Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail review: Nike's best value-for-money trail running shoes

Use the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail for your next park run and your next road training session too.

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail review
(Image credit: Nike)
T3 Verdict

For runners who don't like to be defined as 'road' or 'trail' runners, the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail is the perfect choice, providing a decent running experience on both pavement and forest trails alike. It might not outperform the best road/trail running shoes, but for runners who often mix up their style, this is probably Nike's best value-for-money shoes to get.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Generous toebox

  • +

    Lightweight (for a trail running shoe)

  • +

    Zoom cushion

  • +

    Comfortable padding

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Collar-profile too low

  • -

    Slipping a bit on some wet surfaces

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Matt Kollat
By
last updated
in Reviews

The Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT% might be the best Nike running shoes at the moment, but this doesn't mean Nike hasn't got any other shoes to offer for road and trail runners. Nike has a long history of designing and manufacturing many of the best trail running shoes as well, just like the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail, the subject of this review.

When you are considering buying new trail running shoes, Nike is probably not the first brand that pops into your mind. You might look at the Inov8 Mudclaw or X-Talon first, or the Salomon S/Lab series, maybe even Hoka One One's EVO Speedgoat 4. But if you are after shoes that can be used not just for trail running, you should definitely consider the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail. 

The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail is built on the foundation of the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36, which is an excellent road running shoe on its own term, and the trail-version inherited many of its best qualities, as well as added some trail-specific features, too.

How did the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail fare on our trail running trial? Let's find out.

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail review: top view of the shoes

Built on solid foundation, the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail offers a lot of features for the lovers of the Great Outdoors

(Image credit: Nike)

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail review: tech

Nike is advertising the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail as the best of both worlds: shoes that can be used on the trail as well as on the road. They are indeed what I would call intermittent-shoes: not quite road running shoes, neither full-fledged trail running shoes.

This is mainly due to the way they were designed: Nike hasn't built the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail from the ground up as trail running shoes, it merely 'trailified' the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36, keeping many of the road running features intact.

For example, the perforated mesh upper does wonders to keep the airflow going inside the shoes; it's not so ideal when you want to keep your feet dry splashing around the mud. Saying that, I found the upper somewhat waterproof and it can definitely withstand some rain, as long as you avoid large puddles.

Underfoot, the Zoom Air units (under the heel and forefoot) provide some bounce and cushioning for softer landings and responsive propulsion. It's not quite like having a carbon plate in the midsole and super thick foam at your heel but in return, your shoes won't look super strange, so there is that. Even more cushioning is provided by the Cushlon foam.

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail review: medial view of the shoes

The collar felt a bit too low for a trail running shoe

(Image credit: Nike)

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail review: ergonomics

As for fit, the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail has a "widened forefoot" area, plenty of room for your toes to move around. I personally prefer a more snug fit but it you don't want feel restricted in your shoes, you will definitely appreciate the roomier toebox of the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail.

The lugs at the bottom are not too protruding but will provide moderate traction on softer surfaces, for when you are doing laps on your park run. As in the case of any trail running shoes kitted with lugs, the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail will have less traction on harder surfaces like concrete, since your bodyweight is applied to a smaller surface (the edge of the lugs). In wet weather conditions, this might prove to be more dangerous for non-experienced runners.

The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail is well-padded and comfortable to wear, even as an everyday trainer, although I found the collar a bit too-low cut for my heel. I appreciate all runners have different foot characteristics but you can tell the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 was based on a road running foundation: some more support around the ankle would be more beneficial on the trail.

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail review: bottom view of the shoes

Lugs. Lugs everywhere.

(Image credit: Nike)

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail review: the aesthetics

The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail comes in three colour variations and I tested the most conservative black colourway, but if you are after some more style points, choose blue/orange version which is a tad bit more funky.

The soles are chunky, not as chunky as the Hoka One One Carbon X but thick nevertheless. The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail even features the protruding foam tail at the rear, although it is not as emphasised as it is on the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT%.

The upper has a low profile and the due to its road running shoe origins, the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail can be worn as an everyday trainer too. For added safety, there is a light reflective strip applied to the back of the shoes so people approaching you from the rear can see your legs bobbing. I would probably recommend some more high-vis clothing in darker conditions, though.

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail review: lateral view of the shoes


(Image credit: Nike)

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail review: the verdict

The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail is highly recommended for people who are after good all-terrain running shoes that can even be worn as everyday trainers on occasions. These shoes will perform well on lighter trail runs – when you are not completely off-road – and on the road too, as long as it's not coming down to heavily.

The Air Zoom foam underfoot, combined with the Cushlon sole tech, will cushion your landings and soften impact force too. The lugs will give you a bit of extra traction on softer terrain and the mesh upper will support air flow inside the shoes.

Being an 'jack of all trade, master of none'-type shoe, the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail's main appeal is not that it provides the ultimate trail or road running experience; it is the fact that for the money paid for these shoes, you will get a great trail running shoe and a decent road running shoe.

One can say that these might be Nike's best value for money shoes for runners who like to run on all types of terrain.

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail review: top view of the shoes


(Image credit: Nike)

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Matt Kollat
Matt Kollat
Section Editor | Active

Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator who works for T3.com and its magazine counterpart as an Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019. His byline appears in several publications, including Techradar and Fit&Well, and more. Matt also collaborated with other content creators (e.g. Garage Gym Reviews) and judged many awards, such as the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance's ESSNawards. When he isn't working out, running or cycling, you'll find him roaming the countryside and trying out new podcasting and content creation equipment.

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