The ride isn’t exciting, but it’s a comfortable shoe to log everyday miles in. The New Balance 880 V14 is in a similar class.
If outsole traction ranks high on your list of priorities, get yourself the Puma Velocity Nitro 3.