Gear: Nike Pegasus Trail 2 Review

I’ve spoken ad nauseum about trail runners and how they are a better option for hiking in Texas. That still hasn’t changed for me despite finally dipping my feet, er, toes into the traditional hiking shoe realm. But I just purchased the Nike Pegasus Trail 2 shoe and am ready for a full gear review.

What’s hilarious about these shoes is I didn’t even mean to buy them. I went with my wife to the Nike store so she should buy new shoes, and I figured while I was there waiting around I’d look to see if Nike made a hiking shoe.

When I ‘Googled’ Nike hiking shoes the Pegasus Trail 2 popped up, so I looked around the store and saw these bright yellow sneakers. I almost didn’t even bother because they were a color I’ve never worn before, and nothing I thought I would even look at based on their look.

But then I grabbed them and gave them a closer look. The shoes had an interesting toe-cap that wasn’t so wide, but it did wrap around the front of the shoe.

Then I turned them over and inspected the tread. Plenty of depth, but not so spaced out to leave room for sharper rocks to stick into my feet.

In my hand, they felt light so I decided to go ahead and try them on.

I may never wear another trail runner again. The Nike Pegasus Trail 2 are. that. good.

Nike Pegasus Trail 2 Review Details

Comfort

Why trail runners? Simple: Comfort.

Trail runners offer much more in terms of foot comfort, and with lighter weights, you are not as likely to have overall foot fatigue at the end of a long hiking day. The Nike Pegasus Trail 2 shoes are apparently heavier than its earlier design, but I’m not wearing these for actual trail running, so I didn’t notice. What I did notice, and you may too, is that they’re really lightweight.

The other trail runners I have in my assemblage is the Salomon Sense Ride 3, and the Nike’s are significantly lighter. They feel light on your feet while hiking, and that’s really all I noticed.

The footbed sits on new technology for me: Nike React Foam.

This is apparently used in a ton of their shoes, but again, I don’t wear Nike’s. I don’t wear athletic sportswear sneakers. I had no idea what I had been missing.

The React Foam looks clunky, but once your feet are in the shoe and you walk around you feel the literal bounce in your step. It’s walking on a squishy foam cushion.

Tread

The tread plays a big part in the overall comfort of this shoe as well. The multi-direction tread pattern on the bottom creates great traction on slicker surfaces without relying on something like Vibram. And as previously stated, the space between helps block some of the sharper rock points that you’ll likely see on a Texas trail.

And according to the Nike website the shoes feature more traction points on the heel and toe to allow for better grip while going up/downhill. Really thoughtful touch.

Upper Features

At first glance, the top of the shoe feels extremely flimsy. They’re so thin they can’t possibly hold up on the trail.

Wrong.

The reinforced eyelets help protect the laces from abrasion, but also the rubber dots spread over the top of the shoe have held up amazingly after rubbing up on a handful of walks, and especially walking over rocks, and getting my feet stuck in between a few big ones at the Guadalupe Mountains.

The breathable mesh is not only durable, but it allows for great airflow to keep your feet cool, but also for ventilation if your shoes get wet. That said, there is a GoreTex version of the Nike Pegasus Trail 2 shoes.

More Benefits Via Nike.com Site:

• Perforated tongue helps resist water and increase drainage.
• Faux gaiter piece at the collar helps keep dirt and debris out.
• Midfoot cage helps your foot stay secure and contained.
• Pull tab at the heel for easy on and off.
• Toe fangs at the forefoot help enhance traction.

It’s not all daisies and roses

There are some things that (barely) fall short in these trail runners.

The inside sole will definitely need to be swapped out on my pair sooner than later. It feels like the right foot is cut a little narrower than the shoe itself, so I feel a small gap in the shoe.

The upper mesh is really durable but really thin. The toe cap actually performs really well, but you don’t have any additional thickness from the material or the tongue to protect the top of your foot.

The laces are traditional. One of the things that I grew to enjoy from the Salomon XA Pro 3D V8’s that I wore in 2020-21 was the Speed Lacing System. You were really able to get a snug and secure fit from them.

Traditional laces can get tight but recently have been having to retie my shoes more often than I’d like. If you’ve seen my Astral Shoe Review video you know how I feel about that.

Not for Everyone

Obviously, these shoes are not going to be perfect for everyone’s foot. This is clearly just my experience, but if you’re a fan of trail runners and traditional running shoes, then I really think you should give the Nike Pegasus Trail 2 shoes a try.

A lot of them are brightly colored, but I’ve grown to love the colorways and have really embraced that about them. They definitely work well as just comfy streetwear shoes too.

Pricing

These shoes can be found at an average starting point of $130 for the regular model and $160 for the Gore-Tex version, but know that a ton of retailers carry these, and I’ve seen them at multiple sale prices.

UPDATE: 5/30/21 Just found out Nike is releasing a Pegasus Trail 3!!