If you want a light, responsive, daily runner for a marathon and half-marathon training then you need to check out the legendary “Peg” – the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 Performance Review.
The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 Review highlights the next iteration of Nike’s wildly popular Nike Pegasus distance running shoe. It’s been specifically built to be an affordable, daily training shoe. It’s the everyday runners training shoe in the Nike Air Zoom series of serious running shoes.
It features similar comfort and design features to its more expensive siblings Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT%, Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT%, and the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT%. Like its 3 more race-focused siblings, it also features technologically advanced mid-foot cushioning, a bouncy air pod, and a super light upper.
What makes the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 different? Nike uses its React cushioning in the midsole as opposed to Zoom X in its more expensive siblings. It also uses one larger air pod in the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 versus a pod running the length of the shoe in the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36. The more expensive Air Zoom series shoes each have 2 air pods. And the new engineered mesh upper is ultralight, translucent, and has a new form-fitting tongue.
If you want to make the most of your daily training miles then the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 is a comfortable, reliable, springy shoe to do it in. Let’s take a closer look.
NEW: Updated Zoom Air pod in the forefoot
NEW: Nike® React foam provides a bouncy cushion for each step
NEW: Streamlined, form-fitting tongue
NEW: Midfoot band adapts to the size of your feet
NEW: Translucent mesh upper
Neutral running shoe
Midsole Drop: 10mm
Weight: 10.05
Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 Review
The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 is the new update to the storied lineup of Nike Pegasus distance running shoes. Like its predecessors, it’s an affordable daily training shoe with a touch of the technical elements from its more expensive counterparts.
It sports a responsive foam that durable for cranking out the miles, a comfortable fit with a molded tongue, updated lacing and an exaggerated ankle collar for greater Achilles support. And a banded midsole that accommodates for a proper fit without being too snug.
Pro: Lighter feel of engineered mesh
Pro: Midfoot band creates a snug fit without being too tight
Pro: Exaggerated ankle collar gives the Achilles added support
Pro: Improved lacing system is lighter and still provides a snug fit
Pro: Air Zoom pod is the forefoot feels more like you’re launching forward
Pro: Upgrade to React foam provides more energy absorption and energy return
Pro: New outsole design is “grippier”
Pro: Great for walking around in as well as your first real distance running shoe
Pro: Tons of look and feel options like different colors, brand logo options (ie, college teams), and even the ability to design your own colors.
Con: More narrow than other Air Zoom running shoes like the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus Turbo 2 (discontinued)
Con: Slightly heavier than Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 (.15 ounces heavier)
Con: Little stiffer than the Pegasus 36
All in all, it’s a solid daily running shoe. Not too flashy, not too expensive, but a very dependable ride.
Nike React Foam Midsole
The new Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 gets a series to upgrade in the midsole foam. While the Pegasus 36 featured Nike Cushlon foam, the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 features Nike React foam in the midsole. React foam is lighter, more responsive, and more durable than the previous Cushlon foam. You’ll notice the energy return in its springy feel. It’s also Nike’s most durable running shoe foam. This makes it perfect for a daily training shoe.
Per Nike, runners can expect to get an additional 25% mileage out of the midsole before it begins to break down. If you typically put 400 miles on a pair of running shoes, this increases that to 500 miles and will certainly help save money in buying your next pair so soon.
Air Zoom Pod
While the Pegasus 36 featured a full-length air unit in the midsole, the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 places a pod in the forefoot for a little extra bounce in the launch.
This strategically placed Air Zoom pod is twice as thick as air pods in previous Pegasus versions so that it gives you more bounce with every step.
The men’s version is set to 20 PSI while the women’s version is set to 15 PSI. Why? Nike testing revealed consistent feedback that women wanted a ride that was “less stiff.”
The pod is also set into the top part of the midsole so that it’s closer to your foot for better responsiveness.
Molded Tongue
The thinner, evenly trimmed padded tongue of past Pegasus versions has been replaced by a tongue similar to its pricier and more technologically advanced Air Zoom series siblings.
The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 features a molded tongue, contoured and cut to fit perfectly on top of your foot. While it doesn’t lay down perfectly, it’s a nice update and makes the shoe feel faster!
Updated Lacing System
Getting a snug fit without being tight is always tricky. Too tight and you increase the chance for hotspots. To lose and the shoe moves all over the place.
The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 features an updated lacing system to more easily adjust the fit incrementally without feeling like it’s too tight. It’s also got just enough play to give each step a little extra wiggle room.
Rubberized Outsole
The outsole on the new Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 is grippier than past models. In a daily running shoe, you want stability and a smooth ride. There’s no slipping and sliding in these.
Pressure points get an extra dose of tread making them extra sticky with each foot strike while the outer edges glide through the step without catching.
The design is also built to increase durability from pronation grinding down the outsole.
Exaggerated Ankle Collar
One of the distinguishing features in the newer design of the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 is the exaggerated ankle collar.
Rather than gliding around the ankle, the back stretches up to taper away from the Achilles tendon instead of hugging it. The molded heel feels solid and stable while the bucket opening is designed to reduce rubbing.
Extended Heel
Another one of the most noticeable differences between the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 and other distance running shoes is the extended midsole at the heel.
Nike has designed this update to provide additional support through the running gate. The extended heel allows your foot to make stable contact upon heel strike.
The React foam absorbs the energy and as your foot moves forward through the running gate the energy is returned through the midsole ultimately allowing you to step onto the bouncy Air Zoom pad in the forefoot and launch forward.
Light, Mesh Upper
The upper in the new Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 is constructed with engineered mesh to provide a perfect fit and comfortable breathability throughout the entire shoe. More where you need it, less where you don’t so that it doesn’t compromise the weight of the shoe.
In fact, it’s so light in places it almost looks transparent.
Midfoot Band
Replacing the Flywire system in the Pegasus 36 is the mid-foot band in the new Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37. The new mid-foot band helps provide a more natural, snug fit in the forefoot without being too tight which has long been a con for Nike running shoes.
While this update isn’t quite as roomy as a pair of Hoka Clifton’s or ASICS Gel Kayano’s, the new Air Zoom series has definitely been designed to be roomier than Nike running shoes of the past that plagued distance runners with hot spots and lost toenails.
The new Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 is an affordable, reliable daily training shoe for distance runners. Yes, it lives in the Nike Air Zoom series of performance distance running shoes. Yes, its features look and feel like the same features in its more expensive counterparts. But it’s designed to be a reliable, comfortable distance running shoe for everyday runners. It works as a perfect companion to the more advanced race day Nike Air Zoom series shoes which are designed to be as light and as spring as possible for race day performance.