As is the case every year, Nike launches their flagship model, the Pegasus, along with its little sibling, the Winflo. The Winflo has steadily improved over the years, so let’s look the the latest iteration.
Much like the Pegasus 32, the past couple of years’ Winflos have featured a Cushlon (essentially EVA with a little rubber content thrown in) midsole with a Zoom Air unit in the heel. Compared to the Pegasus 35, the Winflo 5 feels a bit lighter and more breathable. The underfoot feel is sort of the opposite, with a softer heel and firmer forefoot. If you’re a hardcore forefoot striker, you’d be better off with the Zoom Elite.
Now, there are some drawbacks. The outsole is broken up into sections, so the support of the Pegasus just isn’t there and it’s not as responsive. There’s also not as much lockdown of the foot, if you want to pick up the pace. However, that means the upper is a little more accommodating for wider and higher feet.
At this point, the Nike Winflo 5 is basically an entry-level performance runner that’s just behind by a few years. So if you’re not an athlete where you need to log endless miles or top-end speed each day, the Winflo 5 is a great addition to your closet.
Score: 9/10
