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New York is a walking city, but as podiatrist Dr. Scott M. Whitney, DPM, mentioned when I recently visited his office to have my feet examined, most New Yorkers prioritize fashion over function. I, too, am guilty of clocking over 30,000 steps in a single day, making moves across the fast-paced city in designer footwear that offers little support or comfort for my aching feet. Sometimes, we need to learn a lesson the hard way. But that day, as I power walked my way to the podiatrist’s office, I had an extra pep in my step while sporting my new Nike Motiva walking shoes.
As Footwear News previously reported, the demand for quality walking shoes for women and men surged during the pandemic, yet it remained a mostly untapped opportunity in the athletic market. To our excitement, the Nike Motiva shoe launched in May 2023 for women, which according to demographics, makes total sense (women outweighed men in walking workout studies). By August, I was finally able to get my tired feet in a pair of the Motiva walking shoes for men to put them to the new release to the test.
Will this fast-walking New Yorker put his curated collection of designer Oxford shoes, Chelsea boots, and sleek leather loafers away for good? No, certainly not — but these Nike walking shoes have become a go-to footwear workhorse for pounding the pavement on those especially active days when I need all the support I can get.
How We Tested the Nike Motiva Walking Shoes
Product Tested: Nike Motiva walking shoes
Tester Foot Type and Problems: high arches; significant leg length discrepancy: left foot supinates, right foot neutral; mild plantar fasciitis; medium foot width
Testing Time Period: several long days in a two-month period
Terrain Tested: concrete pavement, grass hills, dirt road, and gravel paths
Pros: lightweight, overall comfort, stabilizing, foot propelling, true-to-size fit, wider toe box than most Nike shoes, durable
Cons: style not versatile for different occasions, not ideal for running long distances, less breathable than other Nike shoes
Editor Testing & Review: Nike Motiva Shoes
Unboxing the Nike Motiva Shoes, your eyes immediately gravitate to the striking Comfortgroove outsole; the innovation that works in tandem with Nike’s Cushlon 3.0 full-length foam midsole to soften the impact of your steps. As other Nike Motiva reviews have noted, the exaggerated rocker and Comfortgroove technology can feel strange at first as the shoe propels you forward, but once you trust it, you’ll be delighted by the plush comfort and ease of movement — it begins to feel natural, and you’ll miss it when you switch to other shoe styles.
Some other noticeable details when you first see and feel the Nike walking shoe include the padded foam collar, the internal half-bootie that connects to the shoe’s tongue, and a firm heel cup, which together makes the shoe more comfortable and easy to slide on, while also providing much-needed support with a snug fit as you take strides with cushioned bliss.
To see what how comfortable Nike Motiva Shoes really are, I wore them while taking my dog to the park — and I’m not talking about your typical, leisurely park stroll. My not-so-leash-trained energetic dog (that somehow channels the strength of a large sled dog) pulled me through the city streets, down gravel paths, up grassy hills and along dirt trails on a multi-hour adventure through Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York. For the first time in a long time, I didn’t experience a moment of discomfort while maintaining stability on the varying terrains.
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Dr. Whitney was quick to point out what made the Motiva a great walking shoe for my feet. The higher heel-to-toe drop and rocker bottom prevented any strain on my high arches, especially as a fast-walking heel striker. (Thanks to years of wearing fancy dress shoes on a daily basis, I suffer from mild plantar fasciitis.) Though I have borderline neutral-width feet, I was also happy with the roomy toe box that’s less common in Nike sneaker styles.
The Motiva isn’t necessarily for everyone, but there’s no one-shoe-fits-all footwear solution. Yes, the textile upper is less breathable than Nike Flyknit technology, but I imagine that flexible fabric wouldn’t be great for foot stability, and thankfully, my feet only sweat during the most intense workouts. The Motiva’s bold silhouette and performance shoe appearance doesn’t make it the most versatile sneaker for all occasions. However, as a longtime fashion editor, I found the University Red and Obsidian colorway to be a perfect pairing for all-black casual attire and complimentary to light indigo denim outfits. Now available in black and off-white colorways, there are more subtle Motiva options for those who don’t favor bold footwear style.
In short, the Nike Motiva walking shoes feel like the equivalent of a spa day for my typically tired, aching feet; the not-so-guilty pleasure of a step in the right direction towards the proper foot care this city guy truly needed.
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Meet the Author Who Tested the Nike Motiva Walking Shoes
Adam Mansuroglu is the Director of Commerce for Footwear News and WWD, overseeing strategy for shopping content on both brands, along with writing and editing shopping guides, product reviews, and shopping trend stories for all types of footwear, from designer shoes to athletic sneakers for both men and women. Prior to his current role, Mansuroglu was a fashion editor and stylist at Cosmopolitan Magazine, Style Editor at BestProducts.com, and Senior Style & Gear Editor for Men’s Health Magazine, where he edited the annual Men’s Health Sneaker Awards. Mansuroglu has been tapped as a shopping expert for editorial websites such as Wirecutter, and his writing has also appeared in Out Magazine, Esquire and other publications. Mansuroglu selected the shoe to review and independently paid for the shoes by purchasing them on Nike.com.
