Nike Pegasus 41 Review
By Matthew Klein and David Salas
Nike Pegasus 41Price: $139.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 10.0 oz, 283 g (men's size 9), oz, g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 37 mm / 27 mm
Drop: 10 mm
Shoe Purpose: Neutral Daily Training Shoe
Pros: Higher Stack Height, Softer ReactX Foam, Improved Heel Guidance
Cons: Neutral/Medially Biased Midfoot, Higher Drop, Heavier than Prior Version
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Nike Pegasus 41 is a neutral daily training shoe for those who want a straightforward shoe for mileage. A new ReactX midsole comes in with a higher stack height, providing a softer heel and a little more bounce compared to its predecessor. A new upper maintains the normal width fit while a slightly lower volume provides additional security. Now featuring heel sidewalls that keep the ride centered at the rear, the Pegasus 41 continues as a daily training shoe that does well during easier and long runs.
SIMILAR SHOES: Mizuno Wave Rider 27, Brooks Ghost 16
PAST MODEL: Nike Pegasus 40
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The Nike Pegasus 41 fits me true to size in my normal men's US size 10. The width is normal overall with a slightly lower volume. There is a slight taper at the toebox that is emphasized by the lower volume upper at the front. The engineered mesh does stretch with time, so this adjusts as the shoe breaks in. The forefoot is normal in width with wiggle room and stretch from the upper. This transitions into a normal but lower volume midfoot. The tongue is well gusseted and moderately thick. The gusset secures the foot well and I did not have to lace lock this shoe. The overall security is fairly good and I have not had any sliding or issues with tightening the laces slightly. The heel fits normally and features a large amount of heel collar padding. There is a stiff heel counter in the rearfoot that did not bother me because of the amount of padding. Those with sensitive heels may notice the counter as the upper breaks in but after 40 miles I have still been fine. This is likely due to how rounded the counter is. The inner liner is quite comfortable and I have been able to do shorter miles sockless in this shoe. However, I have gotten hotspots on the medial and lateral sides of my midfoot from the stitching in that area, so I would suggest most people use socks.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: Saucony Guide 17, ASICS Kayano 30, Hoka Gaviota 5, Saucony Endorphin Elite, Nike Ultrafly
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Saucony Kinvara 14
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Altra Timp 5
David: The Nike Pegasus 41 fits true to size in my men's 9.5. The initial fit felt a little snug throughout since the volume is on the lower side, though it broke in pretty well after that. The upper did some stretch to it that helped with that break in. The width throughout is normal throughout the length of the platform. The forefoot felt a little narrow to me initially though, as with theupper it felt better once it broke in. The mesh upper runs a tad warm, though has pretty good comfort throughout. The tongue is padded well and I had no issues with biting from them, while still getting a good lockdown. There is a rigid heel counter that does not have that much padding. I did have a little pressure to that region, though I have been having some sensitivity there in recent history anyways. There are also some sidewalls built in from the midsole that help give you a centering feeling through the heel. I do think the shoe could use a tad more volume, as the lockdown is already good as is. I feel like it took a couple runs for the upper to start feeling good on me. I think I would like to see some more padding through that heel as well.
David's Typical Size: Men's US Size 9.5
Shoes that have fit David well: Nike Vomero 17, Saucony Ride 16, Puma Velocity Nitro 3
Shoes that have fit snug: HOKA Arahi 7
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon Aero Glide
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Moderately
How Flexible is the Shoe: Moderately
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Mostly
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Recommended for Sockless: Somewhat
Durability Expectation: Average
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Nike Pegasus 41 is a daily training shoe meant for easier and longer miles. The midsole now features full-length ReactX with the same forefoot and heel Zoom air pods as previous. The ReactX makes the shoe feel slightly soft especially in the heel. This is also due to an increased stack height with the rearfoot now coming in at 37mm. This provides a mildly soft ride at impact that transitions into a slightly firmer ride in the forefoot. The 10mm drop is noticeable and despite the large heel bevel actually feels even higher. Those that like a higher heel drop will like this shoe while those who find that gets in the way may not do well. The whole shoe is more rockered than any Pegasus in recent memory. The large heel bevel is centered but the heel still feels large. This may also be due to the rearfoot being more stiff due to the extra material. The transition into and through the forefoot is smooth. There is a moderate amount of flexibility upfront which combined with a larger forefoot rocker makes for an easy toe off. Those used to stiffer shoes will need to slowly adjust to this as it is quite a bit more flexible than most higher-stack height shoes (it is not super flexible).
With the stack height increase, the Pegasus 41 also gains weight. Although listed at 10 oz, my size 10 comes in at 10.7 ounces compared to 10.4 in version 40. This is noticeable as my first effort in this shoe was an easy fartlek. While the Pegasus 41 feels great at easier and longer efforts, the slightly higher weight and larger heel made it feel clunky and slow when attempting to pick the pace. Going easy consistent paces felt much better and the two long runs I did in this shoe felt solid. It feels like the shoe has gained an edge into longer efforts at the cost of speed and uptempo ability. Fortunately, the traction is still excellent with the outsole lugs providing some versatility onto softer surfaces. Although able to tackle tame trails, I would use the Pegasus Trail for anything moderately to more aggressive terrain wise. From a durability standpoint, the Pegasus 41 is surprisingly average. I have 40 miles on my pair and have already worn the lugs down in the rearfoot. Although I have not gone through the outsole yet, I suspect that it will last for an average number of miles for a daily training shoe.
David: The Nike Pegasus 41 did perform well. It feels like a Pegasus with some modern additions. The React X foam does give a little bit more softness than previous Pegasus shoes, though still maintains some of that firmer grounded experience as well. The foam has some compliancy, though I do feel the foam holds its structure pretty well. The foam has a slight bounce to it, though nothing crazy. The transitions of the shoe feel like a classic high drop neutral shoe. The heel is lifted and you drop into a more flexible forefoot. The heel is rounded well and I did not have any issues with jarring at initial contact. There are sidewalls in the heel both medially and laterally that extend into the forefoot. You get a rounded and guided experience through the heel and midfoot, with a forefoot that is pretty much "all you". This did actually feel nice for picking up the pace too. The natural flexibility felt good when pushing off of the forefoot on the track and I could actually do some workouts in this shoe as well. Does it perform as well as the speed shoes? Probably not as well, though it got the job done decently well. The outsole traction is what you would expect of Pegasus model, grippy with small lugs. The shoe does carry decent versatility. The only drawback to some trails for me is that the upper has a decent amount of stretch, so I am not sure if I would want that in situations where there are sharper turns. The shoe definitely performs best as a daily workhorse trainer and I think those that like a traditional neutral ride will like these.
NIKE PEGASUS 40 VS 41
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The Nike Pegasus 41 is a neutral shoe with mild rearfoot guidance. The rearfoot now features decent sidewalls on the medial and lateral sides. This makes for a centered landing and may offset some of the side to side torque that can occur with a larger heel. There is some sole flare in the heel with a little more lateral and medial flare. The sidewalls slightly offset this but it may add to the rearfoot clunkiness. This transitions into a narrowed and highly neutral midfoot. My medial midfoot did not feel supported at all, although this was somewhat offset by the heel. The forefoot is neutral with some sole flare on both sides of the shoe. Overall those who need mild rearfoot guidance will do fine as long as they can tolerate a highly neutral midfoot and neutral forefoot.
David: I feel the Nike Pegasus did a pretty good job with stability, though it still is a neutral shoe. The React X foam has some compliancy, though does not feel overly soft or unstable. The outsole traction is really good by most daily trainer standards. There are some sidewalls that do feel like they give you some elements of stability and guidance through the heel and midfoot. The upper does have a decent amount of stretch to it, and I think that is where you may feel some of the instability show itself. The sidewalls help, though I did have a couple incidents where I felt a little bit more stretch than I wanted through the upper medially or laterally. It will work just fine for daily training needs, though sharper turns or loose footing areas may be a tad difficult.
Thoughts as a DPT: Weight, Stack Height, Geometries and the Midfoot
By Matthew Klein
While not always true across the board, the recent trends in the footwear industry suggest that people want more cushioning and lighter weight. People tend to gravitate toward softer shoes for comfort reasons, yet the lightness of a shoe also greatly impacts efficiency (Sterzing et al., 2013; Rodrigo-Carranza et al., 2020). The challenge is that more cushioning usually adds more weight. Some shoes utilizing newer foam compounds have been able to drop weight, although this often requires some geometrical comprises that can reduce stability. Additionally, the taller the stack height, the more aggressive other geometries need to be, like rockers, which change the ride of a shoe.
Rodrigo-Carranza, V., González-MohÃno, F., Santos-Concejero, J., & González-Ravé, J. M. (2020). Influence of shoe mass on performance and running economy in trained runners. Frontiers in Physiology, 11, 573660.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: I have enjoyed the newest Pegasus as a daily trainer. The increased heel cushioning and heel guidance has been nice. However, I am concerned that despite different midsole materials, the Pegasus 41 and Vomero 17 have a great deal of overlap. Both are tailored toward easy and longer efforts and have similar weights. My suggestions are to decrease the weight of the Pegasus 41 to give it that uptempo edge back and differentiation from the Vomero. The Pegasus has always been that well-rounded workhorse and the changes, while comfortable, seem to take that edge away slightly. My only other suggestion would be to widen the midfoot slightly. While I understand this is a neutral shoe, the contrast between the heel and midfoot can be a little odd. I have been able to run longer in this version compared to the prior one but a slight increase in width could go a long way.
David: I do like the Nike Pegasus 41, though I think I'd refine some of the things on the fit. The heel counter is a little too noticeable for me. I think either creating a little more space in that region to keep from putting pressure onto the Achilles would be advised. That, or just padding it more. The other would be to add some gentle reinforcement into the upper. It works for most situations, though I felt more stretch than I wanted to with some 90 degree turns getting to crosswalks or maneuvering around people.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The Nike Pegasus 41 is for those who want a daily trainer with a centered heel, a moderately flexible forefoot, a higher stack height with a more traditional drop and a ride that works best for easier and longer efforts. The higher stack height is noticeable, trading the uptempo capacities of prior versions for more comfort over easier training distances. The upper fits normally with a slightly lower volume that does stretch and adapt to the foot with time. Although listed as a 10mm drop, the drop feels higher thanks to the large heel. Those wanting that higher drop feeling similar to shoes like the Ghost and Rider will enjoy the same thing in the Pegasus 41. The $10 price increase is a bit confusing given the increase in weight and closer move toward the Vomero. This is an ongoing story between the Pegasus and Vomero, so it isn't surprising to see them start to get close again in many ways (they'll diverge later). While maintaining the essence of the Pegasus as a neutral trainer, it does tilt in the maximalist direction. Those that want that will enjoy this version while those that do not will be able to find version 40 on discount.
David: The Nike Pegasus 41 is a neutral training shoe for those that like a traditional higher drop feeling running shoe. The heel is lifted and drops you into a decently flexible forefoot. There is some gentle guidance and sidewalls in the heel and midfoot for those that need some guidance in that area as well. The foam can take a beating and has enough responsiveness to do some workouts if you want it to. Though, this will serve best as a daily training shoe.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: B+/A- (Slightly lower volume with normal width that adapts over time)
Performance: B/B+ (Larger heel with mildly soft feel and slightly firmer forefoot that works best only for easy and longer efforts)
Stability: B+ [Neutral] (Stable heel due to sidewalls with highly neutral/medially biased midfoot)
Value: B+ (Average durability and less versatility than prior version but increased stack height and comfort)
Personal: B+ (Solid, consistent training shoe but I miss the ability to handle uptempo runs from the prior versions)
Overall Design: B+
David
Fit: B (The dimensions are pretty good, though you do have to break in the shoe. It can come off a bit snug at first. Heel counter is pretty prominent and can put some pressure on the achilles.)
Performance: B+/A- (For those with neutral mechanics a solid neutral daily trainer. Great for easy rhythmic paces. Some upside with forefoot flexibility for some light speed work. Upper a tad stretchy and takes away from some uses.)
Stability: B+ (Not bad at all. Heel has a good bevel to it and some decent guidance for a neutral shoe. Good traction. Upper does have some stretch to it through the midfoot though.)
Value: A- (I do think you'll get your money's worth if this is your daily trainer. It has good durability, good aesthetics (if you want to double the use), and a decent versatility.)
Personal: B+ (I think if the upper and heel counter were cleaned this could easily be an A, but a good neutral trainer.)
Overall Design: B+
SHOP | SUPPORT DORNike Pegasus 41Price: $139.95 at Running Warehouse
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FURTHER READING
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A major revamp of this performance trainer.
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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