Hands-On Preview: Nike Brings Back a Cult Running Shoe

The Pegasus Turbo used to be one of Nike’s best everyday running shoes. Does its new successor hold up?

By Jack Seemer

Published July 29, 2024

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Updated July 29, 2024

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To appreciate the Pegasus Plus, Nike’s upcoming everyday trainer, you need to run it back.

The year is 2018. Dennis Kimetto is the still the world-record holder in the men’s marathon. Eliud Kipchoge ran an unratified time of 2:00:25. And, suddenly, every runner in the world is talking about fancy foams like ZoomX — the secret ingredient in Nike’s elusive Vaporfly 4% marathon racer that helped him do it.

This is the stage upon which Nike introduced the Pegasus Turbo, an everyday trainer equipped with the record-breaking ZoomX foam — and the predecessor to the new Pegasus Plus.

Ahead of its time

Novel in its day, the Turbo offered the responsiveness of a racing flat with just enough cushion to get you through long workouts. It was one of the first daily trainers to come with a so-called “super foam.”

I loved the original Pegasus Turbo, as well as its immediate followup, the Turbo 2. In fact, I probably ran half a dozen pairs into the ground. Which might speak to one of the reasons Nike ultimately discontinued the line after only the second generation.

nike running shoe — The original Pegasus Turbo from 2018 was one of the first everyday training shoes to feature a “super foam.”

ZoomX isn’t exactly the most resilient material (though Nike says the durability of the foam has improved), which made the shoe a tough proposition for amateur runners hoping to get more than 100 to 150 miles out of a pair. Longevity of the foam aside, I specifically remember the heel of the Turbo 2 detaching from the upper on at least two different samples.

“If they rereleased the Turbo 2s, I would literally buy five pairs on the spot.”

Despite its issues, however, the super-ish Turbo was unlike anything else out there — quick, snappy, lightweight, accessible. It made running fun, and it was massively popular among runners like myself, who have hoped for years that Nike might revisit the line.

“If they rereleased the Turbo 2s, I would literally buy five pairs on the spot,” a Redditor recently wrote when the Pegasus Plus was first rumored earlier this year.

A new Turbo … kind of

And this is the stage upon which we now receive the Pegasus Plus — a.k.a. the Turbo 3.

In a nod to the short-lived legacy of the Turbo, Nike brought back the original color scheme with its signature racing stripe down the toe box. The words “Pegasus Turbo” are even emblazoned on the soles of the shoes.

Although the Pegasus Plus doesn’t come out until August 8, I’ve put over 30 miles on a sample pair. My longest effort was 16 miles, with a couple of shorter runs at paces ranging from 8:30 per mile to 6:00 flat.

The Pegasus Plus is nimble, lightweight and undeniably snappy, just the like original.

The Pegasus Plus is nimble, lightweight and undeniably snappy, just the like original. It feels best at an uptempo pace, as it lacks the cushioning I’ve been conditioned to crave on easy days, let alone long ones.

Compared to countless super trainers that have come out since the days of the original Turbo (more on that shortly), the Plus feels very close to the ground — akin to a racing flat with most of its pop isolated to the heel.

Otherwise, the Flyknit upper is fantastic, and it’s reason alone to consider picking up a pair. I also love the look, although that might just be nostalgia creeping in.

Does it still hold up?

However, the year is 2024, not 2018. And runners today have no shortage of options when it comes to bouncy trainers designed to go fast.

ZoomX foam is now the star of a number of other Nike silhouettes, from the big and beefy Invincible to the trail-ready Ultrafly. And that’s before we get into all the comps from other brands — notably the New Balance Rebel v4 and Saucony Endorphin Speed 4.

Running in the Pegasus Plus, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it might be arriving a few years too late to make the splash it probably deserves to.

For better or worse, the Turbo is back in everything but name. And it’s just as fun as it ever was.

That said, I can’t wait to wear it again and I’m actually itching for my next tempo run (which is something I don’t say every week).

Time will tell if the Pegasus Plus holds up for the long haul. I have some major questions around the large, exposed section of ZoomX on the bottom of the shoe, which is already showing some wear.

But rest assured: for better or worse, the Turbo is back in everything but name. And it’s just as fun as it ever was.