Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 40 Running Shoes

A springy ride for any run, the Peg's familiar, just-for-you feel returns to help you accomplish your goals. This milestone version has the same responsiveness you love, but with better comfort in those sensitive areas of your foot, like the arch and toes. Whether you're logging long marathon miles, squeezing in a speed session before the sun goes down or hopping into a spontaneous group jaunt, it's still the established road runner you can put your faith in, day after day, run after run.

Engineered Single-Layer Mesh Upper

A highly tuned single-layer mesh creates an inviting feel and fit. Perforations in the fabric increase airflow, creating a better, healthier environment for your feet to thrive in. When temperatures begin to rise the well-ventilated upper ensures a constant cooling effect so you can power through any workout with ease. The mesh is designed to stretch with your foot for a comfortable shape and fit as you move throughout the gait cycle. For the 40, Nike increased the foam around the collar for better fit and comfort as well as improved internal linings and padding throughout for an incredibly smooth fit. As well as this, a wider forefoot creates more space for your toes, while maintaining the shoe's fit to ensure increased comfort. Midfoot webbing provides a snug fit whilst more foam in the tongue helps to cushion the top of the foot to reduce irritation. Completing the upper is a lacing system that works with Flywire technology that locks down the midfoot to reduce in-shoe slippage and enhances support so you can enjoy distraction-free strides. Additionally, the midfoot strap has been redesigned for a more moulded fit to the foot, shaped for all-sized arches.

React Midsole

A full-length platform of React cushioning resides underfoot to deliver feathery durability plus smooth responsiveness. To produce this startlingly lightweight and springy midsole, crafted from synthetic rubber, Nike listened to the voice of the athlete. Their in-house sports research lab plugged footstrike data into a proprietary algorithm that determined how much cushioning was needed and where. They simulated testing on approximately one hundred possible shoe geometries to quickly determine the handful they knew would work best for most runners and then merged the science with an elegant design, intended to feel like a slipper on a mattress. The reactive nature of this clever midsole material means it absorbs impact and then expels it back out for a bounce-like effect. This energy-return technology reduces the use of superfluous muscle power, diminishing fatigue and enhancing performance, keeping you going for longer. Soft, generous and substantial, React will spare your joints as you strike down onto hard, unforgiving concrete and infuse every stride with the kind of zealous power that is often elusive in the running world. Embedded within the generous React platform, and complementing its reactive nature, are two Zoom Air units - one in the forefoot and one in the heel. This low-profile midsole feature combines pressurised air with internal fibres to deliver responsive cushioning that springs back fast, so you can move faster. Twice as big as previous versions, the unit delivers more bounce with every step. It's top-loaded to be closer to your foot for better responsiveness as you move through the gait cycle.

Rubber Outsole

Developed using a lightweight rubber outsole, the Pegasus 40 ensures extraordinary traction in varied conditions. The durable rubber provides a strong grip and works to protect itself from damage and protect users from losing control and slipping. The rubber is placed on high-wear areas such as the forefoot and heel to increase durability and resist the traumas of heel strikes; supplying you with a reliable and long-lasting running buddy. The rubber has been removed in the midfoot to reduce weight, further enhancing the lighter-than-air feel of this shoe. Wave-like flex grooves also feature on the outsole to supply added traction and flexibility underfoot.

Review

Read our review of the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 40 HERE