Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail

Name: Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail
Brand: Nike
Rating: 4.6 (13 reviews)

Trail shoe · Neutral · Trail · 8.9 oz

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Nike Pegasus Trail 2 replaced it

How it ranks

The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail ranks among the stronger trail shoes in our data. Looks and durability are its strongest sub-ratings. Value scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating is based on 15 runner reviews and 5 other rated shoes in the Pegasus Trail product line.

Good

Overall

Good 81

Appearance

Excellent 96

Durability

Good 89

Comfort

Good 80

Value

Decent 75

Cushioning

Decent 75

Confidence

How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence is low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

90 High

High 90

Based on

The bars show roughly how much each source contributes to this shoe’s rating. Their influence depends on how many reviews we’ve collected, how many earlier versions are in the product line, and the external ratings available.

Brand rating
Our ratings
External ratings

What runners say

“Cushioning softens bumps without deadening ground feel”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for ultramarathons

“Heel drop aggressive enough for uphills, good heel cushioning on downhills”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw came from the adidas Solar Boost 19

“4mm lugs hold in mud without getting in the way on rocky terrain”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for ultramarathons

“Extra 2mm of cushion makes a world of difference”

5/5 Full review 75 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Peregrine 8

“350-450 miles with life still left”

5/5 Full review 75 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Peregrine 8

“Running on wet concrete becomes basically impossible”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw came from the adidas Solar Boost 19

“Forefoot flexibility conforms to ground”

5/5 Full review 60 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35

“Great for long distances on technical trails and quick races”

4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a marathon came from the Inov-8 X-Talon 212 (P)

“Midfoot lockdown is incredible”

5/5 Full review 75 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Peregrine 8

“Perfect for running to trailhead and continuing onward”

4/5 Full review 45 mpw training for a half marathon

“Ample cushioning makes long runs on any terrain comfortable”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw came from the adidas Solar Boost 19

“Mud cakes on forefoot after muddy workouts”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for ultramarathons

“Not ideal for off-trail or highly rugged terrain”

4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a marathon came from the Inov-8 X-Talon 212 (P)

“Toebox a little wider than road edition but not loose”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for ultramarathons

“Roomy fit, accurate length for narrow feet”

4/5 Full review 70 mpw training for sprints came from the Nike Air Zoom Vomero 13

“About 30 miles is limit for cushioning on very long runs”

4/5 Full review 70 mpw training for sprints came from the Nike Air Zoom Vomero 13

“Ankles slip occasionally on uneven surfaces”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw came from the adidas Solar Boost 19

Prefer this shoe over another

45% 5/11

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.

Pros

Reviewers rate durability highly, one with two pairs still going at 350 to 450 miles.
Reviewers use it as a road-to-trail shoe, comfortable on pavement and on non-technical trail.
Reviewers report a roomier toe box than the road Pegasus and secure midfoot lockdown.

Cons

Reviewers say the low lugs and the lack of a rock plate limit it on steep or rocky terrain.
Value is its lowest-rated dimension, at 3.9 out of 5.

Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail rates 81. This shoe has high confidence. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Nike Pegasus Trail

Each dot is one version of the Pegasus Trail, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.

Rating

40 60 80 100

75 2020 87 2021 82 2022 89 2024 81 2019 92 2026

Release year

We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating. See why.

ACG Pegasus Trail

2026 · 0 reviews

92 Very good

41 Confidence
Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail This shoe

2019 · 15 reviews

81 Good

90 Confidence
Pegasus Trail 5

2024 · 4 reviews

89 Good

56 Confidence
React Pegasus Trail 4

2022 · 11 reviews

82 Good

80 Confidence
Pegasus Trail 3

2021 · 5 reviews

87 Good

77 Confidence
Pegasus Trail 2

2020 · 3 reviews

75 Decent

62 Confidence

Runner Ratings

15 ratings

5/5 9

4/5 6

3/5 0

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 8.9 oz
Men's / women's: Men's 9.5 oz · Women's 8.3 oz
Release: 2019 Q2
MSRP: $130

Runner reviews

Write a review

If you had to choose only one pair...

4/5

Overall

Great shoes for Trail, Track, Road, City, Travel. Its comfortable, fast and stylish, many qualities which adds up for multiple terrains. no headaches

Anonymous runner · Aug 13, 2019

60 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Altra Escalante 2

Comfort: 4/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 4/5

Nike Pegasus Trail

4/5

Overall

The best thing I can say about this shoe is that it makes running on trails feel as close to running on the road in a normal pair of Pegasus as possible. I'd always either had fell-running shoes or road shoes but chose the Pegasus Trail as I like the road version and thought they were worth a try. They're great for long distances on technical trails (I just got back from 19 miles) and can also be used for quick trail race (I did a 17.30 trail 5k race in them). I wouldn't advise running off-trail or on any rugged terrain more suited for out and out fell/ mountain shoes but for those muddy, slippery runs that have bits of roads, bits of woodland, the odd stream crossing and lots of mud, they're great. The fit is great and sizes up well with standard Pegasus - the trail version does seem to have a roomier toebox though. A pleasure to run in.

Anonymous runner · Aug 10, 2019

55 mpw training for a marathon came from the Inov-8 X-Talon 212 (P)

Comfort: 4/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 4/5
Value: 4/5

5/5

Overall

Anonymous runner · Jul 23, 2019

80 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 4/5

A good jack-of-all trades trail shoe.

5/5

Overall

This is the perfect trail shoe for people who don't need a specific shoe to match conditions. Beginning with the outsole, the 4mm lugs are long enough to hold in mud, but not get in the way when the trail turns rocky or dries out. The rubber isn't sticky, but grips well enough on dry and wet rock. On the downside, the channels on the bottom clear mud out pretty well, but there has been some caking on the forefoot after some muddy workouts. Cushioning is good: On rocky trails, the cushioning softens out most bumps, but doesn't deaden the feeling of the ground so much that you lose track of the surface. Front protection is good too and stubbed toes haven't been an issue. Fit is similar to the road Pegasus from the heel to the midfoot--snug, but not tight, but the toebox feels a little wider than the road edition, but not loose. The upper is thinner than the road model and doesn't retain water, but it stills feels like it provides protection. I have lighter shoes for trail races and prefer Inov 8s for really rocky trails, but this shoe feels like an ideal balance for a variety of trail conditions and for runs where cushioning outweighs speed.

bitterboy · Jul 21, 2019

50 mpw training for ultramarathons

Comfort: 4/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 4/5

Good entry level trail shoe

4/5

Overall

The Nike Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail is a very good entry trail shoe. It was my first pair of trail shoes and I have logged around 50 miles in them so far. Looks The Pegasus 36 Trail looks alright in my opinion, but depending on your tastes you may like it. Being a Nike shoe, it is obviously more understated than its competitors, which many appreciate. I however would prefer a more flashy, colored shoe to match the trail theme. In fact the women’s version of the shoe does offer some of these themes, so it is disappointing to see the male color options are so dull. Comfort + Cushioning There is amble cushioning on this shoe that makes long runs on any terrain comfortable. A good midsole results in a firm and responsive ride that feels great. The heel drop feels just right on this shoe: aggressive enough that you can pick up the pace and get on your toes - particularly on uphills, but just enough to provide good heel cushioning on the downhills. Upper The upper on the Pegasus 36 Trail is quite durable, and feels so. The laces feel great and easy to adjust to the right tightness; as someone who trains in Adidas for both their trainers and workouts, which use an individual-tightening lace system, it feels great. Most notable of the upper is the thick, solid heel counter. I have had huge problems with blistering on the back of my heels from shoes with solid heel counters, but the generous sizing of the Pegasus means that I haven’t had that problem with this shoe. Sizing This is a bigger shoe, but I would still recommend buy your shoe size as expected. Fits well and offers good toe room. Have not struggled with blisters at all with this shoe. Support: The bulk of the support of the shoe is on the outside, to prevent twisting the ankle on uneven terrains. Despite this I still felt my ankles slip occasionally on surfaces I would have expected the shoe to grip or support. Lower: The issue with grip is further highlighted in the lugs; they are quite low compared to other trail shoes and therefore don’t feel particularly “grippy” on steeper downhills. The tradeoff off for this is, for a trail shoe, they aren’t too bad on concrete. I have viably used these on concrete trails/road, and they feel like normal shoes. However, I would not recommend using them as daily trainers if most of your mileage is on the concrete, as you will still feel slight slipping — and running on wet concrete becomes basically impossible. However the important conclusion here is that, despite being a purpose built trail shoe, the Pegasus 36 Trail is quite adaptable on all surfaces. Value The Pegasus 36 Trail is by no means a budget shoe, and by merit of being a trail shoe, this isn’t going to replace your daily mileage trainers. However, the adaptability as previously mention does give the Pegasus 36 Trail some bonus points in this category, as you can feasibly take it on to the roads, which gives it decent value. Conclusion For me, the Pegasus 36 Trail is a good shoe. While it lacks the support and grip I expected from a trail shoe, it made up for it by being a far more adaptable piece of equipment, allowing me to sub in some miles on the concrete. It is one of the most comfortable shoes I have worn, and holds up over long runs and tougher terrains. I feel that experienced trail runners may be turned away from the Pegasus 36 Trail for its average support and lower grip, but for a beginner runner used to roads like me, this is a great entry level shoe.

Anonymous runner · Jul 17, 2019

30 mpw came from the adidas Solar Boost 19