The Nike Pegasus Trail 3 They arrive with few changes compared to the Pegasus Trail 2. These are in the upper area, as most of this area has been modified. The forefoot area remains unchanged, with a toe cap that is part of the outsole and heat-sealed diamonds to reinforce the structure of the area.
The rest has undergone changes. Both the midsole and the rearfoot are new in the Pegasus Trail 3. Where we see no changes is in the midsole and outsole, which are exactly the same as the previous model.
But you must take into account what segment these shoes are aimed at, because it is not a pure trail shoe as I will explain later. This does not mean that they do not have good performance, it is just that it is important that you value what you are looking for in a shoe of this type.
The range is complemented by two other trail-specific models, the Terra Kiger 7 and the Wildhorse 7. While the Pegasus Trail 3 is aimed at the "road to trail" segment and less demanding users, the other two models are much more adventurous.
Content
Plus
- Full React midsole
- Good transition between asphalt and roads/trails
- Spacious and protected forefoot
Minus
- The heel gaiter, which blocked the entry of stones and soil, has been eliminated.
- High weight
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Nike Pegasus Trail 3, what is your approach?
I have always believed that when evaluating a product it is important to do it from the prism of the user to whom it is focused, taking into account the segment to which the manufacturer has destined a product. And in the case of the Pegasus Trail (in general and also in its third version) this is something to take into account.
The Nike Pegasus Trail 3, like the models that preceded it, is not a pure trail shoe. The Pegasus Trail 3 falls into the category called "trail shoes".Road to Trail"This means that they can be perfectly combined in areas of roads and trails with stretches of pure asphalt. Or leave from the door of your house and go looking for the nearest mountain route.
There are many users who prefer to do longer rides off-road. Generally these types of outings are more entertaining and do not punish the body as much. But unless you live in the middle of nature, the start of the route is not going to be as soon as you leave the front door.
So we need a shoe that is comfortable enough to run on asphalt and not suffer too much wear and tear from abrasion, but that can also offer grip and stability when running on our favorite trails.
But this is not the only case. You can also have routes in which we do not totally abandon civilization and very often mix asphalt and roads.
Why are shoes of this type different from classic trail running shoes? Asphalt shoes have much more cushioning because we run on a generally harder terrain. On trails everything is softer and more pleasant. Also, by reducing the amount of cushioning the foot is closer to the ground, so there is more stability and ground feel.
That's for the midsole, but the outsole is also something to consider. A pure trail shoe uses a sole made of a softer material to provide grip on all types of surfaces and especially on wet terrain. But we must not forget that we are also going to run on asphalt and, if the material is too soft, we would eat it as soon as we go out on asphalt because it is much more abrasive.
Where am I going with all this? Well, when evaluating the Pegasus Trail 3 I will do it from that point of view. It is a multipurpose shoe that we can use both on asphalt and on trails, as long as it is a low or medium difficulty terrain. If we want a shoe for cresting, down firebreaks or get mud up to your ears forget the Pegasus Trail 3 because they are not a shoe that are oriented for that use.
On the other hand, if your only objective is to enjoy outings at more or less relaxed paces (or even competitions), if you do not have a very high level in the mountains or if you are going to cross many asphalt areas, then you can find in the Pegasus Trail 3 a shoe with which podrás feel comfortable.
The upper of the Nike Pegasus Trail 3
As usual in Nike, changes in successive models are usually slight. This is also the case of the Pegasus Trail 3, whose changes with respect to the model it replaces are focused on the upper. Both midsole and outsole remain unchanged, although of course I will discuss all the details in the corresponding sections.
But before that let's go with the upper and its novelties. It is composed of a double mesh, similar to the upper that we have in the Nike Pegasus 38However, in this case it has not given me the feeling of being so hot. Both the toe and the intermediate area consists of many perforations.
The forefoot is highlighted by a rubber toe cap. It is not an addition that has been placed with an adhesive but is an extension of the sole of the shoe itself.
The oversized sole will protect us from bumps or impacts that 1TP10We have against stones or other elements that we have on the road.
The design of this frontal area also stands out for its rhombus-shaped thermo-seals. They are there to provide greater structure to the front area of the shoe and prevent the toe from giving way over time and collapse on top of the metatarsal area. Therefore it will prevent that after a few months of use podamos feel that the shoe squeezes us in the front area.
This central area is very comfortable because the last is quite wide. There is plenty of room for the toes and at no time will you feel your toes pinched, not even when the foot swells as the kilometers go by.
The central area has a rather complex design. We have a piece thermosealed to the external mesh of the shoe. On that piece is where we find the eyelets for the laces, but not all are the same.
The first, second and last are on that piece that is part of the outer face of the upper. But the third and fourth support for the laces comes from a fairly wide inner tape that is inserted between the two meshes and is anchored to the shoe under the upper itself. This inner strap is attached to nylon pull tabs.
Therefore the first and last eyelets allow to close the upper, while the two intermediate ones allow to fix well the midfoot area to the shoe. So playing with the tightening of the laces in the different zones 1TP10We can customize the feeling we have with the shoe on the foot.
The tongue is now part of the shoe's internal mesh, and has plenty of padding where the laces are tightened.
This is a notable change from the Pegasus Trail 2, as the tongue and the back of the boot were made of neoprene. That construction had a positive reading and that is that it closed the foot very well and prevented the entry of stones or any other debris inside the shoe. Now we do not have any such protection so the entry of sand and small stones will be much more constant.
The laces are quite wide and very soft to the touch. I liked them a lot and they allow to fix the foot well to the shoe.
The collar area is very padded, helping to fix the heel well to the shoe. Personally I have not had any problems with heel movement nor have I noticed that the foot was not well adjusted. It is a substantial change from the previous model and the truth is that it is appreciated, both for fit and comfort.
At the rear we find a fairly generous sized nylon puller that will help us to put the shoe on. And it is appreciated because due to the absence of the neoprene piece we will find ourselves removing the shoe more or less frequently to remove all the pebbles that slip inside.
And under that puller we find plastic inserts, which are used to stiffen the entire heel area.
All in all, it is a good upper made with quality materials and feels quite durable (without being a reinforced trail shoe, of course). Ventilation is good enough, considering that it is a double mesh design.
React midsole
The midsole is perhaps the most differentiating aspect of the Pegasus Trail 3, both in terms of feel and thickness. It has 21mm of foam React in the forefoot and 31mm in the heel, which gives us a 9.5mm drop very similar to what Nike is used to in most of its models. This is the same in both the men's and women's models.
The cushioning is soft and comfortable, but not lacking in stability. It is a comfortable shoe both for running on asphalt and for running on roads or trails. Unlike its asphalt Pegasus sister, the trail model does not have an inner tube.
A priori it may seem a lot of height for a trail shoe, but Nike solves it by making a wider base. That is, if we look at the shoe from above 1TP10We can see how the midsole protrudes on both sides of the shoe, more in the heel area than in the forefoot.
In addition, this width grows from the end of the upper until it meets the sole area. In this image you can perfectly appreciate this curvature towards the external area.
Nike has designed all this geometry so that the shoe offers stability according to the type of use we are going to make of it. And while offering stability we also have cushioning (and Nike's own reactivated React material).
Of course, where all this cushioning is going to have an impact is in the weight: 364 grams in a size 46 (US 12). It is a high weight, but it is still a training shoe focused on comfort and not pure performance.
The feel of the midsole is soft. Probably by now you have already tried some Nike shoes with React foam, so you will know more than enough about how it feels. It's soft by trail shoe standards, but not to the extreme of ZoomX (a compound I doubt we'll ever see in a trail shoe).
You have to like that soft and comfortable feel, it's not something that is pleasant for all users nor is it the main deciding factor when choosing a mountain shoe. Normally soft feel doesn't usually go well with the feeling of stability, but it's not something I've noticed in a negative way. Of course stability is not a feature for which the Pegasus Trail 3 can excel.
As you might guess given the focus of this shoe, the midsole does not feature an anti-scuff plate. But I don't think that can be considered a negative because this is not a shoe that is meant to get into too much trouble or complications.
Sole
The outsole is also the same as the one we had in the Pegasus Trail 2. Its design is based on mountain bike wheels. It uses large omnidirectional lugs, but with a flat upper to continue offering good sensations on asphalt.
Like the rest of the shoe it is not a sole designed for very technical surfaces. Roads or trails with dry dirt or stones, but it would not be my choice if you move through very muddy areas or very technical crests on wet rocks. It is also true that with the characteristics of the midsole it would not be the best choice for those crests, even if the sole was different.
The advantage of this sole is what I have already mentioned above, and that is that it is a versatile shoe. You can get off the trails and start running on asphalt without any discomfort.
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Nike Pegasus Trail 3 review
For my type of use, which consists of sporadic mountain running because my sport is triathlon, the Nike Pegasus Trail 3 are the perfect shoes.
Not only for the fact that it is a shoe focused on comfort and long runs (which in the end is the bulk of my mountain outings), but also for the versatility that allows me to run both on the mountain and on asphalt with the same comfort.
This allows me to do a mountain outing on non-technical terrain (because I have neither the technique nor the need to "get into trouble") and, if I feel like it, to get a little more adventurous from time to time on terrain that would not be suitable for an asphalt shoe.
But back to the initial point, it all depends on what your needs are and your usage profile. If like me, you are not going to run on technical surfaces, the Pegasus Trail 3 have more than enough cushioning to make all your miles comfortable.
If you're an experienced trail runner looking for a fast shoe and you like to make life difficult for yourself, the Nike Pegasus Trail 3 is the opposite of what you're looking for.
With this in mind, if your profile is similar to mine I highly doubt you will regret the purchase of the Nike Pegasus Trail 3.
And with that... thanks for reading!
Hello!
Great analysis, as always.
For a heavy runner, and when I say heavy I mean the 90-95kg fork, do they offer enough cushioning? I mean, obviously they won't have as much durability and their properties won't last as long as if we were talking about an 80kg runner, but do they offer enough protection for this type of heavy runner?
Thank you very much!
Greetings.
Thank you, David.
That's my weight, and no problem with the cushioning.