Nike ZoomX Zegama Trail 2 Review

Upper

Liz: "The Zegama's toe-box is surprisingly accommodating, and I enjoyed the upper when tied normally on non-technical terrain. Unfortunately, the moment the terrain became more technical, I found that my foot would shift side to side in the shoe due to how wide the base of the heel cup was. This left me feeling unstable on technical terrain, and when forced to tie the shoe tightly through the midfoot, I quickly developed painful pressure points along the outside of my feet. I truly love this shoe on smooth trails and fire roads, but I have found that I cannot use the Zegama comfortably on technical terrain due to the fit issues."

Loucas: "At first sight, the Zegama Trail 2 stands out for its beautiful design and aesthetic, and I immediately had to get these on my feet. My first step-in impression was of luxury—the slick softness of the integrated gaiter and tongue fabrics, as well as the comfort of the plush tongue and interior ankle collar padding. The cushioning of the tongue and ankle collar makes me think of a memory foam mattress in the best possible way. The overall fit is true to length and spacious in width throughout, as you would expect and want in a shoe designed for ultra distances. The fit was somewhat shallow in terms of volume, but this was not remotely problematic during the testing period. The integrated gaiter is soft, flexible, and comfortable. I was surprised by how effective the gaiter was throughout testing, and I appreciated its ability to keep debris out of the shoe.

However, likely due in no small part to my somewhat narrow (C-width) feet, I was unable to achieve the lockdown I desired, so my feet shifted inside the shoe (side-to-side and a little front-to-back) too often on tricky technical terrain and especially on descents. That said, I did not mess around while testing the Zegama Trail 2, trying it on some of the gnarliest ground around, and overall, it performed admirably and adequately.

As for breathability, I experienced zero issues in this area while testing the Zegama 2. On my longest run, I got thoroughly drenched in a mountain rainstorm. Predictably, the shoe became noticeably heavier, and the tongue gave the impression of acting like a sponge. In that instance, the shoe did not drain and dry out well. Again, keep in mind that I was running in some pretty gnarly conditions, and while running in warmer, drier conditions, there were no breathability or overheating issues. Overall, my experience was one of high comfort."

Midsole

Liz: "I absolutely LOVE the ZoomX foam in the Zegama Trail 2. It offers the perfect blend of protection and bounce without being so soft that it feels unstable or lets the sharpness of the trail through. The rocker design helps the shoe fly on fire roads, smooth trails, and pavement on the way to the trailhead, and it allows the runner to be a bit more connected to the trail when toeing off rocks and looser terrain. While the stack is a bit too high for more technical trails, I really enjoy the ride of the shoe on my daily trail runs, especially those where I am running from my house to the trailhead."

Loucas: "What to say about ZoomX that has not been said before? This was my first experience with ZoomX on the trail, and I was pleasantly surprised. Coming from a perspective of mild skepticism and cautious optimism with a highly responsive midsole compound on unpredictable surfaces, I had a highly enjoyable experience running in the Zegama Trail 2. First and foremost, I felt more than protected – I did not hesitate to navigate technical terrain or feel the need to avoid sharp, foot-bruising rocks. Also, I was impressed that the midsole had no issue with my 175-pound frame, as I never came remotely close to bottoming it out.

The understated curvature under the toes allowed me to place my forefoot in a more precise and confident way, and the overall wider platform helped stabilize the soft foam. However, the Zegama is a bit limiting when needing to quickly and accurately navigate tough stretches of technical terrain. On less technical stretches, the Zegama really impressed, and I guarantee the ride and overall experience will elicit smiles.

Though the Zegama Trail 2 is not necessarily the best shoe for every type of trail run, I found the ZoomX midsole incredibly well-balanced between responsive and protective, with a healthy level of inherent stability to keep the confidence high. It was the right fraction of “squish” on the top of a stable platform that could take as hard of a hit as I wanted to throw at it."

Outsole

Liz: "Nike really listened to runners' complaints about the first version's poor traction, updating the Zegama with the holy grail of trail rubber, Vibram Megagrip! This rubber was super tacky on everything I took it on, from steep, looser terrain to rockier sections of trail. I did not have the opportunity to take the Zegama on wet trails, but that is the great thing about Vibram Megagrip, we already know that it will perform well. The chevron-shaped lugs are deep enough and spaced out well for traction on looser rocky trails, but they are also flat enough to feel really smooth on road-to-trail runs. Overall, this is the highlight of the update."

Loucas: "Of course, the Vibram Megagrip outsole rubber and lug layout are the highlights of the Zegama Trail 2 update. I like Nike's decision to use widely-spaced lugs in moderately large chevron shapes with good depth – it is a relatively simple setup, but it has proven highly effective time and time again. In other words, I am glad that Nike did not try to overcomplicate things in the updated outsole, as the Zegama Trail proved itself capable of handling a wide variety of terrain from East Coast Appalachian-esque technicality to smoother West Coast dry and dusty trails, where the shoe comes to truly comes life.

I have put 40-50 test miles on the Zegama Trail 2, and I have seen only minimal, mostly aesthetic signs of wear and tear, which I would expect from nearly every outsole, given the testing conditions I put this shoe through. I cannot remember a single instance of this outsole slipping on me – I felt connected to the trail at all times and enjoyed a variety of trails, surfaces, and conditions while testing the Zegama Trail 2."

Comparable Shoes

Nike Zegama Trail 2 vs.ASICS Trabuco Max 3

Liz: "The ASICS Trabuco Max is one of my favorite trail running shoes of all time, and it shares a lot of similar characteristics to the Zegama Trail. Both shoes offer a wonderfully protective and smooth-rolling ride. The ZoomX foam is a bit bouncier and feels really fast when bombing down smooth trails. Meanwhile, the Trabuco Max feels nimbler on more technical terrain and offers a more secure fit while still offering a spacious toebox."

Loucas: "Coincidentally, I have recently spent a good amount of time running in the ASICS Trabuco Max 3, which is a perfect model to compare to the Zegama Trail 2. Both models offer spacious fits and borderline insane amounts of fun out on the trails. Surprisingly, I was unable to get my ideal lockdown in either shoe, but I ended up feeling most confident in the Zegama 2. Objectively, the ZoomX is considered the more premium foam compound compared to the Trabuco Max's FF BLAST PLUS midsole. Though subjectively, I felt both midsoles were more similar than different, and if I did not know the lab-tested energy efficiency specifics, then I may not have this small bias.

The overwhelming tie-breaker for me is the Zegama's superior Vibram Megagrip outsole, adding a level of performance that gives the Zegama the edge over the Trabuco in my rotation."

Nike Zegama Trail 2 vs. HOKA Speedgoat 6

Liz: "The HOKA Speedgoat 6 is probably the most well-known, highly cushioned trail shoe on the market. Version 6 of the Speedgoat feels much more adept on technical terrain, and while it also has a Vibram Megagrip outsole, the rubber of the speedgoat feels tackier with deeper lugs, making it more confidence-inspiring in terms of traction. Meanwhile, the Zegama Trail 2 is much softer and more comfortable feeling underfoot with a much smoother ride due to the more flexible and rockered design."

Nike Zegama Trail 2 vs. New Balance More Trail v3

Liz: "When talking about highly cushioned trail running shoes, the NB More Trail is probably the most cushioned trail shoe on the market. It offers an even more protective, plush ride when compared to the Zegama Trail, but it is even less capable on technical terrain. Meanwhile, the Zegama Trail 2 still delivers tons of cushioning, but it has a much faster feel and is a bit more versatile."