Nike Pegasus Trail 4 Gore-Tex Review: A Waterproof Sneaker Fit for Tricky Terrain

I recently began mountain climbing and trail running as a solution to decompress and unplug after my long, busy weeks. Now that I’m fully engulfed in my Sunday adventures, I eagerly count down the times until I can lace up my sneakers and luxuriate in the outside.

Sometimes, though, the weather isn’t as much as par, and I return home with soggy, icky feet. I’ll admit it: I’ve all the time gravitated mainly toward sneakers that look fly versus functional, weatherproof kicks. That left me in a predicament—I don’t wish to skip out on a great hike or beach run, but I also prefer to not should compromise on style.

So after I received a pair of the Nike Pegasus Trail 4 Gore-Tex to check for SELF’s 2023 Sneaker Awards, I used to be excited to think that I could have finally found an answer to my problem. The trainers contain Nike’s Gore-Tex material, which is speculated to keep your feet dry. And on top of that, they’re really cute. So I used to be curious: Would this shoe look good with my on a regular basis suits and protect me on my adventures despite gloomy forecasts? I made a decision to present them a go to see for myself.

Who it’s for

The Pegasus Trail 4 Gore-Tex is a shoe for folk who like to hit up trails, whether or not they’re jogging, mountain climbing, or just going for a nature walk.

They’re also for individuals who aren’t afraid to get a bit of bit wet on their outdoorsy adventures, either. Due to their Gore-Tex upper, which keeps water out, this sneaker is the sort you’d pull out on a rainy day. Principally, when you’re a fan of Nike’s popular and long-standing Pegasus road running sneakers but plan on taking your shoes on rainy tour and tricky terrain, these may be an option for you.

Out of the box

Although the looks of outdoorsy trainers shouldn’t really matter an excessive amount of—because chances are high you’ll probably destroy them by stepping in mud or dirt—these kicks are very cute. What popped out first to me was their sleek and modern look, mainly because I’m used to trail shoes being super bulky and kinda ugly. I attempted out a pair in Barbie pale pink and complex teal, which looked super chic and even garnered a bunch of compliments.

I even have to say, though, their streamlined look, especially across the toe box, nervous me a bit of bit, since I even have wide feet. Still I laced them up and got to testing.

Fit and feel

I attempted the Pegasus Trail 4 Gore-Tex in my standard size, which doesn’t change in terms of wearing tennis shoes, casual kicks, or running ones. Upon first wear, they fit snugly with a few half inch at the highest of the sneaker to permit room for my feet to breathe and wiggle around a bit. Though I used to be nervous about their narrow width, they still worked out for me due to their stretchy lining. They were also very cushiony, making them feel extra comfortable for those longer trails.

On the trail

Luckily, with the entire rain NYC has been getting this summer, it wasn’t difficult to pinpoint a day to check these Nike trainers. I took these out on muddy terrain for a 20-minute trail jog. On that first run, I used to be searching for them to have 4 qualities: a springy cushion, a light-weight feel, enough stability so I didn’t slip, and the flexibility to maintain my feet dry. Not only did they exceed those expectations, but they even provided some extra surprises—like stopping rocks and pebbles from slipping into my sock due to the liner on the back of the sneaker.