Nike is now two years into the reorganization of its running line into three franchises with three variants each. The Pegasus banner was the first to hit stores with its icon, Plus and Premium versions, and the second round of improved spinoffs is about to begin.
The Nike Pegasus Plus 2 caters to speedy training with a sole unit featuring a curved Air Zoom and ZoomX foam. Nike reports this combination of tech brings at least 18 percent greater energy return than the first Pegasus Plus, which also employed ZoomX foam but without any sort of Air unit.
“The Pegasus Plus 2 is a revolution, not an evolution,” Deepa Ramprasad, Nike senior director of Running Footwear, said in a virtual presentation with reporters. “This is a brand-new experience. It’s an incredible sensation, it’s highly intentional and rooted in [the question of] how do I get the magic and energy of race day and bring it into the daily training space in a tempo trainer.
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Similar to a plate, the curve in the Air Zoom unit enables it to act as a propulsive element. The pressurized forefoot Air bubble with tensile fibers has also been made visible not just so the tech can be seen, but also so that it has more room to contract and expand, absorbing and returning energy through each step.
Nike previously introduced its first full-length, visible Air Zoom unit with a curve on the Pegasus Premium, which released in early 2025 and hasn’t been well-reviewed. Without referencing that criticism, Ramprasad emphasized the way this smaller Air Zoom unit has been specifically engineered for this shoe and tempo training in particular.
A Flyknit upper once again comes with a midfoot band offering containment, and they’re now optimized with a switch to the last with a more accommodating forefoot toe box that made its debut on the Pegasus 42.
On the opposite end then comes a redesigned outsole with flex grooves and negative space tailored toward grip and transition only where necessary.
The Nike Pegasus Plus 2 will release Aug. 30 through Nike’s website and select third-party retailers. Pricing is set at $165.
