Originally named the Air Wedge Trainer for the wedge of Nike Air cushioning that replaced the traditional EVA foam in the heel, designers renamed the Nike Pegasus running shoe after the winged horse of Greek mythology. It was simply more descriptive of how it would make you feel.
The Nike Pegasus shoe is still gliding along
The most popular running design of all time, the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus lineup has not so much evolved as it has fine-tuned itself over the years. Its most recent editions feature a single layer of seamless engineered mesh that’s designed to flex naturally with your foot.
Nike claimed that the Air wedge it used to replace the foam helped the shoe improve shock absorption by 12% over an EVA wedge.
Run for the whole family
Full-length Zoom Air cushioning in the Air Zoom Pegasus 36 and 37 gives you low-profile responsiveness that quickly returns every bit of the energy you put into every step.
The lineup added kids’ sizes in 1987. And while women's and men's Nike Pegasus shoes had been available since the model's debut, the franchise didn’t start adjusting for the details of a woman’s foot until 2004. That’s when Nike gave the saddle more of a curve and increased its medial (instep) support. The women’s Pegasus design became completely gender specific in 2006 and, in 2018, began offering Cushlon foam specifically tuned for women.
Nike has adapted the Pegasus to the evolving interests and needs of its fans by offering trail-oriented models with water-repellency and rock guards, and in collaborations with some of the hottest visionaries in fashion.
And with Nike Air short- and long-sleeve T-shirts, hoodies, shorts, leggings, and more, there is no shortage of ways to let your personal story take wing.
