Nike Pegasus 42.
The safe default that no longer wins on merit. Grip, upper comfort and toebox room are all genuinely improved, and a moderate stack keeps the ride natural and predictable for heel strikers. But the new full-length Air Zoom unit added little in RunRepeat's lab, the shoe is still heavy, and it took another price rise to $145 — the Novablast 6 is more shoe for less money.
The Verdict.
Gavler Meta-Score
“A good shoe that has been overtaken. Buy it if you are a Pegasus loyalist or a heel striker who wants a moderate, predictable stack and a roomier upper than the Peg 41. Do not buy it expecting the new Air Zoom unit to transform the ride — the lab testing says it does not — and if you are choosing on merit rather than habit, the Novablast 6 is lighter, faster and $5 cheaper.”
The Gavler Verdict
Where to Buy.
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Precision Engineering
Curved Full-Length Air Zoom Unit
Nike's headline update — but RunRepeat's lab found it adds little from a performance standpoint, leaving the ride familiar.
Roomier Upper Than Peg 41
More forefoot and toebox space, addressing the most common complaint about the previous generation.
Improved Waffle Outsole
High-abrasion rubber and flex grooves; traction is one of the clearest year-over-year gains.
Technical Specifications
The Scoreboard
The 8.8 is the lowest score among the daily trainers here and reflects a specific expert finding rather than a vague one: RunRepeat determined that the marquee full-length Air Zoom unit adds little in performance terms, and paired that with criticisms of weight, forefoot shock absorption and a second consecutive price increase. Genuine improvements to traction, upper comfort and toebox room keep it credible.
Cast Your Vote
Do you think Nike Pegasus 42 deserves the #5 spot in Best Running Shoes?
Global Critique
“The new full-length Air Zoom unit adds little from a performance standpoint, leaving the ride familiar rather than exciting.”
“While this is a better version of the Pegasus, rivals are evolving quickly and this update does not fully keep pace.”
“We really liked the comfy upper plus the improved grip.”
“Cons: Feels heavy, Lacks forefoot shock absorption”
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