REASONS TO BUY
Solid traction
Comfortable stack
Very attractive
Great heel collar design
REASONS TO AVOID
Lacks stability
Not the most sensitive
Nike Zegama 2 - Womens Review
This beautiful and well-tractioned shoe is suited for moderate trails that don't require a ton of agility
While not our favorite overall, the Zegama is a good-looking trail shoe that is capable of riding its way through moderate trails.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Our Verdict
The Nike Zegama 2 is a well-tractioned, style-focused shoe that can handle single tracks and cross-country excursions with ease. While not an overall high scorer, the Zegama is well-suited for moderate trails and non-technical terrain. The Vibram MegaGrip outsole provides adequate traction on dry and damp ground but isn't burly enough for jagged rocks or steep ridges, as Nike promised. If you are in the market for a moderate trail shoe that boasts a soft underfoot feel, comfortably smooth ankle protection, and style in spades, then the Zegama is a worthwhile choice. While not our top recommendation for serious trail runners, it could still be an appealing shoe to add to your arsenal.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Nike Zegama 2 - Womens | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall Trail Running Shoe for Women |  Best Bang for Your Buck |  Best for Comfortable Zero Drop Performance | Best for Long Distances on Technical Trails | |
| Price | $180 List $180.00 at REI | $108.69 at REI Compare at 4 sellers | $130.00 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $109.29 at Amazon Compare at 4 sellers | $190 List $189.95 at Backcountry |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | While comfortable and moderately capable, this isn't the best trail shoe for super technical or weather-laden trails | If a well-tractioned powerhouse of a shoe is what you're after, this 7 mm-drop, stacked-with-tech shoe is the one for you | This is our go-to recommendation for runners seeking a comfortable, well-tractioned shoe for short and long distances alike | Featuring an upgraded upper and a stable zero-drop design, this shoe is a dependable and comfortable trail running option, ensuring comfort even during extended runs | A unisex shoe that offers superior performance across the board, boasting a protective yet sensitive ride with a grippy outsole and exceptional durability |
| Rating Categories | Nike Zegama 2 - Womens | La Sportiva Bushido... | Hoka Torrent 3 - Wo... | Altra Lone Peak 8 -... | Salomon S/Lab Ultra... |
| Foot Protection (25%) | |||||
| Traction (20%) | |||||
| Sensitivity (15%) | |||||
| Stability (15%) | |||||
| Comfort and Fit (15%) | |||||
| Weight (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Nike Zegama 2 - Womens | La Sportiva Bushido... | Hoka Torrent 3 - Wo... | Altra Lone Peak 8 -... | Salomon S/Lab Ultra... |
| Sizes Available | 5 - 12 US | 5.5 - 11 US regular, wide | 5 - 11 US regular |
5.5 - 12 US regular and wide |
4 - 14 US regular |
| Measured Heel Stack Height | 33 mm | 28 mm | 26 mm | 20 mm | 27 mm |
| Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop | 6 mm | 7 mm | 4 mm | 0 mm | 9 mm |
| Rock Plate | No | 1.5 mm Dual-Density compressed EVA Rock-Guard in forefoot | No | TPU | Not disclosed |
| Measured Lug Depth | 4.0 mm | 3.8 mm | 4.0 mm | 3.2 mm | 3.5 mm |
| Measured Weight | 8.40 oz | 9.11 oz | 7.52 oz | 8.14 oz | 8.05 oz |
| Upper | Engineered mesh | Air Mesh / Thermal Adhesive Microfiber / High Frequency Welded Ripstop Overlays | Mesh | Ripstop Mesh | Anti-Debris mesh with sockliner |
| Midsole | ZoomX | 4mm LaSpEVA / Compression Molded MEMlex | EVA | Altra EGO | Energy Save PU foam with Profeel Film rock protection |
| Outsole | Vibram MegaGrip | Bi-Compound FriXion® XT 2.0 V-Groove3 | Rubber | MaxTrac | Salomon Contagrip MA |
| Heel Tab Type | Finger loop | Finger loop | None | Finger loop | None |
| Claimed Heel-to-Toe Drop | 4 mm | 6 mm | 5 mm | 0 mm | 8 mm |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
With a 6 mm drop, a plush 33 mm stack, and 4 mm lugs, the Nike Zegama 2 offers some comfortably rugged features for your trail endeavors.
Performance Comparision
Easy, flowing trails feel fun and comfortable in the updated Zegama.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Foot Protection
The Nike Zegama 2 is not the most protective shoe in our lineup, making it better suited for moderate trails. The midsole is made of Nike's ZoomX material, which provides a thick and relatively soft underfoot feel. The overall stack height is 33 mm, which feels thick and protective while inhibiting sensitivity. In lieu of a toecap, the Zegama has a very thin coating of rubber across the space where a toe bumper should be. This overlay provides very little protection, further cementing this shoe's standing as one that should be worn on trails where kicking rocks is not an option. The Zegama is the first trail shoe we've tested that has a built-in ankle gaiter at its heel collar. The thick heel cup gives way to a dual-layered, stretchy textile that sits somewhat snugly around the rear ankle. This prevents sand and dirt from infiltrating through the ankle collar. While this is a unique and comfortable touch, it doesn't quite make up for the protective elements the Zegama lacks.
In our experience, Nike doesn't tend to make the most protective shoes, but the Zegama 2 offers just enough to provide confidence on mellow trails.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Traction
The outsole of the Zegama 2 is made of Vibram MegaGrip, ultimately making this a decently-tractioned trail shoe despite its other trail-focused deficiencies. The chevron-shaped lugs have little bumps on their vertical edges, providing texture for extra confidence. The lug pattern is incredibly basic, with forward-facing lugs at the forefoot and rear-facing lugs across the rearfoot. A line of four lugs runs the lateral length of the arch, but the middle is made of exposed foam that is super susceptible to abrasions and punctures. Overall, the Vibram outsole provides decent traction across various surfaces but not enough to get our stamp of approval for highly technical efforts.
The 4 mm deep, chevron-shaped lugs across this Vibram outsole make it stronger than expected.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Sensitivity
The thickness of the stack and the ZoomX foam prevent the Zegama 2 from having much sensitivity. As we have discussed, some shoes can get away with being highly functional while lacking sensitivity, but the Zegama lacks the redeeming qualities of the other contenders. Without an embedded plate, the midsole of the Zegama feels like a soft, compressive road shoe underfoot. Since this is a shoe we recommend for easy to moderate trails, not feeling the trail isn't the worst since your body shouldn't have to adjust to topography changes quickly. When we consider purchasing shoes without sensitivity, we prefer that they provide burly underfoot protection or a speed-focused plate.
The thickness of the stack prevents the Zegama from having a true trail feel, but this also isn't the least sensitive shoe we've tested.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Stability
We are disappointed in the stability of the Zegama 2. The forefoot lacks the structure to help you maintain your gait and the rearfoot rides like it's focused on comfort, not stability. We run in a lot of different shoes, and this is only the second shoe we've had real stability issues in. Our main tester rolled her ankle on a moderate trail while testing the Zegama. We tightened the laces to create a semblance of stability, but this degraded the comfort of this shoe drastically. While runners with different anatomies might find the heel stack and overall compressive nature of the Zegama to be non-issues, we stand firm in our experience with the Zegama being a rather unstable shoe. Especially when we consider the stability demands of trail running, we hesitate to recommend the Zegama based on this metric alone.
We didn't fall in love with the Zegama because of its lack of stability. Other runners might not find this to be as important as it is to us.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Comfort and Fit
The Nike Zegama is such an aesthetic shoe that we begged it to be comfortable, and, for the most part, it is. When we consider this shoe through a comfort-only lens, removing its deficient trail prowess, we dig it. It is soft and smooth and boasts a uniquely comfortable heel collar design above a well-padded heel cup. Its tongue is plush, and the overall fit runs on the mildly wider side of narrow. Provided that you are not seeking a stability shoe, the Zegama 2 provides 360-degree comfort. The comfort, fit, and style of this shoe make it one that we reach for when we know we'll be active but also want to look cute. We appreciate the slightly above-average comfort elements of the Zegama, but don't recommend buying a trail shoe based on comfort alone. Comfort is important, but we have plenty of other recommendations that provide comfort and much-needed trail features instead.
The stylish and attractive Zegama 2 provides ample soft comfort.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Weight
A single shoe of the Zegama 2 in women's US size 6.5 weighs 8.4 ounces, which is a bit heavy for what it offers. While it is well-tractioned, it lacks some of the upper protection that we associate with heavier shoes. All in all, the weight of the Zegama isn't a total dealbreaker unless you are looking for an ultra-lightweight shoe. If the rest of the shoe fits (your desires), a half ounce per shoe above average isn't that much to add.
The upper isn't super protective, making the Zegama seem a bit heavy without reason.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Should You Buy the Nike Zegama 2?
While Nike upped the ante with the updated outsole of the Zegama 2, it fails to hit the mark when placed head-to-head with other trail shoes. It is a rare trail runner who could make this shoe work for them on technical trails, so we hesitate to outright recommend purchasing it for the trails. If you want an active shoe that looks awesome and provides comfort, the Zegama fits that bill. For the average trail runner, we recommend allocating your hard-earned funds to a shoe that can keep you company on granite-laden climbs, through root-covered forests, and across the copious snow fields you may find during spring running.
The new Zegama is almost there. It has plenty of lovable qualities, but isn't as strong of a competitor as other shoes in our lineup.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
What Other Trail Shoes Should You Consider?
From a purely functional standpoint, the La Sportiva Bushido III cannot be beaten. It is rugged, capable, and durable. If comfort is what you are seeking, the Hoka Speedgoat 6 offers well-rounded comfort while still being able to tackle tough terrain. If the Zegama 2 spoke to you because of its plush comfort, the ever-comfy Altra Lone Peak 8 is a zero-drop option that is worth looking into.
—
Ally Arcuri
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