Are Nike’s Pegasus Premium Worth the Hype?

What makes the Premiums so special is their look. The shoe has this bright orange air unit across the entire midsole and other design details that make it look more like an Air Max 97 or lifestyle shoe. As a teenager buying my first running shoes, my dad always said that how a shoe felt was more important than how it looked. Remembering this advice, I was intrigued by the stylish design of the new Premiums and wondered whether an amateur runner like myself would notice any difference compared to the current version 41s.

Besides overall look, the shoes also differ in foam composition, heel stack, weight, and most notably, price. The Premiums are a headline-creating $210. A typical daily trainer is around $150, and the 41s start at $140, though you can easily find them discounted now. The Premiums are not meant to be a speed shoe; there is no plate, so they are essentially a shoe for everyday runs with premium materials. I wanted to see if I could feel that difference. 

I have run about one hundred miles in my Pegasus 41s, so I have an accurate measure on what my runs look and feel like in those shoes. In order to compare the Premiums, it was time to go on a few runs. 

The full length sculpted Air Zoom unit is the hero of the shoe, and it was the first thing I noticed upon lacing them up. They are significantly more bouncy and responsive than the 41s which are just made of their ReactX foam. Because the Premiums are built with the same foam, plus the Air Zoom unit and ZoomX foam, the heel stack is noticeably higher, which is something to consider if you are a runner who heelstrikes. This, in addition to a thinner midsole, made the run feel a little less stable, and left me more likely to pronate. These are factors you would likely only feel on long runs versus casual workouts, which is why whenever I stopped my watch during these test runs, I noticed I was always exactly within my average pace and effort. 

There is no denying the Pegasus Premiums look like no other daily trainer on the market right now. They will turn heads at a run club and guarantee someone will ask you about them. My first Strava post testing these out had my friends in the comments asking about the shoes. In my opinion, unfortunately, due to their price point, these are not for everyone. These are not the shoes for someone who only has one pair of running shoes in their rotation at a time or is looking for a pair that will carry them through training cycles that have them consistently doing double digit runs. The shoe’s responsive build consequently made them feel less supportive to my narrow, high-arched foot. These are a great shoe for someone who is mixing casual runs into their workouts and wanting a stylish looking shoe for all the moments in between.