Pegasus 42 vs Pegasus Plus 2

The Pegasus 42 is Nike's do-everything daily training shoe, and the 42nd version of the longest-running name in running. It is not a racer and it is not trying to be. This is the shoe you reach for on the easy miles, the steady runs and the commute jogs, the one that just works. The big change for this version is the cushioning: a full-length Air Zoom unit paired with ReactX foam, which Nike claims gives around 15% more energy return than the Pegasus 41. In practice that means a daily running shoe that feels a touch livelier underfoot without losing the dependable, planted feel the Pegasus is known for. It sits in the busiest part of the market, up against the Brooks Ghost and Asics Cumulus, and at £130 it is priced right where most daily trainers land. If you want one road shoe to log the bulk of your weekly mileage, the Pegasus 42 is a safe, sensible pick that rarely puts a foot wrong.

Nike sells the Pegasus Plus 2 as an up-tempo trainer, and that's the claim reviewers push back on hardest. What you actually get is a comfortable, well-built daily running shoe, with full-length ZoomX foam, an Air Zoom unit under the forefoot and a far roomier fit than the first Pegasus Plus, which reviewers found firm and flat. It doesn't like going fast. At 252g on our spec sheet it's heavy for the category, and the forefoot pod adds stiffness without much obvious spring. Ben Parkes was blunt about it and put several rivals ahead of it for anything quicker than easy running. Run To The Finish was far warmer, rating it as a daily trainer that copes with moderate efforts. We lean towards the second view, with a caveat: for easy and steady miles with the odd marathon-pace block it's a good shoe, but if you want a tempo shoe, the Adizero Evo SL or SC Rebel will serve you better.