Previously we talked about the shoes from Adidas and Nike, the Ultraboost and Vapormax, respectively. These are amazing shoes to look into, and we already decided which one is the winner in the previous article.
Though this time, it’s going to be different. Not facing a brand with another, we want to look specifically into Nike shoes. Have you been familiar with Pegasus? This series has been around for years now, keep making the fans fall in love with them.
But Nika had a different idea. They wanted to make a better pair of already perfect shoes, the Pegasus Turbo, back in 2019. Though it has been around for about 2 years now, it’s not an easy product to forget.
It’s certainly making the name of Pegasus’ family line more known, though the series has been loved by many. Still being a great fit, Pegasus Pro provides great cushioning and is added with the Zoom Air technology which dramatically increases the shoes’ responsiveness.
But is it all it takes to be better shoes? Or is there any other factor we’re looking into when choosing running shoes like this?
Even when the second version of Turbo is around, we want to look into the great value of Nike Pegasus and Pegasus Turbo.
Overview
Most people will say that Pegasus shoes are versatile. Fortunately, all these are true. People are using it for training, or just doing some light exercises. The design looks sleek, not too sporty, and it’s also fast, highly responsive. Though it has changed here, and there, the shoes keep maintaining the good ol’ cushioning. Read also: Adidas Ultra Boost vs Nike Vapormax.
Overall feel seems too great thanks to the Air technology which is known for its springy feeling. Though it’s an older model, some have claimed that it’s even stronger than the Turbo. In general, Pegasus is already a comfortable shoe to wear everyday. It’ll make sure that your foot will stay there, locked under the system of Flywire cables. It has a nice balance of comfort and responsiveness that’s hard to find in todays’ standards.
Though we mentioned that Pegasus is already good balanced shoes, Nike indeed came with something better. The Pegasus Turbo, still being a hype for over the years due to its unique midsole that’s using two layers with combination of Zoom X and React technology. It’s even bouncier than the standard Pegasus. Still having its specialized lightweight that’s suitable for daily trainers, the material is also breathable like before. It also gives off the racy feels through its sporty design.
| Nike Pegasus | Pegasus Turbo | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 13.9 x 9.4 x 4.8 inches | 13.15 x 8.35 x 4.37 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 1.65 Pounds | 1.21 Pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
We can say that these shoes are suitable for people who really love speed, and running in fast motion. Pegasus Turbo can definitely accommodate them with its more lightweight, more responsive ride, and the more enhanced upper side that makes it more voluminous than the original Pegasus.
The little extra part in the upper does make the shoes seem a little bit bigger, surprisingly with lighter weight. Since it’s more responsive than before, try running faster with these shoes to feel the power.
Now that we’re done with the overview, let’s dig deeper into each category that we’re going to compare. For the first one, let’s take a look at the Sole Unit.
Sole unit
In terms of size and geometry, these two do look very similar to each other. With the 10mm heel drop, they both have the waffle outsole pattern that look really similar. Though they look the same, they feel quite different.
The reason is mainly because the materials used for these midsoles are different too. For example, the Pegasus originally uses the React Foam, older technology, but still known for the soft comfort while able to maintain the responsive ride.
Meanwhile, Pegasus Turbo uses the newer Zoom Air foam which is sure lighter, and currently the most energy efficient foam they ever made. Not only that, thet combined it with the older React foam, so you get two technologies in one product, sounds promising.
What it can give you is 85% energy return, as claimed by Nike. It’s surely comparable with the other competitors’ 65%. But since the technology is still growing, the percentage will always go up. You can know how good a foam is by directly feeling them. But what’s certain is the foam by Nika can give you the feels of soft and bouncy.
Upper Unit
Now we’re going into the second wagon, Upper unit. Most people will see the upper in the original Pegasus as simple-looking, and seamless. It just wraps around the rear with the Nike logo on it.
It doesn’t have what most shoes from Adidas or Nike have today like super-stretched fabric or tight fit, but it’s highly durable. High-stress areas like the toe and lacing area get the more dense parts to accommodate the comfort. Though it looks simple, it is surely breathable.
Moving on the upper of Turbo, we can see a very thin layer of mesh, and doesn’t have the ‘durable look’ as before. It’s a see-through layer, offers much comfort, and breathability.
Nike Pegasus vs Pegasus Turbo
Which Is The Better?
Another hard question to answer. Pegasus, the original, has been known to be one of the best shoes that is highly recommended by basically everybody that has worn it. It has a wider market audience, and is still loved today.
Though it’s very simple, the shoes are loved by the general market since it’s all-fit, highly comfortable to wear, and still able to be durable and dependable shoes for long uses.
Meanwhile, Pegasus Turbo took a different route, by being shoes that are more targeted to specialized markets. These are for the people who want to have a highly responsive pair of shoes, shoes that can be used for a faster pace, whether it’s a competition or not.
Since there are so many runner shoes that can be an alternative to this Pegasus Turbo, it seems a little too irrelevant. But, Turbo is still a great upgrade for long-time Pegasus users who just want to save upgrade before actually reaching for the more proper shoes.