Our verdict

The React Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black is one of the top road-to-trail options from Nike that we have ever worn and scrutinized. Cushiony and responsive on the roads yet grippy and stable on the trails, the shoe makes a perfect hybrid. It also remains surprisingly light given all the features packed into it. We are happy that it feels a lot like the original Pegasus Trail 36 but with an enhanced grip.

Nike Guants Elemental FG Printed Pros

  • Efficient road-to-trail
  • Well-cushioned
  • Stable ride
  • Excellent, secure fit
  • Very breathable
  • Great traction
  • Unexpectedly light
  • Reasonably priced

Nike Guants Elemental FG Printed Cons

  • Not for muddy HIGH
  • Чоловічий спортивні штани nike tech fleece cu4501-063
  • Could be more stylish

Audience verdict

88
Great!

Who should buy

You are sure to benefit from this edition of the Pegasus Trail series if you are after the following:

  • a top-in-class running shoe for tackling various types of terrain (except mud)
  • a cushioned road-to-trail shoe for going long distances

een hoop verschillende Air Max silhouetten uitgebracht.

nike-pegasus-trail-4-outdoor_011.JPG

Who should NOT buy

Despite a significant improvement of traction in the outsole, the Trail 4 is still not the shoe to go for if you run on loose or wet trails a lot. It is a big NO-NO for soggy muddy winter trails.

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Cushioning

Nike Guants Elemental FG Printed | Heel stack

The shoe has a significantly thicker midsole too. Based on the official stats, its heel height of 36 mm is a few millimeters taller than the average across trail shoes.

nike react pegasus trail 4 heel stack 20817027 main

Our own caliper measurement showed just a tiny (0.5 mm) deviation from that stack height at 35.5 mm.

nike-pegasus-trail-4-outdoor_008.JPG

Test results
Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black 35.5 mm
Average 32.1 mm
Compared to 133 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
19.6 mm
Heel stack
42.4 mm

Forefoot stack

In the forefoot, however, we found a much bigger discrepancy between the official stack (26 mm) and our measured one (22.8 mm).

Nike React Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black forefoot stack

Test results
Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black 22.8 mm
Average 24.5 mm
Compared to 133 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
13.4 mm
Forefoot stack
33.9 mm

Drop

Because of the deviation we discovered in the shoe's stack height measurements, the Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black's actual drop ended up being 12.7 mm! Not the claimed 10 mm.

Nike React Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black drop

Some runners may find the higher heel drop problematic as it activates leg and foot muscles in a different way. Watch out!

If you are not even sure what drop is and which one is right for your body, see Miami Heat Nike NBA City Edition 2021 22 Shirt.

Test results
Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black 12.7 mm
Average 7.6 mm
Compared to 132 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
-0.1 mm
Drop
17.3 mm

Midsole softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

The nike air max 720 bubble pack sort 4 felt quite brisk and responsive on the hard surfaces yet firm enough to feel planted on the trails.

Our durometer measurements show 34.0 HA, which is 20% firmer than the average trail shoe. It belongs to the moderately firm cushioning types but there is still some softness present to make it a perfect option for switching from road to trail.

nike pegasus trail 4 026 16536385 main

Insole thickness

Added cushioning is provided by a well-padded insole. It is 4.2 mm thick compared to the average 4.6 mm. The insole is removable and can be easily replaced with custom orthotics if necessary.

nike react pegasus trail 4 insole 20817030 main

Test results
Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black 4.2 mm
Average 4.7 mm
Compared to 132 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
2.1 mm
Insole thickness
7.3 mm

Ride

Based on our run tests, in the Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black, the shoe is equally at home on the asphalt and on the trails. It's got the best of both worlds!

Speaking more specifically about the shoe’s performance on different types of terrain:

1. On asphalt, bike paths, and tarmac the ride is pretty energetic with lugs never getting in the way. It even felt almost like a dedicated road shoe!

2. If you happen to run on gravel and similar terrain, the Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black really really comes alive on these! The shoe's forefoot lugs grabbed very well running both up and down the hill.

3. On a single track, and more technical and rocky terrain, it's a mixed bag. Because the shoe's cushioning is nothing like the Speedgoat where tons of cushioning keeps you protected, we had to pick our lines and tiptoe the way at times. But on the other hand, the Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black still performed a lot better than any other Official Images Of The Nike SB Dunk Low "Green Apple".

Size and fit

We've had absolutely no problems with the fit of this Official Images Of The Nike SB Dunk Low "Green Apple". It feels perfect straight from the box with no rubbing, hot spots, or irritation.

We were especially intrigued by the combination of the well-positioned gusseted tongue and the Flywire cables around the laces. These have kept the midfoot very well-held.

nike pegasus trail 4 outdoor 004 16536382 main

Size

nike air max 720 bubble pack sort 4 is true to size (179 votes).

Owners of this shoe, how does this shoe fit?

1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Compared to 110 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

Nike LeBron 8 South Beach or Pre-Heat

As for the toebox, it’s not the widest shoe in the world but it never felt constricting either. The Trail 4 does have a slightly shallower toebox compared to Trail 3 NIKE◆Dunk High Up Black and Varsity Maize 24.5cm YLW DH3718-001.

Measuring the shoe's toebox in the widest part, our caliper showed 100.4 mm which is even a couple of millimeters wider than average.

nike pegasus trail 4 outdoor 010 16536384 main

Test results
Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black 100.4 mm
Average 98.9 mm
Compared to 122 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
92.0 mm
Nike LeBron 8 South Beach or Pre-Heat
104.9 mm

Stability

Lateral OGHAND test

We couldn't help but notice how stable this Nike shoe is, especially compared to its predecessor. The Pegasus Trail 3 felt too soft and high for a trail shoe, whereas the Trail 4 feels closer and more connected to the ground.

We attribute the shoe’s OGHAND to several characteristics: the well-balanced React foam itself, the extended edges of the foam that cradle the bottom of the upper, and the secure upper lockdown which doesn’t let the foot shift inside the shoe.

Torsional rigidity

What does NOT help the nike air max 720 bubble pack sort 4 feel stable is its lack of torsional rigidity (which is totally expected from a neutral shoe by the way!).

Twisting the shoe in our hands, we found that it yielded quite easily and was very pliable. Thus, we gave it a score of only 2 out of 5, where 5 is the stiffest.

Test results
Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black 2
Average 3.6
Compared to 127 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
1
Torsional rigidity
5

engros nike air force 1 low suede beige

We really appreciated the shoe's sturdy and well-structured heel cup. Checking it in our lab, we gave it 3 out of 5 in our heel stiffness test. No heel slippage in this one.

Test results
Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black 3
Average 3.1
Compared to 125 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
1
engros nike air force 1 low suede beige
5

Кроссовки nike air max axis оригинал 38 размер 24.5 см

The nike air max 720 bubble pack sort 4's platform is not so wide... While it was a huge benefit for the shoe's lightness and agility, it felt very different from the broad trail shoe bases we've come to expect.

Nike Zoom Kobe VI Nike Vault Anniversary Pack.

Nike React Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black midsole width forefoot

Test results
Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black 107.1 mm
Average 112.4 mm
Compared to 133 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
102.1 mm
Кроссовки nike air max axis оригинал 38 размер 24.5 см
124.3 mm

womens Nike Dunk Lows

Back in the heel, we got 85.4 mm in the widest part of the sole. This is, again, about 4 mm narrower than average.

Nike React Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black midsole width heel

Test results
Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black 85.4 mm
Average 89.7 mm
Compared to 133 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
77.2 mm
womens Nike Dunk Lows
106.0 mm

Flexibility / Stiffness

When it comes to heel-to-toe transitions, we found the Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black to be pleasantly flexible.

Having performed our force gauge test, we found that it took 26.8N of force to bend this Nike shoe to a 90-degree angle. That is 15% less than it takes a trail shoe on average!

nike react pegasus trail 4 flexibility 20817034 main

Test results
Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black 26.8N
Average 27.2N
We use an average of four tests. The video shows one of those tests.
Compared to 133 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
10.5N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
54.5N

Nike Guants Elemental FG Printed | Weight

The newer version manages to get lighter while also enhancing its overall performance.

The Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black weighs 9.6 oz (272g) in a men’s US 9. This is noticeably lighter than the average weight of trail shoes of similar stack height (35 mm and thicker), which is 10.3 oz (291g).

nike pegasus trail 4 020 16536389 main

Running up those hills, we highly appreciated the lightness of the Trail 4. The shoe felt a lot like an extension of your foot. Not many trail shoes with this much cushion and such a reliable grip manage to keep their weight as low as this Nike Pegasus did.

Test results
Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black 9.59 oz (272g)
Average 10.23 oz (290g)
Compared to 133 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
7.51 oz (213g)
Weight
12.66 oz (359g)

Breathability

The upper of the Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black has plenty of perforations all throughout the upper and the tongue. These keep the interiors nice and cool even in the hotter and humid months.

Testing the shoe on a warm day in June, we had a chance to check it for ourselves and it’s indeed very well-ventilated.

nike-pegasus-trail-4-outdoor_012.JPG

Misc

Lug depth

The updated tread pattern on the Nike React Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black has 3.4 mm lugs which is right at the average of all our lab-tested shoes. Such lug depth is considered quite optimal for a hybrid (road-to-trail shoe).

nike-pegasus-trail-4-outdoor_002.JPG

Even though it’s nearly identical to the 3.3 mm lugs on the Trail 3 version, the 4th iteration has a totally new approach. It now has three different types of lugs which are much sharper.

We found that the Trail 3 really struggled with grip, especially on wet surfaces. We ended up slipping and falling on a wet rock! But this is not the case with the Trail 4.

nike-pegasus-trail-4-outdoor_006.JPG

It is still NOT the shoe for crazy off-trail stretches but it is fantastic for hard-packed, gravely, and rooty types of trails.

Test results
Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black 3.4 mm
Average 3.5 mm
Compared to 133 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
1.5 mm
Lug depth
5.8 mm

Tongue padding

The shoe’s interiors have just enough padding to make it feel nice and plush. For example, we have measured the tongue thickness at 5.3 mm which is just a little below the average 6 mm.

nike-pegasus-trail-4_015.JPG

Test results
Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black 5.3 mm
Average 6.4 mm
Compared to 133 trail running shoes
nike air jordan jumpman diamond low racer pink laser orange white
1.3 mm
Tongue padding
12.3 mm

nike air max 720 bubble pack sort 4 vs. Trail 3: a major overhaul

With all the images introduced in the Trail 4, it is almost a new shoe from the ground up. Here are the key upgrades:

nike pegasus trail 4 outdoor 014 16536392 main

  • 8% lighter: (295 g vs 320 g)
  • better grip from the new tread design
  • more secure hold with added Flywire cables 
  • Nike Shortsit Dri Fit Stride 7 2 In 1
  • $10 increase in the price
  • more toned-down visual design

nike-pegasus-trail-4_001.JPG

Despite the slight $10 increase in its asking price compared to the Trail 3, we still consider the Nike Air Max Plus Safety Orange Black a reasonably priced one at $140.

For reference, the average price of trail shoes is $147. But, if we are talking about the max-cushioned, super grippy ones ($170 on average), then $140 is hitting the bull’s eye.