THE NIKE PEGASUS 38 SHIELD VERSUS PEGASUS 37 SHIELDĪll the design updates take place on the Pegasus 38’s upper, as both the models use an identical sole. The Zoom Air forefoot doesn’t feel like an integral part of the midsole, and the React cushioning is temperature dependent. Strangely, the upper has extremely low levels of reflectivity for a Shield model. It shares the same midsole with the standard model, so there’s plenty of cushioning for The outsole grip is superb, and the insulated upper is water-resistant. The Pegasus 38 Shield has most of the ingredients that make a capable winter running shoe. ( Related read: The most reflective running shoes.) PROS AND CONS The midfoot panel or large heel cutouts are the most effective placement positions for reflectivity.Įven having a set of reflective laces would have improved the Pegasus 38 Shield’s visibility in the dark. There’s a good reason why most running shoes place their high-visibility trims on the heel, midfoot, or toe-box. Because by the time the shoe is 30 miles in, a thin coat of dried-up road salt and slush splashes obscures the shiny bits. Instead of using reflective trims on the upper, the midsole includes specks of shiny material. The reflective specks on the midsole are soon covered by winter slush and road salt. There’s very little reflectivity on the Pegasus 38 Shield. We haven’t noticed significant wear on our pair 50 miles in.Ī median lifespan of 400 miles sounds about right. Even the React midsole is firmer than before, and that slows the cushioning loss.īased on our experience, even soft insoles – like the kind that the Pegasus 38 has – last a very long time before they go completely flat.įinally, though the ‘Storm-Tread’ outsole rubber is soft, its compact layout means that the wear and tear are distributed evenly. The upper is very well put together, the durable synthetic splash-guards and thick mesh see to that. And since an embedded Zoom Air isn’t visible ( unless Solereview cuts the shoe open) from the outside, nobody is going to miss it anyway. Zoom Air sounds cool, but it no longer adds performance value. Nike, in particular, has ZoomX which has been used with great success in the Pegasus Turbo and Vomero. Today, the footwear industry has access to a wide range of cushioning materials that are far superior to traditional inserts.

Nike can make the Pegasus 38 more responsive by adding ZoomX foam and not Zoom Air. Cushioning inserts made a lot of sense during the era of blocky Polyurethane and go-flat EVA foam midsoles. We think it’s a good time to retire the Zoom Air bag.

The added firmness and outsole grip also make the midsole tempo-friendly.Ī few closing thoughts before we wrap up this section. It’s got adequate ride comfort for daily winter runs and endurance sessions alike. The Pegasus 38 Shield’s well-rounded ride manners are versatile enough for many use cases. Off-road use will quickly clog the outsole, so you’re better served with a road-trail hybrid like the Pegasus Trail 3. The closely-spaced lugs also mean that the Pegasus 38 Shield is strictly a road shoe. Like any other rubber outsole, ice and snow-covered surfaces are to be avoided the Storm-Tread is of little use under those circumstances. The Nike Storm-Tread outsole has an excellent grip on wet roads. The Storm-Tread outsole is useless on ice, so spikes are recommended. The only drawback is the abysmally low level of reflectivity, which is strange for a running shoe that’s intended for the darker months. The upper does a respectable job of blocking the water and cold, and the outsole grip is a cut above the rest. Though competing brands like adidas, Asics, Brooks, and Saucony sell winterized versions of their popular models, the Nike Pegasus 38 Shield is our favorite winter-running shoe. It’s cushioned, protective, durable, and has an accommodating fit that will take even thick wool running socks. Out of the three, the Pegasus Shield offers the best balance between different performance traits. However, that’s not always the case.įor the 2021-22 season, Nike sells three Shield models – the Pegasus 38, React Miler 2, and Winflo 8. Lastly, the Shield collection is supposed to be more reflective than a comparable non-Shield shoe. The outsole material and geometry are also repurposed to meet the traction requirements for wet roads. Two, the mesh shell is supposed to keep the feet warm during the colder months. Ironically, reflectivity (represented by the graphic that resembles squiggly germs) is nearly absent on the Pegasus Shield.įirstly, the upper is highly water-resistant. The graphic on the footbed is suggestive of Nike Shield’s feature-set.

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