Nike Pegasus Trail 4 Review: Comparing Trail Running Shoes

In the last few months I’ve tested out a number of Nike Trail Running shoes and provided my thoughts on fit and feel. So today we’re switching it up a bit and I slapped this shoe on my husband!

I figured it was a good way to get another perspective, while I could still compare some of the key features. And because I have a huge foot, slip it on to still compare fit and feel!

When it comes to shoes, I AM PICKY. I try and dislike a lot of them, so anytime something comes along that I immediately choose to run in multiple times over my other go to shoes, it’s something that needs to be shared!

But, I also spend a lot of time looking for other people who have worn the shoe to tell me how it FELT! Was it hard or soft? Did they only like it for short runs? How did it compare to other shoes?

Hopefully, that’s exactly what I can provide you today for the Nike React Pegasus Trail 4 running shoe.

Nike Pegasus Trail 4 Review

Nike describes these as a cross over shoe. A running shoe that can take you from the road to the trails. Oddly enough I was just having a discussion about this with a runner who finds she’s often doing a mix of both and wasn’t sure what type of shoe to wear.

In fact the Pegasus Trail 3 was rated one of the best trail shoes by a few magazines for it’s comfortable fit and easy transition from road-to-trail! And so far it looks like the Pegasus Trail 4 is going to live up to its namesake.

I told David nothing about the shoe before having him join me on the trail for a run. His first comment was “these feel so much softer and flexible, more like a road shoe than a trail shoe. It’s really comfortable.”

The big thing he was noticing is the lack of a rock plate, which does make the shoe more flexible and allows it to feel softer.

Pegasus Trail 4 Review

The slight winged heel is great for helping to roll the foot forward and trying to eliminate issues of heel striking. While the mid-foot is slightly wider than other trail shoes like the Nike Kieger providing more stability.

The tongue is attached, which again I am a big fan of to prevent it from moving around the foot.

Find it here on Nike.com for $140, so you can enjoy their 30 day trial policy!

Specifications

Let’s dive in with some of the top line info that we all need to know about a shoe!

Weight: 10.2 oz men’s, women’s unknown
Currently only available in 1 color in men’s
Heel drop: 9mm
Neutral trail running shoe
Seamless, no shoe tongue sliding around

Features

Key features of this trail shoe that set it apart:

Attached tongue is light and breathable. Love that it means it won’t be sliding around on my foot.
Easily handles both roads and trails
Lighter than many other tail models
Slightly wider fit than other Nike models (David commented on how good this felt)
Seemed slightly shorter in length than other brands

Another shoe with a fun little message! “Just run. Reason not required.”

Pegasus Trail Review

Nike React Foam

One of the reasons David loved this shoe was it hit that middle ground of feeling soft when landing, while still having structure to support the foot. Turns out this is due specifically to their React Foam.

13% more energy return with every foot fall than the Nike Lunarlon foam
11% softer than the Nike LunarEpic
5% lighter than the Nike LunarEpic

Crazy amounts of math and engineering went in to creating this shoe. And while I appreciate all of that, what I mostly appreciate is a shoe that I slip on and say “ahh”. It just feels good whether I’m on mile 1 or 8. And as I keep rebuilding post knee surgery, I’m pretty confident it’s going to feel light and comfy at mile 17, too.

Cons of the Pegasus Trail

Really the only drawbacks of this shoe come with how you might want to use it.

Without a rockplate and less extreme grip than some other trail running shoes, it’s not meant for your toughest, rockiest off road adventures. But did you expect that with a shoe that’s designed to give you a good road running feel too?

Nike Trail Running Shoes

One of the things that often helps me make a decision is a quick comparison to other models! So let’s do a rundown of the trail running shoes that Nike has in the current line up.

Wildhorse
Pegasus Trail
Juniper Trail
Terra Kiger

Nike Wildhorse

This is a more cushioned shoe, though still not plush. It has a rockplate and will be good for longer mileage on easy to moderate trails.

Read my full Nike Wildhorse review >>

Nike Pegasus Trail

Much higher heel drop at 9.5mm than some others, which could feel good to those used to traditional running shoes with a 10-12mm drop. This really is that transition shoe from road running to hard packed trails or light gravel.

It does NOT have a rockplate.

Juniper Trail

This shoe really is designed for those more technical trails where traction is key and you’re moving over a lot of rocks. It’s going to have the same level of cushion as the Kiger helping it to remain a responsive shoe.

Terra Kiger

You can read my full Nike Air Zoom Terra Kiger review, but a quick overview. Most minimal of the trail running shoes. Designed for light trail running and responsiveness to make it a faster shoe.

Nike Trail Shoes Comparison — Top to bottom: Kieger, Wildhorse, Pegasus

Why I Order Direct from Nike?

One. I look for the older model and it’s almost always on sale, where the price has gone up for it on other sites!!

Two. I’m a size 11 and honestly, a lot of running stores just don’t stock a ton in my size. Their 60-day return period because it means I can take them on a run to make sure they fit and feel the way I think they should.

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