Nike's Trusty Pegasus Gets the Premium Treatment
Nike has revealed its new Pegasus Premium silhouette, an upgraded and elevated take on one of the brand's most recognised and celebrated running shoes.
But first, a little background for those unfamiliar with the shoe: the Nike Pegasus sneaker is a staple in the world of running.
Before different types of running shoes were being designed for different types of runs (i.e. trail, road, race, easy, long distance etc.), and before the term "super shoe" had even been coined, the Nike Pegasus was the go-to silhouette for runners and casual joggers alike.
Why? For starters the Nike Pegasus (and its forty-odd iterations) has always been an inherently great shoe and a vehicle that Nike uses to test its most forward-thinking tech.
Secondly, it's an affordable shoe at around $85 (depending on the exact model, of course). Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, it had always been Nike's fastest-feeling running shoe, prior to the release of the super shoes as we know them today.
So the fact that Nike is giving one of its most epochal running silhouettes a luxe premium upgrade shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.
The Nike Pegasus Premium, as the new sneaker is officially titled, is the latest inductee to the Peg family and harnesses the Swoosh's famed Air technology as well as the much loved cushioning from the franchise, and adds it to Nike’s first sculpted, visible Air Zoom unit.
Contoured to the natural profile of the foot, the sculpted Air Zoom unit carries a runner’s power through their transition from heel to toe. The result? A springy and smooth sensation never felt in an Air Zoom unit before.
Elsewhere, the midsole features ZoomX foam and the heel houses ReactX foam, adding to the promised (and delivered) smooth and propulsive ride.
“Air is Nike’s separator in the footwear industry — no one can create cushioning innovations like we can,” explains Kathy Gomez, Nike VP NXT Footwear.
“In running, when we combine Air with components like midfoot plates and with platforms like our proprietary foams, we create superior systems for performance.
“For the Pegasus Premium, we wanted runners to get the most energy return possible out of the sculpted Air Zoom unit.
“Not only does it double as a spring-like mechanism, the Air unit is also designed to engage with the entirety of your foot, no matter your gait pattern or stride length.”
The Pegasus Premium, which doesn’t actually release until Spring 2025, was showcased alongside a whole plethora of new styles from Nike, including the Pegasus 41, a more natural evolution of the Pegasus 40 (and the thirty-nine that came before it).
While the traditionalist runners out there may well be a little wary of Nike tinkering too much with its beloved Pegasus, let me tell you something as a Pegasus wearer myself: if you love the Pegasus, be that for running or everyday wear, the Pegasus Premium is about to blow your mind. Trust me on that one.
