The Nike Pegasus Plus 2 is a buy if your Pegasus 42 fits and you want a lighter shoe for faster days. It puts ZoomX, the foam used in Nike's race shoes, into the same last as the 42, and at about 249g in 27cm it is 38g lighter than the 42. Out late Aug 2026, official Japan price JPY 22,000, 10mm drop.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
The Plus 2 isn't a lighter second generation. It's a second generation that adds an air unit and lowers the price. At the same official size (women's 25cm), it is 10g heavier than the original and lists for JPY 2,200 less. Nike accepted the extra weight to put Air Zoom in the forefoot, so I read that part, not the weight, as the reason to choose this shoe.
Key points
- Nike's figure: over 18% more energy return than the original. The forefoot Air Zoom changes its pressure and build by size
- 38g lighter than the Pegasus 42 at 27cm, JPY 4,400 more. Same MR10 2.0 last
- Regular width only. Wide and waterproof versions exist only for the 42
How much does the Pegasus Plus 2 weigh? Release date and price
It weighs about 249g per shoe at 27cm, and about 215g in women's 25cm. It went on sale in late Aug 2026, and the official Japan price is JPY 22,000 (tax included).
It is also a shoe where the usual line, "the new generation is lighter than the last," doesn't hold.
| Item | Official numbers |
|---|---|
| Release date | Late Aug 2026 (Nike announced it on Aug 20) |
| Price | JPY 22,000 |
| Weight (men's) | About 249g (27cm) |
| Weight (women's) | About 215g (25cm), about 202g (24cm) |
| Drop | 10mm |
| Width | Regular only |
| Plate | None (ZoomX sole with Air Zoom in the forefoot) |
| Sizes | Men's 24–30cm, women's 22–26.5cm |
| Colors | 6 men's colorways, 4 women's |
No plate. Nike's announcement describes a shoe that aims for the feel of a plated race shoe without a carbon plate. The part behind that is the forefoot Air Zoom.
Differences from the original Pegasus Plus: 10g heavier and JPY 2,200 cheaper than the previous generation
On the day I checked, the official Japan site still had the original Pegasus Plus women's page up, marked as discounted. Both list the weight for women's 25cm, so the generation gap can be calculated.
| Original Plus | Plus 2 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (women's 25cm) | About 205g | About 215g | +10g |
| Weight (24cm) | About 194g | About 202g | +8g |
| List price | JPY 24,200 | JPY 22,000 | −JPY 2,200 |
| Midsole | ZoomX throughout | ZoomX plus forefoot Air Zoom | One more component |
| Upper fabric | Stretch Flyknit | Mesh | — |
| Drop | 10mm | 10mm | 0mm |
At 25cm that's 10g more, about 4.9% (10 ÷ 205). The list price is JPY 2,200 lower, about 9.1% cheaper (2,200 ÷ 24,200). Heavier and cheaper is an unusual direction for a new generation.
The visible reason for the extra 10g is the forefoot Air Zoom, which the original doesn't have and the 2 does. The upper has also changed from knit Flyknit to mesh.
How this Air Zoom works is the most interesting part of the announcement. Fine fibers are stretched inside the unit, and the announcement describes them as working like a pre-loaded spring that returns more of the force you put in. It's less an air bag than a spring-loaded part.
On top of that, Nike varies the air pressure and build by size, and says the goal is to deliver the same feel to wearers of every size. The announcement states that energy return (the share of force that comes back) is over 18% higher than the original, and that more than 30 Nike athletes tested it.
vs the Pegasus 42 and Premium: above the 42, below the Premium among the siblings
There are three road shoes with the Pegasus name. The Plus 2 sits in the middle on price and is the lightest of the three.
| Pegasus 42 | Plus 2 | Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (27cm) | About 287g | About 249g | About 313g |
| Sole material | ReactX+Air Zoom | ZoomX+Air Zoom | ZoomX+Air Zoom+ReactX |
| Official price | JPY 17,600 | JPY 22,000 | JPY 29,700 |
| Per gram | About JPY 61 | About JPY 88 | About JPY 95 |
| Wide / waterproof | Yes | None | None |
| Who should pick which | People who want one shoe for everything | A second pair for faster days | People who care more about the tech than the weight |
The gap from the 42 is 38g at 27cm (287 − 249) and JPY 4,400 in price (22,000 − 17,600). That works out to about JPY 116 per gram saved (4,400 ÷ 38). In women's 25cm it is also 28g lighter (243 − 215).
What matters is that the last is the same. Nike's announcement says it fine-tuned the MR10 2.0, first used in the 42, for the Plus 2: a last with a wider toe and forefoot. The drop is the same 10mm, so moving over from the 42 changes only the sole material and the weight.
The 42's numbers and what changed from the 41 are in my Pegasus 42 review.
The Premium is 64g heavier than the Plus 2 (313 − 249). It stacks all three materials, so it isn't a shoe to pick for lightness. From lightest to heaviest: Plus 2, 42, Premium.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Nike Pegasus 42
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 17,600 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 64,100 depending on the shop. Prices change daily. Shoes are best tried on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit varies by brand, so check the return and exchange terms on the shop page before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Super Sports XEBIOSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanWhat I like
First, credit for lowering the price. The original listed at JPY 24,200. This generation-2 model, with 1 extra component, is JPY 22,000. Seeing a top model get cheaper as it moves up a generation is rare.
Second, the last matches the 42. You can keep the everyday last that already fits and swap only the foam to ZoomX. There's no need to relearn your size when you move to another series.
Third, Air Zoom is built per size. Putting the same unit in every size would be easier to make. Nike says the goal is the same feel for a 24cm wearer and a 30cm wearer, which shows it chose the harder route.
Things to watch
On lightness alone, the original wins: about 205g in women's 25cm. If lightness is the goal and you don't care about Air Zoom, the discounted original fits the numbers better.
Width is regular only. On the day I checked, the official Japan site had neither a wide version nor a waterproof GORE-TEX version. If you need either, you stay on the 42 side.
Women's sizes stop at 26.5cm, 1cm shorter at the top than the 42 women's (up to 27.5cm).
Who is it for?
- It suits: runners whose feet fit the Pegasus 42 and who want to add a shoe for faster days. The last and the drop are the same.
- It suits: runners who want ZoomX in a shoe without a plate. One pair covers daily distance, long runs, and pace days.
For a first pair, the 42, which also comes in wide and rain versions, fits better. If lightness is all you want, the quickest route is to look at the original or a plated race shoe first.
Price and where to buy
| What to buy | Official price | Rakuten price range |
|---|---|---|
| Pegasus Plus 2 | JPY 22,000 | — |
| Pegasus Plus (original) | JPY 20,499 (women's, list price JPY 24,200) | JPY 18,260–59,600 |
| Pegasus 42 | JPY 17,600 | JPY 17,600–64,100 |
The gap between the discounted original and the Plus 2 list price is JPY 1,501 (22,000 − 20,499). For that little, I'd take the Plus 2 with its new last and Air Zoom. The reason to pick the original is the 10g of lightness, not the price.
When searching on Rakuten, look at the "2" in the product name. The original and the Plus 2 differ by one character in name, and the original shows up more often. By model number, the Plus 2 starts with IM2541 for men's and IM2543 for women's.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Nike Pegasus Plus (original)
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 18,260 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 59,600 depending on the shop. Prices change daily. Shoes are best tried on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit varies by brand, so check the return and exchange terms on the shop page before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanFAQ
How does the Pegasus Plus 2 fit?
True to size. The last is the same MR10 2.0 as the 42, with a roomier toe box, so the size that fits you in the 42 is your starting point. With a 25.0cm foot, I'd pick 25.0cm.
Men's sizes run 24–30cm in 0.5cm steps and women's 22–26.5cm, in regular width only. If your feet are narrow, lace up through the top eyelet. Try them on in the evening with your usual socks.
How does the Pegasus Plus 2 differ from the original Pegasus Plus?
Pick the Plus 2 for the forefoot Air Zoom and the roomier last. Pick the original for its 10g lighter weight and Flyknit upper. On the day I checked, the only original left on the Japan official site was one colorway in women's. For the men's original, you'd have to look at store stock.
Can the Pegasus Plus 2 be used for a full marathon or a race?
You can run a marathon in it, but it is not a plated race shoe. It has no carbon plate, weighs about 249g at 27cm, and has a 10mm drop. If you want a plate's rebound on race day, look at Nike's race lineup first. The Plus 2 suits training days when you run faster. Nike's race lineup is covered in choosing among 10 Nike running shoes, and this year's new releases are in our article on 6 new Nike shoes for 2026.
Gear in this article
Ads and images: Rakuten IchibaSources
- Nike announcement (Aug 20, 2026; Pegasus Plus 2, released late Aug)
- Nike Japan official: Pegasus Plus 2 (men's)
- Nike Japan official: Pegasus Plus 2 (women's)
- Nike Japan official: Pegasus Plus (original, women's, discount shown)
- Nike Japan official: Pegasus 42 (men's)
- Nike Japan official: Pegasus 42 (women's)
- Nike Japan official: Pegasus Premium (men's)
- Nike announcement (Feb 24, 2026; Pegasus 42, last change)
- Nike Japan official: men's shoe size chart
- Road Runner Sports Nike Pegasus Plus 2 Review (size and toe box width)
