Nike Pegasus Plus vs Nike Pegasus Plus 2:
Which to Choose

Start with what's identical, because most of the shoe is: both run a full-length ZoomX midsole with no plate, both sit at a traditional 10mm drop, both are neutral with no pronation support, and both carry the same moderate-low stability — that tall, soft, fairly narrow platform feels a touch tippy at jogging speeds and comes alive when you push the pace. The meaningful changes are in the forefoot and the stack. The original Plus is the leaner, simpler ride: roughly 244g in a men's US 9 on a 35mm heel / 25mm forefoot stack, with pure ZoomX rebound and a natural, unforced toe-off. The Plus 2 grows the platform to 38mm / 28mm and comes in a touch heavier at about 252g, but spends that stack on two real upgrades — an exposed forefoot Air Zoom unit and a mild rocker — that together give a more pronounced, snappy push-off and a quicker rolling transition. That's reflected in the ratings: the Plus 2 edges ahead on both cushioning (5/6 vs 4/6) and pace (5/6 vs 4/6), and its optimal pace window shifts faster, roughly 4:00–4:45 min/km against the original's 4:30–5:15. The other practical fix is fit: the version-2 forefoot is noticeably roomier, addressing the snug toebox some runners found on the first Plus. Responsiveness is rated equal (5/6) on both, so this isn't a case of the old shoe feeling dead — the original still has genuine ZoomX bounce; the Plus 2 simply layers a more mechanical, rockered snap on top of it.