Introduction:

I’ve never actually been a trail runner. Mainly due to the fact that there were no real running routes near where I lived. The closest would have been along the canal, which I did run a few times, albeit in my road running shoes. However, I moved to the East Midlands in December 2020 and that has given me the opportunity to explore some new routes and areas.

I do own a pair of Adidas Galaxy Trail shoes, but they are designed purely for trail runs. As I still run primarily on road, I wanted a more hybrid shoe; something that could handle pavement, as well as muddy or lighter trail conditions. As a Nike.com member, I get 25% discount for the month of my birthday. I decided to treat myself and pick up a pair of Nike Pegasus Trail 2 running shoes. With my birthday discount, I paid a total of £72.42.

First Impressions:

I went with the “volt / baroque brown / black” colour way, so I knew that they wouldn’t be subtle… but wow! If I can’t get red and black, then volt and black is my next best option, and the Nike Pegasus Trail 2 didn’t disappoint.

There don’t seem to be many people who appreciate a heel tab, but I’m definitely one of the few who do. The heel tab on the Nike Pegasus Trail 2 is probably the largest that I’ve used personally. I liked the tab on the Nike Odyssey React, but the tab here is a lot wider. Being wider makes it a lot easy to grip when putting the shoes on. It also gives enough room for Nike to add the model of the shoe in writing.

The front of the toe box has a rubberized covering, which is handy on a trail shoe where you are going to be encountering sharp rocks and uneven terrain. I can see it saving my toes from a few bruises as I clip a few stones.

The lugs on the outsole are more pronounced than regular road running shoes. On first glance, it did make me question how comfortable they would feel on the tarmac.

Oh, and they also included a Nike Trail sticker inside the box, which I thought was pretty neat!

Sizing:

I tend to now go with a size 6.5 in my Nike running shoes. I did previously opt for size 6, unless it was the Vomero range where I used to size up by half a size as they were really cushioned and padded. I’ve now switched to 6.5 in my Nike running shoes just to give my feet a touch more room, and also allow for thicker socks.

For the Nike Pegasus Trail 2, I again went with a size 6.5 in the men’s colourway. They fit great and I don’t have any heel slippage. There is enough room in the toe box whilst still feeling secure.

Running:

I usually “break” new shoes in with a few shorter runs to get a feel for them. It can be a bit risky heading out on a longer run and then finding out that your shoes rub or give you blisters! However, there was a local route that I wanted to explore so I decided to take the risk and lace up the Nike Pegasus Trail 2.

Straight away the shoes felt comfortable. To get to the trail, I have to run around 1.5 to 2 miles on the pavement. The Nike Pegasus Trail 2 felt a lot more cushioned than I was expecting. They do have quite a high looking midsole and heel, but I wasn’t sure how comfortable the shoes would feel on the pavement due to the outsole lugs being quite large.

The trail route consisted of compacted sand and mud, as well as some wet mud, grass and puddles. There were also parts of the route where the path was made up of rough and uneven rocks. Regardless of the terrain change, the Nike Pegasus Trail 2 took it all in stride. I never felt uncomfortable or like I was going to slip. The traction was quite impressive too, even when changing from wet to dry mud, and then back to pavement.

My first run in the Nike Pegasus Trail 2 was a total of 9 miles, which had actually been my longest run since October when I did the Virtual London Marathon. I actually felt like I could have kept going too! The shoes felt really comfortable, despite it being my first run in them, and my longest for months.

I’ve clocked up a few more miles in them since and have to say, they are currently the pair of shoes that I most look forward to lacing up! That’s also a pretty bold statement considering I have been using them solely for my long run days so far – the run that I tend to struggle to find motivation for.

Distances:

So far, my longest run in the Nike Pegasus Trail 2 has been 11 miles. They felt great throughout and offer enough cushioning for me to easily cover the half marathon distance. Although I haven’t worked up to a higher mileage in them yet, I’d feel confident if I had to wear them for a full marathon.

Pace:

I’ve been using the Nike Pegasus Trail 2 as my Sunday long run shoe of choice. They give me the option to tackle different terrain and a wider range of routes. So far, I’ve been running with a pace of between 10:25-11:40 minutes per mile. The ample cushioning makes these a great shoe for my easier paced long runs.

However, like the standard road Pegasus model, the Nike Pegasus Trail 2 adapt well to changes in pace. They could easily be used as a daily training shoe if you were looking for a hybrid model. Despite the cushioning making them comfortable for longer and easier paced runs, they still have that traditional responsiveness when you do decide to pick up speed.

Rotation:

Typically, I have 3 pairs of shoes in my running rotation, plus another for cross training.

At the time of writing, my rotation is as follows:

• Nike Odyssey React – easy paced runs on the road
• Nike Pegasus 36 – medium or faster paced road runs
• Nike Pegasus Trail 2 – long distance runs and trail runs
• Nike Vomero 12 – slower paced recovery runs where I feel I need extra cushioning
• Nike Zoom Elite 10 – track workouts, 5k and 10k race day
• Nike Pegasus Turbo 2 – half marathon and marathon race day
• Nike Metcon 5 – Crossfit / weightlifting
• Nike Pegasus 34 – walking / cross-training

Conclusion:

To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Nike Pegasus Trail 2. I expected them to feel more stable and tactile on any ground that wasn’t tarmac or concrete, but I didn’t really know how they’d feel when compared to standard road shoes on the pavement. They definitely hold their own though!

I was a bit skeptical about how effective a hybrid shoe could really be. I didn’t expect them to be as comfortable on pavement as my standard road shoes. With them being a hybrid, I also accepted that they wouldn’t offer as much traction on more technical trails as a pair of dedicated trail shoes. With that being said, for my usage, the Nike Pegasus Trail 2 are a great pair of shoes. I don’t run on any trails that are overly technical or challenging, and like the versatility that they offer.

All in all, I really enjoy running in the Nike Pegasus Trail 2. They are a lot of fun to run in, even if the majority of my route ends up being pavement. I would definitely recommend them if you do the occasional off-road running, or run along canal paths. In all honesty, I would enjoy using these even if I only used them on the pavement!

The only thing that I can really criticize is the lack of reflectivity. Although, that feels like harsh criticism as these shoes are designed with trail in mind.

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