Nike Pegasus 38 Review: Why This Is the Most Versatile Running Sneaker for 2021

This Nike Pegasus 38 review is part of our 2021 SELF Certified Sneaker Awards, where the shoe won Best Marathon Training Sneaker. You can see the rest of our award winners here. 

I’ve considered myself a runner for well over a decade now, but that doesn’t mean that every run is a fun-filled jaunt around my neighborhood. In fact, some runs feel downright hard. Blame it on dehydration, lack of sleep, muscle soreness from another workout, or just having a bad day—sometimes running still feels really challenging.

It’s on those tough days that I’m especially thankful for shoes like the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38. The workhorse trainer—which was first introduced in 1983—continues to be a shoe that any runner, at any level, can use and love. This shoe ticks a lot of boxes and feels like the perfect middle ground between a cushioned training shoe and a speedy racing shoe. Read on to see exactly what I mean.

How I Tested

To test this shoe for the 2021 SELF Certified Sneaker Awards, I followed the criteria set by our experts, and then ran in these shoes for three to five miles a few times per week, for about a month.

Though these sneakers are not specifically intended for cross-training, I also wore them for a few bodyweight workouts just to see how they’d hold up in a gym setting.

Fit

I always find that Nike runs a bit narrow and a bit small. Having worn Nike several times previously, I got these shoes in a women’s size 7.5 (I typically wear a 7), and they fit just fine. Per our experts’ recommendation, I had about a half-inch of room in the toe box.

I took these shoes in a regular width, but if you need it, they’re also offered in wide. I personally think these shoes run a bit narrow, so if you’re on the fence, I’d opt for the wide fit. These shoes have a classic tongue and lace-up style (with a convenient pull tab on the tongue), so I was able to adjust the tightness of the shoe to my preferred feel.

Shape of the Shoe

These shoes have a sleek, low profile that makes them look modern and cool. Despite the fact that the heel isn’t stacked super high like other shoes, there’s plenty of cushion hidden in there (more on that below). Most of all, I really appreciate that these shoes have a much more streamlined look to them than a lot of the chunkier shoes that I usually run in.

The Pegasus 38 curl up just a bit at the heel and the toe, and squeeze in at the midfoot, giving them a near hourglass silhouette.

Feel of the Shoe

When I slipped these on, I was pleasantly surprised to feel just how cushioned they were. Since they have such a low profile, I was skeptical there’d be enough padding in there to keep my old-lady knees happy throughout the run. However, once I started moving, I quickly realized these strike a good balance between responsive and cushioned.