Nike Pegasus Trail 5 Introduction

Like its predecessors, the Nike Pegasus Trail 5 does not fail to visually stun as a stylish and fun shoe that looks as good walking down the street as on the road or smooth singletrack trail. Just avoid running in dusty, dirty, or muddy conditions (if you’re wearing the Glacier Blue/Daybreak/Sundial/White colorway, like I tested).

The Pegasus Trail is the trail sibling to the classic Pegasus road running line. Within Nike’s trail running line, the Pegasus Trail leans into road to trail versatility over technical trail capability. The Pegasus Trail is a little bit more rugged than the Nike Juniper and lighter and with less trail-focused features than the Zegama or Wildhorse.

For this iteration of the Pegasus Trail, Nike focused on enhancing its capabilities for its niche as a road to trail shoe. Less rubber along the outsole compared to the previous iteration to create a smooth transition from road to trail.

The midsole has been updated with Nike ReactX foam, which was introduced in 2023 with the dual goals of providing higher energy return with minimal environmental impact. The Pegasus Trail 5 weighs 243 g/8.5 oz (Women’s US 8) and is 1-2 ounces heavier than its predecessor.

At $150, the Pegasus Trail 5 comes in at a slightly higher price point than its road to trail competitors, like the Hoka Challenger 7 ($145), Altra Outroad 2 ($120), Brooks Divide ($110).

Nike Pegasus Trail 5 Impressions

There’s a gravel path about a mile away from my house, and this is the perfect shoe for a run straight from the house to terrain like that. On singletrack trails with a few rocks and roots – either hiking or running – these also are a reliable choice.

They are breathable and keep your feet cool and dry in hot climates and provide enough insulation from the elements in cold weather. They have excellent drainage and dry quickly in wet conditions.

On more technical trails with a lot of hazards and obstacles, like slick surfaces, rocks, and roots, these often feel insufficient in protection, traction, and stability. The softness underfoot and lack of rockplate create vulnerabilities for sharp objects. Even the top of the shoe is too soft for contact with obstacles. On steep, slippery surfaces, the traction is not as reliable and durable as Vibram.

One thing that really bothered me about these was how quickly they got dirty. They were so beautiful out of the box, but they picked up dirt so quickly and permanently. If you’re running in these on any dusty or muddy surfaces, they are just not practical, especially in the lighter colorways.

Nike Pegasus Trail 5 Protection

Nike Pegasus Trail 5 Durability

After over 50 miles running in the Pegasus Trail 5, they have proven to be reliably durable.

The durability will not limit these shoes on a long ultra distance race.

While these got dirty so quickly, they show little signs of wear and tear that would affect functionality. The Nike Trail All Terrain Compound (ATC) rubber outsole is so far uncompromised and there is very little abrasive damage.

Nike Pegasus Trail 5 Responsiveness & speed

The ride felt about that much more responsive than the Peg Trail 4. At 9.5 mm, the heel to toe drop on the Peg 5 is unchanged from its predecessor and a little higher than other trail shoes. This is advantageous for a road to trail, adventure shoe, as it facilitates some speed. These would be great for a fast race course that includes a combination of road and moderately technical trails.

Nike used an all-direction traction pattern and used rubber in the forefoot for the outsole of the Peg Trail 5. This outsole is designed to provide extra grip for technical trails while maintaining a smooth ride for the road. This outsole is smooth on road and provides sufficient grip on grass and gravel – however, I wished for more traction on wet surfaces, smooth rock, and on steeper terrain.

Nike Pegasus Trail 5 Comfort and fit

I typically size up in Nike shoes, so I did when trialing the Pegasus Trail 5. I did not regret the extra space in the toe box, as I find all Nike running shoes to be tighter in the toe box than other running shoe brands.

These do not feel heavy or cumbersome. The upper construction combined engineered mesh with open holes for breathability in hot, humid weather and drainage in wet conditions. These also dry out quickly even after being fully submerged, which is critical for water crossings.

I did have some issues with lock down. Despite a narrow toe box, the mid-foot area of the shoe did not always lock down as much as I needed in rocky terrain. There were several instances where I almost rolled my ankle when maneuvering around obstacles.

I experienced a hot spot after extended wear (typically 2 hours or more) on the outside of my big toe.

Nike Pegasus Trail 5 Conclusions

The Nike Pegasus Trail 5 delivers in the use cases it is designed for – a stylish running shoe that allows you to seamlessly transition from road to trail. You can run in them every day on a range of surfaces, from the road to moderate trails, and in varying weather.

The engineered mesh outsole provides excellent breathability in hot, muggy conditions and the shoe drains and dries easily in case of puddles or water crossings.

They’re comfortable out of the box and responsive enough to run a race in as long as the terrain isn’t too technical. If you have moderate trails nearby, these are perfect for being able to run right out of the house on roads to a trail.

For those who run on trails that are more technical and require more protection and responsiveness on steep or rocky terrain, the Peg Trail 5 leaves something to be desired. Technical trails with potential hazards, like sharp rocks or roots, are not the ideal surface for these. The softness of the midsole and upper are insufficient to protect against impact. The traction can be insufficient on slippery and steep surfaces.

Overall, I liked the updates to the Pegasus Trail 5. Nike leaned into the Trail Peg 5’s road to trail habitat, so it continued to get better for running fast in soft comfort and style.