Nike Zegama 2: two-minute overview
The Nike Zegama 2 is a high-mileage path shoe designed to deal with just about something you’ll be able to throw at it. Nike put almost two years of testing into the mannequin, which is designed to supply supreme consolation and help over uneven, altering terrain.
Launched alongside the Pegasus Path 5, it stands out in opposition to the latter as a extra devoted path shoe quite than a road-to-trail providing.
Whereas the primary Zegama was cool, it fell down due to its restricted grip. The Zegama 2 presents extra traction, loads of cushioning, and a very responsive trip. After a couple of weeks with it I have been actually impressed. I am not a path runner by commerce and discover most path footwear look slightly an excessive amount of like strolling footwear. The Zegama 2 received me out on the path and regarded sensible within the course of.
Out of the field, the Zegama Path 2 encompasses a actually placing design. Its giant heel stack full with shelf offers the shoe an imposing silhouette reflective of its rugged sturdiness and distinctive help.
That is the Khaki/Hyper Crimson/Burgundy Crush/White choice, a particular design impressed by the Donghai Yunding path in China. In all honesty, I really like the design. The lighter jade coloration can be an actual head-turner, as is the particular Two Bays Path blue model. Primarily, it is not possible to discover a uninteresting or disappointing colorway.
Not that you will be maintaining these clear, the Zegama Path 2 is without doubt one of the best running shoes for the good open air. At its coronary heart, Nike has adopted the extraordinarily responsive and cushioned ZoomX foam midsole. In trials throughout tarmac, concrete, grass, and dust trails I discovered the Zegama 2 to be very comfy.
You would not purchase the Zegama 2 for highway operating, however all of us have to get to the path earlier than the enjoyable begins. These trainers will ship you to your path in model and will not put paid to your toes on the best way. The ZoomX midsole felt responsive and springy, mixed with a pronounced rocker movement that basically helps propel you alongside.
When you get to the rugged stuff and the bumps, jumps, ridges, and roots, the Zegama 2 brushes all of them off with ease as you navigate your approach alongside uneven terrain. I’ve by no means been a lot of a path runner however the Zegama 2 instills an actual sense of confidence and nearly challenges you to hunt out extra treacherous and adversarial terrain. I’ve little doubt these would additionally simply double as a sturdy mountain climbing shoe, because of their extraordinarily forgiving underfoot expertise.
Stability is one other large plus right here, and essential to the path shoe expertise. With uneven terrain throughout, the very last thing you need is motion and rotation. The match of the whole higher could be very comfy. I discovered there was loads of room upfront within the toe field, though I’ve seen a few complaints concerning the vertical area being extra restricted on this 12 months’s mannequin. The comfortable higher combines with the ankle gaiter to present a supremely safe match that additionally limits ingress of the good open air into your shoe.
Throughout all method of uneven floor that I attempted, there was by no means any sense of rolling an ankle or dropping my steadiness.
The unique Zegamas misplaced out large time due to its poor traction. For the Zegama 2, Nike has added the Vibram Megagrip and the impact is clear. Dwelling in Scotland I do all my operating within the moist, and I could not imagine how a lot traction the Zegama 2 delivered on moist grass, mud, and slippery concrete. After all, the Megagrip does cake up with mud fairly rapidly, so there’s slightly little bit of slip-and-slide when the going will get actually gentle, however that is to be anticipated of any shoe within the situations. By and enormous, the traction is great, and customarily, that is thought to be the largest improve Nike has made to the Zegama 2.
The Zegama 2 shows extraordinarily good construct high quality and exudes sturdiness. I’ve completely no considerations that it is a shoe constructed to final, with its chunkier options and rugged design lending themselves to a whole bunch of miles getting battered by the good open air.
For those who like a extra impartial really feel to your run, then this won’t be the shoe for you. Typically the Zegama 2 is great, and offers you a way of being nudged alongside as you journey, which I actually appreciated.
Whereas there are a few overlays on the toes for further sturdiness, these footwear aren’t waterproof. For those who land your self in a big sufficient puddle, your toes will get moist. For those who do desire a waterproof path shoe, choices from the likes of Saucony obtainable.
Throughout my testing and analysis, the opposite drawbacks I’ve come throughout are few. They’re on the heavier facet, so if you would like a lighter path shoe you would possibly wish to look elsewhere. There are some considerations about how sizzling the shoe runs given how substantial it’s. Once more, as a resident of Scotland I might chalk this up as a bonus, but it surely’s undoubtedly true and one thing to be careful for when you run in hotter climes.
Nike Zegama 2: worth & availability
- $180/£165/AU$250
- Males’s and ladies’s choices, 11 complete colours
The Nike Zegama 2 is offered from Nike.com and the same old array of third-party resellers. Its hefty and rugged construct means it is slightly pricier than your common operating shoe at $180/£165/$250 AUD, though we’ve got seen it discounted, together with on Nike’s web site.
There are variations for women and men, with 5 – 6 colours respectively.
Nike Zegama 2: specs
| Weight (per shoe): | 320g (US 10) |
| Heel-to-toe drop: | 4mm |
| Colours: | Ladies’s: 6, males’s: 5 |
| RRP: | $180/£165/AU$250 |
Nike Zegama 2: scorecard
| Class: | Remark: | Rating: |
|---|---|---|
| Value | On the pricier facet, however actually not the most costly path shoe on the market. | 4/5 |
| Design | Very placing design, plenty of cool options, an actual head-turner. | 5/5 |
| Efficiency | Wonderful cushioning and stability on rugged, uneven terrain in addition to highway surfaces. Traction additionally sturdy, few weak spots. | 4.5/5 |
| General | An actual private favourite of mine – a handsome path shoe that does the enterprise. | 4.5/5 |
Ought to I purchase the Nike Zegama 2?
Purchase if it…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally contemplate
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Nike Zegama 2 | Nike Pegasus Path 5 | Inov-8 Trailfly G270 V2 |
| Weight (per shoe): | 320g | 300g | 270g |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 4mm | 9.5mm | 0mm |
| Abstract | An excellent path shoe for lengthy distances, however on the heavier facet and dearer. | A lighter, extra rounded path shoe based mostly on the sensible Nike Pegasus, additionally cheaper. | A way more impartial shoe with much less cushioning and a firmer trip, we love the sunshine weight, consolation, and grip. |
| RRP: | $180/£165/AU$250 | $150/£130/AU$200 | $140/£135/AU$240 |
How I examined
I used the Nike Zegama 2 throughout a mess of terrain together with concrete, grass, mud, in addition to incline and declines throughout a collection of runs.
First reviewed: February 2025