Nike Zoom Pegasus 35 Turbo

Long overdue review is finally completed and so here it goes. Working in the running shoe industry for more than a decade I have seen the sudden growth of the Light Weight Trainer (LWT) category since the shortlived post-minimalist era like the Vibram and barefoot ideology. The reason is that traditional running shoes often weigh on the heavier side while on the other end of spectrum minimalist shoes are way too aggressive for the majority of runners. Therefore LWT is growing fast to fill up the bridge between the two spectrums because of its versatility; light and protective. Fast runners would prefer LWT as daily trainers because they're much lighter than traditional shoes yet offer a decent level of cushioning and big bulk of novice to intermediate runners who use traditional trainers can use LWT for speed workout to race day shoes. IMO in today's trend shoe companies do see the commercial opportunity of a cost-saving strategy to grow one pillar to capture a big segmentation of consumers.

Below is an LWT matrix that ranges from current AW18 to AW19 which there will be newer and updates SKU coming soon but I managed to pin up the key models of various popular brands. Each LWT shoe is ranked based on their RSP in their own brand but 2 disclaimers: 1) not necessary a pricier model is a better shoe and 2) they are not directly comparable in the y-axis. The matrix will be constantly be updated and serve as a general reference that one may consider from a bigger picture before the next purchase.

*RSP quoted above are in US dollar for universal reference and valuation may varied. **Pictures complied are cited from https://www.roadtrailrun.com/, https://www.runningwarehouse.com/ and respective brand's official URL sites.

Ok enough of a long introduction and back to my review of Nike's Zoom Pegasus 35 Turbo. Based on my Strava till date I have clocked 277km on P35T which is enough to provide a more accurate review. FYI P35T is a totally different shoe from Nike's long established Pegasus series. The regular Zoom Pegasus 35 is a little sibling to Nike's top premium cushioning Zoom Vomero, positioned at a more affordable price yet offers numerous of Unique Selling Points (USP) features. The P35T is marketed as a lighter faster package https://www.nike.com/sg/t/zoom-pegasus-turbo-running-shoe-tQ4rLj and the key tech story is built around the ZoomX midsole foam that is found in VaporFly 4% instead of Cushlon of a regular Pegasus.

1. Upper

Flywire cables system is Nike's signature locking system to secure the midfoot fit to the shoe. This Ghillie Lacing method works independently for a personalized fit similar to how Saucony ISOFit and ASICS Discrete Eyelet work. The very early stage of testing I do find the midfoot to be very snugged and a few times I have to stop my run to loosen the lace tension but it's all fine now once the shoe is seasoned. Heel collar fitting is also on the loose side due to my small Asian's ankle structure so I do need to utilize the last pair of lace eyelets to lock down my heel (below right photo). Point scored for tapering the heel collar away from the Achilles as there is less chance of chaffering. Although the forefoot is on the narrow pointy side and FF volume is on the low side but I still have enough room to splay my toes. Also to take note that I have to get half a size longer from my usual US7.5 (25.5cm) to US8 to accommodate the narrow forefoot which fits comfortably. Breathability is no issue running in Singapore's crazy humidity so thumb up for the translucent thin and light fabric. Demerit point for this long stripe of welded line that to me serve not much functional purpose but maybe just to enhance the aesthetic look. Otherwise shoe tongue, removable sockliner and heel collar padding are sufficient and nothing special to shoutout. Overall I like the seamless minimal stitching upper with flat laces and just beware if you have wide broad foot.

2. Midsole

Nike markets Zoom P35T as a speed shoe with the ZoomX + React (both are new tech Nike material) but I personally find it works better for an easier aerobic run because of the super plush cushioning heel material. Together with its aggressive beveled heel shape shown below, foot strike to midstance transition is the smoothest I tried coming close to Hoka's rocker concept. The cushioning is so plush and damping effect is on a higher side than other LWTs I felt the without the rigid plate of ZF/VF makes energy return during faster pace missing. A short bout of fartlek still works well but not for my tempo or cruise intervals. Otherwise, I really enjoy this soft cushy midsole foam for the majority of my easier runs on asphalt and concrete surfaces. I will switch the stock insole with my SuperFeet Carbon insole if (1) I need to run faster or (2) the ground is soft like gravel to balance out the firmness. For my size of US8 (26cm) the shoe weighs 217g (Nike published 238g for US9) with a 10mm drop, significant weight saving compares with other LWTs.

3. Outsole

Clocking 277km both the forefoot and rearfoot outsole rubbers are still holding well without many significant signs of wear as shown and I speculate this Zoom P35T can last me up close to 800km proximity. The full ground contact outsole with elevated toe spring angle does make the ride smooth and more effortless.

4. Others

Continue from above outsole, I also notice the waistline of P35T to be much slimmer than my other LWTs. To validate my concern I measured at the slimmest section of 3 different shoes for comparison with P35T as subject vs ASICS DynaFlyte 3 (a common LWT) vs a Maximalist Hoka LWT Clayton 2. The findings as shown:

P35T = 55mm

ASICS DynaFlyte 3 = 65mm

Hoka One One Clayton 2 = 75mm

Why does the waistline of a running shoe be a concern to runners? Below is a simple illustration to explain:

During the midstance of a running gait, our body is experiencing the maximal impact and the most crucial impact attenuation mechanism to offload this stress comes from one of our ankle joints: subtalar joint. The primary triplanar movements of the Subtalar joint are to pronate and supinate. Pronation is defined as the body's natural biomechanical motion to attenuate impact and stress by rolling the ankle inward while supination turns the ankle joints into a rigid lever for powerful propulsion. So if you understand the definition of pronation then you will understand that a narrower base will tilt the foot to pronate more and to be in a more unstable position versus a wider waistline. To further explain excessive pronating ankle does not equate to faulty biomechanics or lead to injury. It is the timing of overpronating that might lead to injury. Top elite marathoners like recent WR Eliud Kipchoge has signs of over-pronating running gait but had no reported injury related to it compare with general population runners. See the video posted @ Mario Fraioli's Twitter

https://twitter.com/mariofraioli/status/1009849501933187072 High possibility is that the elite runners have a very higher cadence and able to reduce the amount of time spent at midstance even though the foot overpronates. Other factors could be their lightweight body help to reduce the amount of stress albeit over-pronating ankles. So in summary, if a regular runner who is keen in P35T or any shoe with narrow waistline I will suggest he/she maintain a high cadence of >170spm regardless their pace to reduce the spend time in an over-pronated ankle position.

In summary I conclude Zoom P35T as a very good LWT and the ride has been very enjoyable. However no shoe will ever score 100% and here goes my rating:

My rating total 23/30★:

1. Fit: ★★★☆☆ (be prepared for a snug fit)

2. Performance: ★★★☆☆ (too soft for fast long runs but switching to a firm insole help to increase responsiveness)

3. Cushioning: ★★★★★ (very soft plush comfortable cushioning for aerobic runs)

4. Traction: ★★★★☆ (impressive)

5. Weight: ★★★★★ (impressive)

6. Looks: ★★★☆☆ (you can get better colour than mine/ the sleek looking silhouette scores)

Although Zoom P35T has a high score of 23/30★ and I enjoy the shoes but I will not recommend unless you have extra cash to spare. Nike retails this pair of LWT at a very steep SGD$259 🤦🏽‍♂️ while you can easily find other LWT for a much cheaper price. The just-released Skechers GoRun Ride 7 and Saucony Kinvara 10 may give P35T a run for its money for faster pace likewise for NB's Beacon for easier miles. Drop me a comment if you think I have missed out any details.