Our Verdict
The Pegasus Turbo Next Nature isn’t able to step out of the shadow of the much-loved Pegasus Turbo, but look beyond that heritage and you'll find an impressive daily trainer made from more than 50% recycled materials.
For
- Versatile ride
- Use of recycled materials
- Rocker works well
Against
- Firmer and heavier than the Pegasus Turbo
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Why did Nike discontinue the original Pegasus Turbo? It’s one of the great mysteries of recent times, right up there with who shot JR? The Turbo was a fantastic and popular all-rounder that was easily one of the best running shoes available, and after two generations Nike simply stopped making it.
I still haven’t got over it, and many other runners feel the same, so I was delighted to see the Pegasus Turbo making a return in the form of the Pegasus Turbo Next Nature. It promised to be a similarly impressive daily trainer that is also made from at least 50% recycled materials (by weight).
If the idea of a sustainable Pegasus Turbo sounds too good to be true then, unfortunately, you’re right. The Turbo Next Nature is not as good a shoe as the original. It’s still a good one – it’s just that it also falls short of the best all-round options like the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 and Hoka Mach 5.
Nike Pegasus Turbo Next Nature: Price And Availability
The Pegasus Turbo Next Nature is available now and costs $160 in the US and £144.95 in the UK. That’s actually cheaper than the Pegasus Turbo 2, which was $180/£160 in 2020. My sample for this review was provided by Sports Shoes.
Design And Fit
The Pegasus Turbo Next Nature has a Flyknit upper with a gusseted tongue and overlays that add more structure to the midfoot and heel. It’s a long shoe and I found it fitted best half a size down on my normal size, whereas the original Pegasus Turbo fitted me well in my normal size.
As with the original Pegasus Turbo the midsole features a mix of foams, but where the original used ZoomX and React, the Turbo Next Nature uses recycled ZoomX and Nike’s SR-02 carrier foam. The recycled ZoomX is made from scraps that are glued together. It is heavier and firmer than fresh ZoomX, but it’s soft enough that Nike deemed it necessary to use the SR-02 EVA foam to create a frame around the midsole for extra stability.
The use of recycled ZoomX has increased the weight of the shoe compared with the original. The Turbo Nature is 9.3oz/265g in a UK 8.5, whereas the Turbo 2 weighs 8oz/227g in a UK 9. The drop of the Turbo Next Nature is 10mm and it looks to have a higher stack than the Turbo 2, although Nike hasn’t given exact stats on this.
The outsole has good rubber coverage around the heel and forefoot, with an exposed foam section in the midfoot, and it uses a waffle pattern. So far the Next Nature has gripped well for me on wet and dry roads and some light trails, and also got me through an ill-advised detour along a muddy canal towpath without any mishaps.
How I Tested This Shoe
I’ve run 80km in the Pegasus Turbo Next Nature, using it for a mix of training runs including a track workout, some easy runs and a 15-mile run. I also used the Pegasus Turbo 1 and 2 extensively, racking up more than 400 miles in the original shoe.
Running Performance
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I am one of many runners who have probably overblown how good the Pegasus Turbo actually was since the shoe was discontinued. That said, even if my memories of the Turbo are rose-tinted, the Pegasus Turbo Next Nature falls short of the standards of that shoe.
With the firmer ride of the recycled ZoomX midsole, it’s best to think of it as a different shoe altogether. The increase in weight also changes the feel, and those hoping for a Pegasus Turbo 3 will be disappointed. As I was, after one run.
However, since then I have grown increasingly fond of the Turbo Next Nature. The rocker is more pronounced than on the old Turbo and this makes the ride smoother and takes the edge off the firmer feel. It’s by no means harsh, and I found it comfortable during all my easy runs and the 15-mile run.
It can also move. I did a couple of progression runs where I went from easy pace to around 3min 40sec/km pace and the shoe felt good across that range. I also did a track workout running 10 x 800m reps in around 2min 40sec, which is about my half marathon pace, plus 10 x 200m reps, and over that long track workout the Next Nature felt quick and comfortable.
During that workout I swapped in the Pegasus Turbo 2 for a couple of the 800m reps and it was lighter and softer underfoot, though I wouldn’t say the Turbo 2 was more bouncy or speedy. It’s hard to make too much of a direct comparison, though, because my Turbo 2 is knackered after the hundreds of miles both I and a friend I lent it to have done in it.
Is The Nike Pegasus Turbo Next Nature Worth It?
The Pegasus Turbo Next Nature is a good all-round running shoe, though the added weight means it loses some of its appeal as an option for fast sessions or races, for which the original Pegasus Turbo was great.
While the unfavourable comparisons with the old shoe will hurt it, it’s actually the current rivals that make the Next Nature hard to recommend. The Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 is lighter, faster and bouncier, and only a little more expensive at $170/£165. The Hoka Mach 5 is also lighter and softer, and cheaper at $140/£130. These shoes would rival the Pegasus Turbo, which was ahead of its time in bringing top foams from the best carbon racing shoes into daily trainers.
The sustainability credentials of the Next Nature help it – though it’s not a completely recycled or sustainably made shoe – and its good looks also mean it’s useful as a running shoe you can wear outside workouts. However, on pure performance it’s not the best you can get, though I do rate it as the best all-rounder in Nike’s range, edging out the Nike Pegasus 39 and earning a spot in our recommendations of the best Nike running shoes.
