Before Phil Knight claimed it for his shoe brand, the name Nike belonged exclusively to the Greek goddess of victory. She accompanied Zeus for luck in battle as he hurled thunderbolts from a blazing chariot pulled by Pegasus. And, like Zeus’s reliable stallion, the 38th Peg upholds its legendary descriptor as a capable “workhorse with wings.” (Side note: Hands down, this trio would make a killer squad rolling out from Mount Olympus for a lunch run.)

Gender-Specific Cushioning

Last year, the Pegasus’s midsole switched from older Cushlon foam to more-responsive React, and Nike Sneakers added two more millimeters of it underfoot. Still not as light and bouncy as ZoomX, React feels medium soft, and moderately flexible. Nike also lowered the pressure in the air unit in the women’s model (15 PSI, compared to 20 PSI for men) to make it a touch softer, doubled the size of the forefoot unit for extra pop on toe off, and scrapped the air unit from the midfoot and heel. The outsole got a facelift, too, with more flex grooves and a rectangular tread pattern that slightly improves grip for short stints offroad.

Essential Off-Year Updates

Those midsole and outsole updates carry over unchanged to the 38, but the upper sees a bunch of problem-solving tweaks. The previously cramped toe box is roomier, and a deeper heel cup helps eliminate the slippage we felt in the 37. Additional tongue padding and a new plush sandwich mesh feel much softer, too, though they trap more heat and sweat.

Both the Pegasus 37 (shown above) and the 38 have thick looped eyelets and a fully gusseted tongue to hold your foot secure. TREVOR RAAB

On the Pegasus 38’s upper, softer sandwich mesh and more tongue padding dial up the comfort for longer runs and all-day wear. LAKOTA GAMBILL

The Peg Hasn’t Lost Its Giddy-Up

In reality, the Peg has not really gained much weight over past versions since the 35th model. Air Jordan Sneakers ,However, it’s starting to feel heavy because of all the light and nimble shoes and carbon-fiber plated racers that have crashed onto the scene. To runners familiar with those new teched-out models, the Peg will still feel plenty responsive underfoot but bulkier by comparison. It now complements daily mileage better as a comfy weekend long-run trainer than as a speed-day secret weapon.MORE IMAGESA durable and grippy rubber outsole makes us favor the Peg for long runs and daily miles. But, we found the shoe can still carry a faster clip for uptempos when we needed it to.