nike air zoom pegasus 40 introduction

If this were any other brand, the 40th anniversary of their most popular mid range, neutral daily trainer would be a huge celebration with a massive marketing push and boatloads of substantial upgrades.

The Nike Pegasus 39 Was Last Year But This Year Had A Significant UpdateThe 40 has only received a superficial update and has been advertised as nothing special.

I seem to remember that even the Pegasus 30 from 10 years ago was only a minor, overhead update. It’s disappointing because Nike could do so much more with big stops like this. Pegasus is, after all, the oldest running shoe series.

Pegasus used to be one of the most popular dailies. In the olden days, Pegasus didn’t have much competition. The Super Foam was not present and neither was the Carbon Plate or Jumbo midsole. Today’s Pegasus has lost its clout and, over the years, has been overtaken by other modern everyday trainers like the Hoka Clifton, which has a much thicker, cushioned midsole.

In the Nike running category, there are far more exciting options like the Vaporfly and Invincible Run that use Nike’s premium, super bouncy midsole foam, the ZoomX.

The Vaporfly is considered a race day shoe, but that doesn’t stop inexperienced runners from using it as a daily trainer. The sluggish, sluggish ride of the Pegasus can’t compete in comparison.

These days, the Pegasus target market is new runners who want a safer alternative. And non-runners are looking for a comfortable gym or comfortable running shoes.

This is as textbook a daily instructor as you can get,

When I reviewed last year’s Pegasus, I found it to be an adequate trainer with no major flaws and one of the best Peg versions to date., It really was a boring, bland ride. Since then, I’ve only used it for casual walks.

This year’s Pegasus 40 weighs in at 9.4 oz (266 g) which is a trend in the wrong direction. Last year’s version weighed in at 9.2 oz (261 g). It still has 10mm of drop and costs $130, the same price as the Pegasus 39.

nike air zoom pegasus 40 first impressions

My first run was an easy 10 km run which I didn’t enjoy much. The ride felt flat, firm, and the outsole felt really slick and sharp against the road.

The ride felt exactly like last year’s edition except New upper more comfortable, more padded, felt like a thicker, softer quilt, I could also feel that the upper part was more spacious.

Compared to other daily trainers I’ve ridden recently like the Cumulus 25, Cloudsurfer, and Propel V4, the Pegasus 40’s ride felt dated (old fashioned).

nike air zoom pegasus 40 upper

There are two main differences between the Pegasus 40’s upper and the Pegasus 39’s. The first is that 40’s mesh is softer and more stretchy.

This results in forefoot and toe boxes that are roomier and more accommodating. The fit is still true to size, but it’s now more suited to runners with high-volume feet.

The other difference is that the midfoot flywire system has been replaced with a midfoot panel to improve midfoot lockdown. I can’t say I’ve noticed an improvement in midfoot lockdown but the panels do contribute to the weight gain.

There’s an internal heel counter that’s similar to the Pegasus 39 but heel lockdown isn’t as good due to the looser upper fit of the new version. The tongue is fully gusseted but there is still a lateral tongue slide as the laces do not go through the loop in the middle of the tongue.

The Pegasus 40 also now has a small, thin reflective stripe on the back of the heel which is always welcome.

nike air zoom pegasus 40 sole unit

If you’ve ever taken part in Pegasus, you’ll know it was not designed to be exciting or something extraordinary. It was designed to be predictable and consistent. A shoe that feels like a previous Pegasus, a tough workhorse to get the job done.

The ride on the Pegasus 40 feels exactly like the Pegasus 39 as they have the same midsole and outsole.

It’s also one of the firmer rides we ride daily trainers, so you can expect a firmer ride than the Cumulus 25, Ride 16, Novablast 3, and Clifton 9.

I prefer trainers that are softer and more cushiony but I did manage to run 38km in the Pegasus 40. It wasn’t a fun experience but I didn’t feel any discomfort or lack of cushioning so you can run a marathon in the Pegasus if you can tolerate a relatively firm ride.

It has one zoom airbag at the front and another at the heel. Airbags in the Pegasus’s center console keep its ride from devolving into the soft, wobbly that other daily trainers have. The reason is that airbags are firm so the surrounding react foam has to be a uniform density or the airbag will feel lumpy.

The Zoom Air is the Pegasus signature technology but I think this could be one of the last versions of the Zoom Air. If Nike added ZoomX to the midsole instead of an airbag, the ride would be softer, smoother, and more livable.

The Pegasus Turbo Next Nature and Zoom Fly 5 are examples of Nike trainers already using ZoomX in their midsoles without airbags.

The Pegasus 40 doesn’t have any advanced technologies like an energy-returning midsole or rockerd geometry, so it doesn’t feel efficient or energy-saving. It has an old school ride that feels like any one of the last 10 editions of the Pegasus.

I use the Pegasus 40 only for easy runs as I find it difficult to pick up pace. It has a flexible forefoot and the React/Zoom Air combination isn’t very responsive. The midsole isn’t thick compared to most everyday trainers like the Novablast, so it feels stable but not too new-age.

The outsole is still the main strength of the Pegasus. There’s plenty of thick Duralon in the forefoot and tough BRS 1000 in the heel that won’t wear down prematurely. I have used previous pegasus for more than 1000 kms and pegasus 40 is capable of giving same high mileage.

The waffle grip provides excellent traction on most surfaces except wet concrete and other smooth surfaces, due to how stiff the rubber is, but footstrike feels very quick and slick.

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 40 Conclusion

The Pegasus 40 isn’t the game changer we expected or the Pegasus series deserved, If Nike fails to innovate, the popularity of the Pegasus will continue to decline.

Last year’s Pegasus 39 was an interesting shoe as it featured a brand new midsole, outsole and upper but Pegasus 40 seems really old. It can’t match other daily trainers in terms of cushioning, energy return or versatility.

It’s still a good running shoe at a reasonable price and is a great option if you’re used to riding Pegasus or you just want a comfortable gym/lifestyle shoe. It doesn’t have any special or unique rides to draw you in.

If I were in charge of developing the next version of the Pegasus, I’d increase the stack height, switch to a softer midsole foam and eliminate the firm airbag to create a smooth, plush ride.

The Version 40 is more comfortable than the Version 39, which has a softer, more accommodative upper but it is a bit bulkier.

The Pegasus 39 is a better deal at a discounted price because the 2 shoes are very similar.

If you’re a Peg fan and already have a Pegasus 39, you don’t need to upgrade.