The Pegasus Trail 4 really felt like it came alive once plopped on dirt though, revealing a bias toward trails that I was more than happy to indulge. As I’ve said, the Pegasus Trail 4’s plush React foam is a far cry from the pop of Nike’s ZoomX foam, but the shoe’s overall flexibility and road-forward geometry (i.e., 10 mm of drop) prevented the React midsole from coming across as sluggish. In fact, I sometimes think ZoomX foam can be too chaotic / unpredictable when stressed at fast paces, so I ended up quite liking the controlled, settled energy return React foam delivered when I decided to crank up the effort. No doubt this was also aided by the excellent gusseted tongue / Flywire Technology combo that contributed to the shoe’s secure yet accommodating fit. Cornering felt natural and managed, and my foot stayed engaged and steady while climbing / descending.
I’ve often thought that all road-to-trail models need to compromise somewhere. I still think that’s mostly true, but the Pegasus Trail 4 has at least made me question how ardently I actually believe that anymore. Aside from lacking a little bit of protection for burly rock gardens that I seldom pass through anyway, I couldn’t find too many flaws in the shoe when used exclusively for trails. As a dedicated road shoe on the other hand, the only thing I felt like I would have altered about the Pegasus Trail 4 is, predictably, its weight. Shaving 10 to 15 grams by reducing a few trail-specific features would be easy to do. Otherwise, its cushion and geometry are things I look for when shopping for road options to begin with. For these reasons, I’m excited to consolidate my shoe quiver a little bit by replacing a pair or two of less capable road / trail models I have laying around with the Pegasus Trail 4, taking confidence in knowing that it’ll be able to handle the workload of both.
Durability
Admittedly, 65 miles is kind of at the lower end of what I like to put on a shoe before reviewing it. Still, I think I can submit some informed opinions on the Pegasus Trail 4’s durability moving forward. As they exist now, my pair has shown little to no wear aside from some general stretching in the upper. The midsole foam’s energy return hasn’t shifted since breaking in, and the abrasion-resistant outsole rubber has lived up to its name (which is noteworthy, considering how many road miles I’ve asked it to survive).