For a shoe to be on it’s 40th iteration, it must be doing something right. The Nike Pegasus has been Nike’s go-to everyday running shoe for longer than I’ve been alive, and it’s earned itself a cult following of runners. That said, the world of running shoes has changed dramatically since 1983, and it’s safe to wonder how the Pegasus 40 compares to some of the more exciting best Nike running shoes on the market.
Weight: 9.2 oz (M), 7.7 oz (W)
Type: Road
Drop: 19mm
Colors: 6 men’s, 7 womens
Widths: 2 — regular, extra wide
To find out more, I put the Pegasus 40 to the test over a number of different sessions. I was tapering for my fifth marathon during most of the testing for this shoe but managed to get some easy miles, recovery miles, and a session at race pace completed in the shoe. Ready to find out how it compares to some of the best running shoes on the market? Read my full Nike Pegasus 40 review below to find out more.
Nike Pegasus 40 review: Price and availability
The Nike Pegasus 40 is available now from Nike directly, and third-party retailers, as well as local running shops. The Pegasus 40 is available in men’s and women’s sizing and costs $130/£125. The men’s shoe comes in six different colorways, in sizes US 6-18. It is likely the shoe will be released in more colorways in the future. The shoe also comes in two different sizes: regular and extra-wide.
The women’s shoe comes in seven different colors, in sizes US 5-12. Again, it’s likely Nike will release more colors in the future.
The shoe is a little more expensive than the Nike Pegasus 39 when it hit the market in April 2022. The older shoe cost $120/£109. That said, it’s still pretty affordable for an everyday running shoe and is cheaper than the likes of the New Balance 1080v12, or the Asics Gel Nimbus 25.
Nike Pegasus 40 review: Design and fit
Nike says they’ve made some tweaks to the design and fit of the Nike Pegasus 40, to improve on the fit of the Nike Pegasus 39, and make the shoe more comfortable. They've changed the design of the foot bed to make the shoe more secure and supportive underfoot. Nike says it wanted the shoe to feel like a gentle hug, and who doesn’t need that when they’re training for a marathon?
Design-wise, I love the look of the Pegasus 40. There’s no doubt about it, this is a good-looking shoe. I tested the shoe in the white/blue colorway, in a UK 5/US 7.5, which is my normal sizing in Nike. I found it fit well, and that I had a decent amount of room in the toe box.
Upper
The upper of this shoe is where Nike has made most of the changes from the Pegasus 39. I had no issues with the fit of the Pegasus 39, which I found to be a huge improvement on the Pegasus 37 and Pegasus 38. The Pegasus 40 is designed to be more breathable in the toes, arch and heel for a more comfortable fit.
The Pegasus 40 is designed to be more breathable in the toes, arch and heel for a more comfortable fit.
Unlike the Pegasus 39, Nike has returned to a more traditional lacing system — with the older shoe the laces looped through the “Flywire technology” loops, that wrapped around the foot to keep it in place. Nike says they have reworked the internal linings and padding of the upper in the Pegasus 40 for a more breathable fit. It has a little more give than the previous version. The shoe now has a single-layer mesh upper, but it’s nowhere near as restrictive as the bootie-upper found on the Nike Infinity Run 3. There’s also a decent amount of padding around the tongue and the collar of the shoe to alleviate any rubbing or hotspots.
Midsole
Like all of the versions of the Nike Pegasus since the Nike Pegasus 37, the midsole of the Nike Pegasus 40 contains Nike’s React midsole foam. The shoe has two Zoom Air units, like the Nike Pegasus 39 — one in the forefoot, and one in the heel of the shoe. Underfoot, this leads to a bouncy, responsive ride.
That said, don’t expect the same sink-in comfort of the Nike Invincible Run 2 or Nike Invincible Run 3, both of which contain Nike’s super squishy ZoomX foam. The React foam is much firmer, yet this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, in fact, it gives the shoe a little more pop if you’re planning on using it for tempo or race-pace sessions.
Outsole
The rubber outsole of the Nike Pegasus 40 has a waffle-style pattern, which gives you a good amount of grip when running on wet concrete and light trails. During testing, I had no issue with slipping when running in these shoes — the tread handled most surfaces well.
Nike Pegasus 40 review: Running performance
As mentioned, I did most of my testing of these shoes in the run up to a marathon, so I wasn’t putting in particularly long or challenging sessions. That said, these felt like the past few versions of the Pegasus, and gave me a decent amount of support and comfort, as I clocked up maranoia-filled miles before race day.
On easy runs, they had a decent amount of cushioning to protect my legs. On a final tempo session, with a few miles at race pace, I wished I had something a little snappier on my feet (like one of the best carbon fiber shoes), but I was able to hit my intended pace in the Pegasus. These are still an excellent running shoe for beginners, as they’re durable and have a lot of versatility thanks to that React foam and Zoom Air units. Faster runners will probably want to save them for easy runs.
On my first, very gentle run a couple of days after the race, I definitely wanted the cushioning and comfort of the Nike Invincible 3, but if you’re a fan of the Pegasus, you’ll like the 40th iteration.
Nike Pegasus 40 review: Verdict
These aren’t the most exciting running shoes Nike makes anymore, but they’re a workhorse that’ll always top the list of best everyday running shoes. The Pegasus 40 isn’t drastically different from the versions of the Pegasus that come before it, but in this instance, this isn’t a bad thing. It’s a great running shoe for everyday runs, with a decent amount of pop to get you around most sessions.
Fit-wise, this is one of my favorite versions of the Pegasus yet. I loved the gentle padding around my foot in the shoe, and the smooth ride underfoot.
That said, if you’re looking for a super-soft, bouncy everyday running shoe, you’ll want to check out the Nike Invincible 3 or the Asics Gel Nimbus 25, both of which have a lot more sink-in comfort.
If you’re on a budget, now is a good time to invest in the Nike Pegasus 39, as not an awful lot has changed between the two shoes, and the older version is likely to be on sale right now.
