Nike upgrades one of its most popular running shoe ranges of all time

A workhorse, with wings?

Andrew Williams's avatar
By
published
in News
Nike Pegasus 42 render
(Image credit: Nike)

Nike has announced the Pegasus 42, the latest version of what was for years the most popular running shoe of them all.

It’s out on April 9th, and while UK pricing is yet to be announced a pair is likely to set you back somewhere in the region of £130.

Sounds like a lot? For the non sneaker-heads out there, it’s low enough to tell you the Nike Pegasus 42 isn’t one of Nike’s super-shoes destined to be seen on the feet of big-league London Marathon runners.

This is instead an all-purpose pair for everyday runners — ideal if you just recently started the hobby or are on your way to finishing a couch-to-5K programme.

“We’ve taken what runners have always loved about the Pegasus franchise and turned it into the best version yet with the Pegasus 42,” says Elliott Heath, Nike Running senior footwear expert.

There are some key changes in this generation, which lead to Nike’s claim of a 15 per cent improvement to energy return.

The Air Zoom midsole element now runs through the entire length of the shoe, rather than employing separate sections for the forefoot and heel. Plenty of the Pegasus vital statistics remain the same, though.

This is a 10mm drop shoe with a 37mm stack height, but it gains some extra padding in the toe box area. And the series continues to use Nike’s ReactX foam.

Nike Pegasus was the most popular running shoe range in 2024 according to Strava data, but was apparently pipped by the Asics Novablast in 2025.

One difficulty for super-established shoe lines like Nike Pegasus at present is the sheer amount of competition nipping at their heels. Last year the Adidas Evo SL picked up loads of heat for their sheer value, while also packing a nylon shank at a similar price to the Pegasus 41 — for extra rigidity without going all the way to a carbon plate.

ACG Pegasus Trail render.

(Image credit: Nike)

Nike also unveiled a trail running alternative to the Pegasus 42, dubbed the ACG Pegasus Trail. It has far more pronounced outsole lugs and a shallower 8mm drop, but also uses ReactX foam in its midsole.

The ACG Pegasus Trail will cost slightly more than the Pegasus 42 — UK pricing TBC — when it arrives in April.

NIke’s Pegasus range has been around since 1982 and, yep, the “42” name is not a ruse. This series really has been updated most years since its inception.

Shortlist Google Preferred Source



Skip the search — follow Shortlist on Google News to get our best lists, news, features and reviews at the top of your feeds!

Andrew Williams
Andrew Williams
Contributor

Andrew Williams has written about all sorts of stuff for more than a decade — from tech and fitness to entertainment and fashion. He has written for a stack of magazines and websites including Wired, TrustedReviews, TechRadar and Stuff, enjoys going to gigs and painting in his spare time. He's also suspiciously good at poker.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.