Nike Pegasus Turbo Next Nature Introduction

When the Pegasus Turbo launched back in 2018, it was one of the most hyped and heavily marketed running shoes of all time. It was designed to be a faster, lighter version of their bestseller, the Pegasus which was on version 35 at the time.

My relationship with the Pegasus Turbo series has been a love-hate one. I only ever wore the first version once before sending it back. It had a really weird upper with a low forefoot ceiling that pinned my foot down in an awkward position- my forefoot was hanging over the side of the midsole.

The original Pegasus Turbo gave me a foot injury after just one run which had me limping for 2 weeks: this was the worst running shoe I’ve ever run in.

The Pegasus Turbo 2 kept the same midsole and outsole as version 1 but had a redesigned upper. I loved this version. It had a super soft, springy ride which felt much more engaging and fun than the regular Pegasus.

In the past 3 years, the extinct Pegasus Turbo 2 has gained a cult following amongst all types of runners: from casual runners, all the way to sub-elite and elites.

The sole of the Pegasus Turbo 2 had one big flaw though: the layer of ZoomX and the layer of React foam would separate, starting from the heel. This happened with 2 different pairs of mine. Since the Pegasus Turbo 2, Nike hasn’t created a really good plateless, lightweight, tempo trainer.

The Streakfly is the most similar shoe to the Pegasus Turbo 2 but it suffers from outsole durability issues and it has far less cushioning depth than the Peg Turbo 2 had.

The Pegasus Turbo Next Nature is the latest shoe in the Pegasus Turbo series and it’s made from at least 50 percent recycled materials. It has a completely different upper, midsole and outsole compared to the first and second generations.

Nike says that the new Pegasus Turbo Next Nature is made to help you increase tempo without sacrificing comfort; it’s a speed shoe for faster runs.

The Pegasus Turbo Next Nature weighs 8.6 oz (244 g). The Pegasus Turbo 2 weighed 7.2 oz (204 g) and the regular Pegasus 39 weighs 9.2 oz (261 g) for comparison.

The Pegasus Turbo Next Nature costs $150 which comes as a surprise because it is $30 less than the Peg Turbo 1 and 2 and only $20 more than Pegasus 39.

Nike Pegasus Turbo Next Nature First Impressions

The first time I saw pictures of the Pegasus Turbo Next Nature, I was disappointed because I knew that it would have a firm ride. I knew this because the Alphafly Next Nature also had a midsole made of scraps of recycled ZoomX foam and it had a firmer ride than the Alphafly made of virgin ZoomX.

When I laced it up and walked around in it, the midsole didn’t compress all that much and the Flyknit upper felt very thick, warm and stiff.

My first run was a speed workout consisting of 5 x 1.2 km intervals. After the warm up, I had to stop to adjust the lacing because the foot lockdown didn’t feel secure- it doesn’t have holes for a runner’s knot.

The Pegasus Turbo Next Nature performed better than I expected it to but I didn’t feel much return from the midsole foam. The firm toe-off made it easy to increase speed while the ride felt very smooth.

In the last 1 km, I had to stop because it felt like the laces had come undone but they hadn’t- it was because the laces were too long and were flapping around.

Nike Pegasus Turbo Next Nature Upper

The Pegasus Turbo Next Nature’s upper makes the shoe feel like a casual, lifestyle sneaker. The material is Flyknit but a very thick, stiff version of it. It’s not very breathable so it’s more suited to winter runs or cool climates.

It has a stripe down the middle of the toe box which the original Peg Turbo had but this time, it’s stitched so you can feel the stitching of the stripe on the inside of the shoe which is annoying.

Flywire cables are stitched onto the outside of the upper in order to provide a secure midfoot lockdown. Flywire is something that the first Peg Turbo had but the second version didn’t have.

The tongue is attached on both sides almost like a bootie construction so it stays in place during runs. The inside of the collar is smooth and there’s a moderate amount of padding which feels extremely comfortable around your ankle.

The Pegasus Turbo Next Nature’s weakness is that foot lockdown is poor because there are no double eyelets at the top so you can’t do a runner’s knot. This makes the shoe feel like a casual sneaker because the area around the ankle feels loose. It reminds me of the upper of the Ultraboost but far less comfortable.

It fits true to size with an accommodating heel, midfoot, forefoot and toe box. You could go down a half size if you prefer a more snug fit but then the length might feel too short.

I prefer the extra room in front of my toes.

Nike Pegasus Turbo Next Nature Sole Unit

Nike only advertises ZoomX in the midsole of the Peg Turbo Next Nature but there’s actually another foam (SR-02) surrounding it so that it doesn’t make contact with the ground. This improves the durability of the sole unit because ZoomX is a very brittle foam.

The Peg Turbo Next Nature has a firm ride. Much firmer than the previous Peg Turbos and even firmer than the Pegasus 39 which uses React foam. The reason it’s so firm is because recycled ZoomX doesn’t compress much when it’s loaded so the ride lacks energy return and feels a bit flat when compared to the latest foam innovations.

The firm toe-offs make it easier to increase the pace so the Peg Turbo Next Nature feels faster than the Pegasus 39. It also feels smoother because it doesn’t have airbags which you feel inside the Pegasus 39.

I prefer using the Peg Turbo Next Nature for uptempo runs rather than easy runs because it doesn’t have that pleasing underfoot squish which I look for in an easy day shoe.

Anything faster than the 5:30 per kilometre and it feels a lot more efficient and comfortable. I don’t like using it for runs faster than 4:30 per kilometre because its forefoot is a little too flexible so it doesn’t feel snappy.

Even though it has a firm ride, it still has plenty of cushioning depth. The longest run I did in it was 27 km and the cushioning didn’t bottom out. I feel like you could easily run a full marathon in it. This is one area where it beats the Pegasus Turbo 1 and 2.

Nike doesn’t state the drop of the shoe but it feels like 6 or 8 mm. The slope from heel to toe definitely feels less steep than the Pegasus 39 which is 10 mm- it’s easier to midfoot and forefoot strike in the Peg Turbo Next Nature.

My favourite part of the Peg Turbo Next Nature is its outsole. The entire forefoot and entire rearfoot are protected with hard rubber. The midfoot doesn’t have rubber coverage but the SR-02 foam is relatively abrasion resistant.

I’ve noticed a little bit of wear on the outer heel areas but nothing alarming.

You should be able to get at least 800 km out of the outsole.

Grip is very good: I’ve had no problems in the traction department.

Nike Pegasus Turbo Next Nature Conclusions

The Pegasus Turbo Next Nature should have just been called the Pegasus Next Nature because it doesn’t have much in common with the Pegasus Turbos of days gone by.

Its recycled ZoomX midsole is neither soft, nor bouncy and it has a thick upper which belongs on a lifestyle sneaker. The absence of extra eyelet holes means that you can’t get a really good foot lockdown.

With the Pegasus Turbo Next Nature, I think Nike is targeting sneakerheads and casual runners looking for a casual gym shoe that they can run short distances in. They are merely using the “Pegasus” name as a marketing tool.

Its running performance isn’t terrible but it’s also nothing special or unique: it’s a very average running shoe for uptempo runs. When it comes to lightweight trainers that can pick up the pace, I’d choose the Mach 5 and the Rebel v3 ahead of the Peg Turbo Next Nature because they have livelier rides and their uppers are much, much better. They’re also cheaper.

The areas where the Peg Turbo Next Nature are stronger in are outsole durability and stability. I would love to see another Pegasus Turbo iteration with regular ZoomX instead of the recycled version. I think that’s what we all still want.

I feel the same way about the Pegasus Turbo Next Nature as I did about the Alphafly Next Nature.

By going for the earth friendly option, you’re sacrificing performance. It doesn’t have a fun ride and it doesn’t do anything in particular better than any other trainer on the market: you’re paying a premium (over the Pegasus 39) for the “Turbo” name and its recycled components.