The Pegasus is the consistent , widely popular classic Nike shoe; The Zoom Fly 5 is the modern, plated speed trainer. Here we will be comparing the two shoes: the Nike Zoom Pegasus 39 vs Nike Zoom Fly 5
The Nike Pegasus is one of the most popular running shoes on the market for its wide availability and its consistent fit and feel year after year. The Nike Zoom Fly is the training companion to the record-breaking Nike VaporFly Next%. Which of these shoes is right for you?
Similarity and differences: Air Zoom Pegasus 39 vs Zoom Fly 5
Verdict
The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 39 is a comfortable, mid-range daily trainer designed to be durable. It doesn’t have an exciting or lively ride but it’s great bang for your buck and very stable. The 39th version has a new upper, midsole and outsole but the biggest upgrade is that it has lost an ounce of weight.
The Nike Zoom Fly 5 is a well-cushioned, carbon-plated training shoe suited to long, slow runs. It has excellent stability and a muted forward-tipping sensation during toe-offs. Version 5 has a more traditional, padded upper, a full-length ZoomX core which provides extra cushioning and a wider midsole base for extra stability. The Zoom Fly 5 is the slowest Zoom Fly version to date but also the most comfortable.
Recommended for
Daily training
Daily training
Cushioning type
balanced
balanced
Cushioning amount
Medium cushioning
Highly cushioned
Stability
very stable
some stability
Sizing
true to size
true to size
Retail price
US$130.00
US$160.00
Sole unit: Air Zoom Pegasus 39 vs Zoom Fly 5
The Nike Zoom Fly 5 has a thick midsole made from SR02 and ZoomX foam with a plate imbedded into the midsole. The Nike Pegasus 39 has a React foam midsole with a forefoot Zoom Air unit and a heel Zoom Air unit on top of the midsole.
Both shoes are medium soft shoes because the foams used are a harder density than the React foam in the Infinity Run or Miler.
In terms of stability, the high midsole of the Zoom Fly 5 makes it a little unstable, especially for heel strikers. The Pegasus 39 on the other hand is low to the ground and firm so there is no lean bias.
The plate and the thick midsole of the Zoom Fly 5 make it very rigid and it doesn’t flex much. The Pegasus 39 has a snappy, more flexible forefoot.
The ride of the Zoom Fly 5 is modern with a distinct propulsive feel as your forefoot rolls forward and pushes off. The Pegasus 39 has a more traditional ride with the Zoom Air bags providing some extra cushioning and rebound.
The outsole of the Pegasus 39 has lots of thick, hard durable rubber throughout the bottom of the shoe. The outsole of the Zoom Fly 5 has a thick piece of rubber in the forefoot with full rubber coverage in the rearfoot. It has an exposed SR02 midsole in the midfoot.
The foams of the Zoom Fly 5 and the Pegasus 39 are more durable than traditional EVA as it won’t lose as much cushioning over the life of the shoe. The Pegasus 39 has the more durable outsole as it has much more rubber.
Upper unit: Air Zoom Pegasus 39 vs Zoom Fly 5
The Zoom Fly 5 has a mesh upper that feels similar to a daily trainer. The upper of the Zoom Fly 5 has superb foot lockdown and is also very comfortable. It has extra padding on the inside of its collar so heel lockdown is fantastic and there is no heel slippage. The Zoom Fly 5 fits true to size but is not available in additional widths.
The Pegasus 39 has a more traditional upper made from engineered mesh. The tongue is lightly padded and shorter than the Zoom Fly 5’s tongue. It is attached to an inner sleeve so no tongue slide occurs. The heel is padded and gentle on the Achilles and the fit of the Pegasus 39 is very accommodating and comfortable. It also comes in narrow and extra wide versions of the shoe.
Which one to buy: Air Zoom Pegasus 39 vs Zoom Fly 5
If you loved the Pegasus 38, you won’t be disappointed with the Pegasus 39. It’s a Goldilocks shoe: it’s firm but not hard, versatile for all types of runs and is very well-priced. With the Pegasus, you always know what you’re going to get: a durable, dependable workhorse of a shoe.
If you love innovative shoes and want a fast-feeling shoe, the Zoom Fly is for you. The Zoom Fly 5 shares many features with the record-breaking VaporFly Next% but at a much cheaper cost. The Zoom Fly series is one of the most popular plated running shoes on the market for a reason: it has a nice “POP” when doing tempo runs in them and is a very durable training shoe.
This expert review is written by
Brandon Law
Marathon Runner and Shoe Expert
Brandon is a South African who lives and trains in Malaysia. He is a marathon runner who eats, sleeps and dreams running shoes. While most people wear shoes to run, he runs to wear shoes.