REVIEW: Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37

I’ve heard a lot about Nike running shoes but I’ve never tried their shoes, until the Nike React Infinity earlier this year. It was a comfortable shoe that I liked to use for long aerobic runs, because it is easy on the legs and doesn’t leave your legs feeling too tired after all that distance.

And then the new Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 launched in June. This is the 37^th iteration of the shoe and it must be really special, having been around all these decades. I got my hands on it and casually took it out for my intervals one evening – the result? I was left feeling so impressed with the shoe.

It is very comfortable with the right amount of heel support and grip (the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus Turbo 2 is a little looser around the heels), and the energy return from the shoe was brilliant. I could lift my legs higher to open up my stride, which in turn shaved seconds off my usual 1km interval times. I’ve been using the Pegasus 37 for different types of runs and can conclude that it is a good everyday lightweight training shoe.

The Pegasus 37 has a Zoom Air bag at the forefoot to cushion it from the rebound of the ground. This Air bag is two times thicker than its predecessor, which explains the higher energy return. Also, the Nike Air Zoom technology is integrated into the React foam in the midsole; making the shoe lighter and more responsive.

Following up with feedback that females prefer a softer ride, Nike lowered the pressure of the women’s Zoom Air bag, to make it less firm than the men’s version. This must be why I found the Pegasus 37 softer and more comfortable!

Part of the Zoom family, the Pegasus 37 is in the same family as the Vaporfly NEXT%, Alphafly NEXT% and Tempo NEXT%. The Alphafly NEXT% is the marathon shoe prototype that Eliud Kipchoge used to break the two-hour barrier in Vienna, whilst the Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT% is the daily training shoe to complement the Alphafly NEXT%.

These two models have just dropped in stores, but are selling out so fast that I couldn’t get my hands on the Alphafly NEXT% in my size. That’s ok – the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 is available at Nike.com for S$199.

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