A Legendary Nike Shoe Returns Decades Later as a High-Performance Daily Trainer

The Mayfly is back … sort of.

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Even for a brand known with no shortage of iconic shoe designs, Nike’s Mayfly holds a special place in the hearts of runners who remember the impossibly lightweight running shoe.

Released in 2003 and clocking in at less than five ounces, the Mayfly was also famously fragile. In fact, it became the shoe’s calling card: a design so optimized for performance, it wasn’t supposed to last more than 60 miles.

Now, decades later, the Mayfly will return … sort of.

Nike Pegasus Premium
The Pegasus Premium will be one of three Nike shoes to adopt the Mayfly’s original colorway..
Nike

The brand-new Pegasus LV8 Collection will see three Nike running shoes adopt the Mayfly’s iconic yellow colorway, complete with the original’s black graphic inspired by the wings of the mayfly insect.

Headlining the collection is the Pegasus Premium LV8, easily Nike’s most advanced daily trainer ever.

Nike Pegasus Premium
The Pegasus Premium, released in 2025, is easily Nike’s most advanced daily trainer to date, featuring three distinct innovations in cushioning.
Nike

The shoe — first announced in 2024 and finally released earlier this year — includes three distinct innovations in cushioning technology. Among them, of course, is Air Zoom, showcased here for the first time in a unit that encompasses the entire length of the shoe.

Nike Pegasus Premium
The Pegasus Premium features a long Air Zoom unit that runs the entire length of the shoe.
Nike
Nike Pegasus Premium
The ultralight upper is fashioned from engineered mesh and circular knit.
Nike

Like other variants to date, the Pegasus Premium LV8 also features Nike’s two best foams: ZoomX (the same stuff in the record-setting Alphafly) and ReactX (as seen in the Pegasus 41).

The latter has quickly become the brand’s go-to compound, even showing up in Nike’s viral recovery footwear.

According to the brand, ReactX reduces Nike’s carbon footprint by close to 50 percent compared to the original React foam, while offering double-digit gains in responsiveness.

Nike Pegasus Premium
The Pegasus Premium also includes reflective detailing.
Nike

Pricing and availability

The Nike Pegasus Premium LV8 launches on July 3, available exclusively through Nike’s official website. It costs $220.

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