UF Product Review
by ez

These are the trainers that have received a lot of hype, seeing as Sebastien Foucan and co used to be sponsored by Nike, and they sung the praises of the Nike Air Pegasus as being near enough perfect for PK.  In my quest to find the perfect pair, I went out and bought some Pegasus shoes and put them to the test. They are indeed a very snug fitting shoe and offer lightness along with a good level of shock resistance, which is imperative when you move onto more ambitious obstacles, and see your game moving beyond beginner into intermediate level.  The grip has a kind of waffle style sole where if you are into doing lots of balancing and precisions onto rails, makes it kind of hard to have the feeling of sensitivity that's needed.  Once you get used to them though, they are ok.  The weight of the shoe is nice and lightweight, which really makes you spring around and feel like they are aiding your game as opposed to hindering.  The major downside to them is that if you do lots of tic tacs and cat leaps, you will wear these babies down in no time at all.  In all of my testing over the last year, I have yet to find a rubber sole that can take constant pounding from being put through the cat leap and tic tac drill scenario.  Whoever comes up with a solution and brings out a super hard wearing rubber compound, will end up sitting on a potential gold mine.

*A little inside secret - Most of the pro's do not have just one pair of trainers for PK.  They have two on the go at any one time.  Meaning that if they are looking to practise precisions and tic tacs, they go out with a pair that they aren't too worried about scuffing up.  The other pair are saved for doing precision and regular jumping drills.  If you are not in the position to afford two pairs of trainers for PK, I'd strongly suggest opting for the Merrel Slams which are really hardwearing and up to the job.  As mentioned before, their weight is a little clunky, so you have to really weigh up the pro's and cons before buying.

All in all, if you are looking for a lightweight trainer that offers comfort and good shock resistance, you won't go far wrong with these.  If you shop around you will find all kinds of deals available and will be able to pick up a pair at a reasonable price.

*Another inside secret.  If you are into rail precisions and balancing, make sure that when you buy your shoes that they have flat all in one soles (or as close as).  The trend at the moment is for trainers to have a hinge type thing going on (see pic below) where the front part of the foot and the heel are separated.  In most cases, the middle section has a shiny plastic coating which is totally useless for rails/balancing and will see you slipping all over the place.  Luckily the Pegasus are flat and allow for for over and under shooting your precisions without any fear.
 

Style - Look fine and come in a whole bunch of different styles/colours.  Something there for everyone. 5/5

Fit - Very snug and comfortable.  Offer good ankle support.  Extra insoles are always recommended 4/5

Grip - Waffle type sole which offers a good grip but takes getting used to when doing balancing and rail precision drills. 4/5

Shock resistance - About as good as you are going to get.  Add the insoles and these are perfect. 4/5

Weight - Not the lightest trainers on the market but enough to give you an added spring in your step. 4/5

Durability - If you train sensibly these will last you well.  If you are heavily into cat leaps, wall runs and tic tacs, forget it.  3/5

Value - You can grab a pair for about £60 but shop about and you might find a few bargains. You might also find yourself wearing these out quickly too.  3/5

Overall - I'd recommend these to anyone moving on from the Merrel Slams.  Not ideally suitable for beginners as they will shred in no time at all on the wrong feet.  Even when worn by someone at a proficient level they will not take too much heavy duty tic tac and cat leaping around, but for gap jumps and regular pounding, they stand up as very good. They are very comfortable, have good shock resistance and provide a good grip.  If money isn't an issue, buy two pairs...One for tic tac/cat leaps and the other for everything else.  If money is tight, go for the Merrel slams as they will in most cases, last longer. 4/5