5Rank 05 of 8 · Best Running Shoes for Beginners
Nike Nike Pegasus 42
Outstanding breathability at 87/100, excellent 0.8 mm outsole wear, and heavily discounted — street price from €74.95 against a €139.99 RRP. RunRepeat's lowest score here at 80/100.
8.3BPR score
- €75Price
- 286 g (RunRepeat lab)Lab-measured weight
- 5 of 8in Best Running Shoes for Beginners
- 8.3BPR score 0–10
Review
What this product is
Written after the analysis, from the same sources the score is built on: the manufacturer's documentation, available studies and verified owner feedback.
The default running shoe of the last two decades, and in 2026 the honest description is "safe, durable, unexciting, and frequently half price".
RunRepeat scored it 80 out of 100 "Good" — the lowest score of the eight shoes here — with the specific finding that the new full-length Air Zoom unit "adds little from a performance standpoint, leaving the ride familiar rather than exciting".
But look at what a beginner actually needs. Breathability measured 87 out of 100, described as outstanding, second only to the Hoka. The outsole is 2.6 mm of rubber in a three-zone layout with high-abrasion rubber at the perimeter, and Dremel testing measured only 0.8 mm wear — excellent. And the street price starts around €74.95 against a €139.99 RRP, close to half.
Lab weight is 286 g against a 297 g brand claim. Measured stack 36.0 / 22.0 mm giving a 14.0 mm drop against 10 mm claimed — the largest measured-versus-claimed discrepancy in this ranking after the Asics. ReactX foam measures 37.6 AC, right around the lab average: neither soft nor firm.
Torsional rigidity is 12.1 Nm, meaning a flexible shoe, with heel counter stiffness at 4 out of 5. Toebox is 72.3 mm, mid-pack. Nike's German site offers normal and wide fittings — better European width availability than most here.
The case for it is straightforward: a durable, breathable, thoroughly proven daily trainer at a heavy discount. The case against is that for €55 more you can have a Puma that weighs 44 g less with a better outsole compound, or for €60 more a Brooks you can return after running in it.
Technical data
Specification
Figures from the manufacturer's documentation, verified against available outside sources. Values we could not confirm are marked as declared.
- Lab weight
- 286 g (RunRepeat; brand claims 297 g)
- Lab stack
- 36.0 mm heel / 22.0 mm forefoot
- Lab drop
- 14.0 mm (claimed 10 mm)
- Midsole
- ReactX foam, conventional, with full-length Air Zoom unit
- Midsole softness
- 37.6 AC - around lab average
- Outsole
- 2.6 mm rubber, three-zone, high-abrasion perimeter
- Dremel wear
- 0.8 mm - excellent
- Breathability
- 87/100 - outstanding
- Toebox width
- 72.3 mm
- Torsional rigidity
- 12.1 Nm - flexible
- Heel counter stiffness
- 4/5
- Widths on nike.com/de
- Normal and Wide
- RunRepeat score
- 80/100 Good
- Price
- EUR 139.99 RRP; from EUR 74.95 street
Component scores
Where the score
comes from.
Four components, equal weight, each on a 0–10 scale and each resting on a named source. The overall score is their mean — the full procedure is in the methodology.
What we liked
- Breathability 87/100 — outstanding
- 0.8 mm Dremel wear with high-abrasion perimeter rubber
- Street price from €74.95 against €139.99 RRP
- Normal and wide fittings available on Nike's German site
- Flexible at 12.1 Nm torsional rigidity, with a firm 4/5 heel counter
- Thoroughly proven design with two decades of iteration
Worth knowing
- RunRepeat 80/100 — the lowest score in this ranking
- The new full-length Air Zoom "adds little from a performance standpoint"
- Measured drop 14.0 mm against 10 mm claimed
- 286 g, among the heaviest here
- Conventional ReactX foam at exactly the lab average softness
Comparison
How it compares
within the category
All values come from the same analysis and are comparable only within the category Best Running Shoes for Beginners.
| Product | Score | Lab-measured weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puma Velocity Nitro 5Top score | 8.9 | 242 g (RTINGS lab) | €130 |
| Nike Pegasus 42This product | 8.3 | 286 g (RunRepeat lab) | €75 |
| Category average8 products analysed | 8.2 | — | — |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is the lowest-scoring shoe here still worth buying?
At €74.95, yes. RunRepeat's 80/100 reflects that the shoe is unremarkable rather than deficient — its criticism was that the new Air Zoom unit does not add much, not that anything is wrong. Breathability at 87/100 and 0.8 mm outsole wear are both excellent, and those are the two properties that most affect a beginner's daily experience and cost per kilometre.
From the same ranking
Other products in Best Running Shoes for Beginners.
The same protocol, the same key parameter, the same set of sources.
-
No. 018.9/ 10
Puma Velocity Nitro 5
The lightest shoe here at 242 g, on nitrogen-injected TPU with PUMAGRIP — widely regarded as…
-
No. 028.8/ 10
Brooks Ghost 18
The most outsole rubber here at 3.5 mm with excellent durability, a rigid heel counter that…
-
No. 038.7/ 10
adidas Supernova Rise 3
The softest midsole here at 28.6 AC on PEBA foam, the highest energy return, and the most…
-
No. 048.4/ 10
Hoka Clifton 11
The best breathability here at 93/100 and the only shoe with narrow through extra-wide…