Nike ZoomX Zegama trail running shoes

The Nike ZoomX Zegama trail running shoe is a versatile, fast, but also marathon-ready shoe that is best suited for dry and easier terrain. Interestingly, this shoe marks the cross-country debut of the justly famous ZoomX midsole, which Nike also uses in the highly successful Alphafly and Vaporfly road racing shoes (although these also feature the ZoomX foam carbon plate in the midsole). It takes its name from one of the most popular cross-country marathon running races, the Spanish Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon, which is a tough race because it involves a marathon distance and 5,472 metres of elevation gain (even for the best runners, it takes nearly 4 hours).

The upper of the Nike ZoomX Zegama trail running shoe is made with a mesh, breathable fabric with plenty of layers of protection. The heel is sock-like, which provides good protection to keep small pebbles and debris out. Underneath the sock-like closure is a stiff, well-protected heel collar. The tongue is thin and protects well against debris. The or part has more foot protection, which is rather thin, so it can only offer full protection on lighter terrain. The upper is flexible, fits well on the foot and handles swelling of the foot during running well, but not uniformly, it is a bit tight at the toes and the midsection needs to be tightened to keep the foot in place. The downside of the good breathability is that it doesn’t really hold up in wet conditions, it gets wet quickly, but the outsole is not suited to wet conditions either, so it’s clear that the Zegama is only a good choice in dry weather. When it comes to the upper, we can’t go past the design. The shoe is designed according to today’s fashion, a showy piece.

The Nike ZoomX Zegama trail running shoe midsole is quite thick for a trail running shoe. It is 37mm thick at the heel and 33mm thick at the toe with a 4mm drop. The entire material of the midsole is ZoomX foam, which Nike has used in its best road racing shoes to date, but here it gives a completely different feel. It’s not the same cushiony, soft, springy and energetic, which isn’t just because there’s no carbon plate, it’s a slightly stiffer ZoomX foam. It’s still more bouncy than your average trail running shoe. On the forefoot, tiny holes in the outsole reveal a thinner layer of rock protection, this midfoot thickness, can form a buffer zone that doesn’t need a stronger rock protection next to it. ZoomX foam is fast and light, which is best used on easier terrain, not on more technical, difficult terrain. The midsole is not only high, it’s also wide so it can remain stable, helped by the fact that while it’s comfortable, the ZoomX is also stiffer so the foot doesn’t wobble, but in more technical terrain the disadvantages of the high sole come into play.

On the outsole of the Nike ZoomX Zegama trail running shoe, there are 4-5mm thick spikes that are set in different orientations. These spikes provide good traction on dry light terrain both down and up but the rubber compound becomes very slippery on wet ground. There is no outsole covering in the middle of the sole, which is risky for a trail shoe, in more technical, rocky terrain the middle of the sole is under a lot of stress and strain, although it undoubtedly makes the shoe a little more flexible.

Over all, the Nike ZoomX Zegama trail running shoe is a great, versatile trail running shoe if you’re not going to be running on wet ground or more technical terrain. The forefoot provides good foot protection, the midsole is soft, protective and quick on lighter terrain, and the outsole grips well in dry conditions. But if you’re looking for a shoe for more technical, difficult terrain, and it’s important that the shoe doesn’t slip on wet ground, the Nike ZoomX Zegama might not be the best choice.