Our verdict

As the brand's first dedicated walking shoe, the nike bonafide Motiva drew our attention with its exaggerated rocker and ridiculously squishy sole. We thoroughly enjoyed taking every step in this unique shoe, convinced that it is soon to be the new golden standard of walking footwear. We can't praise this nike bonafide shoe enough at this price point.

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  • Rocker makes for effortless walks
  • Audaciously plush cushioning
  • Out-of-the-box comfort
  • Very wide and stable base (for walking/jogging only!)
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  • A nike bonafide shoe that's NOT tight and narrow

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  • Sole develops wrinkles easily
  • Rocker takes time to get used to

Audience verdict

90
Great!

Who should buy

The nike bonafide Motiva's unique design can be perplexing when you first see it. Having worn and lab-tested the shoe, we believe that it is most suitable for the people who:

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  • a rockered shoe that promotes faster and smoother heel-to-toes
  • a shoe with extra plush, bottomless cushioning

nike bonafide motiva review 20999514 720

nike bonafide flex essential running pants walmart | Who should NOT buy

The nike bonafide Motiva offers a bundle of benefits but not enough for overpronators. We think that people who need a stable and supportive platform with arch support would be better off with the Skechers Max Cushioning Arch Fit.

And if you specifically need a summer-ready shoe, the nike bonafide air max 97 running shoes is a more breathable alternative.

nike bonafide Motiva lab test

Breathability

Taking this nike bonafide shoe out on a hot summer day is not the best idea. Even when we wore our thinnest socks, our feet ended up slightly damp at 80°F (27°C).

The shoe's lack of breathability was later confirmed in our lab. Using a smoke-pumping machine, we filled the shoe's upper with smoke and observed how quickly it would pass through the material.

Indeed, the Motiva's upper refused to release the smoke that easily. Comparing it to nike bonafide shoes dart 9 womens sneakers clearance sale, we rated this nike bonafide with a moderate score of 3 out of 5 for breathability.

To show you exactly how dense the shoe's upper material is, we hovered the half-cut upper over a light bulb. As you can see, there is not a single aperture that would let the light shine through!

Finally, we grabbed our microscope to investigate the knit mesh up close.

nike bonafide motiva microscope 20999510 720

What we've got here are rather thick and densely woven threads that are bound together into a solid one-piece fabric.

nike bonafide motiva microscope upper 20999512 720

Test results
Motiva 3
Average 2.8
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Toebox durability

But the good news is that this monolithic material is quite resistant to abrasion. We were amazed at how well the Motiva's upper stood up to our durability test with a Dremel!

We pressed the tool's sandpaper tip against the shoe's toebox material for 12 seconds at consistent pressure (3.2N) and speed (5K RPM).

And the result was stunning! Our Dremel didn't even cut through all of the threads, making more of a cosmetic mess. This earned the nike bonafide Motiva a high score of 4 out of 5 for toebox durability.

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nike bonafide Motiva Toebox durability comparison

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Test results
Motiva 4
Average 3
Compared to 20 walking shoes
Number of shoes
1
Toebox durability
5

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For a not-so-expensive shoe, the Motiva keeps showing great quality of upper materials!

Drilling the shoe's lining inside the heel collar for 4 seconds, we saw a pretty moderate level of damage. On a 1-5 scale, we rated it with a well-deserved 3.

And if that score doesn't seem to reassuring to you, just have a look at what 1 out of 5 looks like in the photo below.

nike bonafide motiva heel padding durability comparison 20999478 720
Test results
Motiva 3
Average 2
Compared to 19 walking shoes
Number of shoes
1
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5

Outsole hardness

With our expectations set high for this nike bonafide shoe, we went on to check the durability of its outsole.

Pressing our durometer against the shoe's rubber outsole, it showed a very promising reading of 92.0 HC. Being 20% harder than average, it is also pretty likely to be more durable than average. 

nike bonafide Motiva Outsole hardness
Test results
Motiva 92.0 HC
Average 75.8 HC
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
50.1 HC
Outsole hardness
92.0 HC

Outsole durability

To our delight, this proved to be true!

Using the Dremel again, we turned it up to a higher speed (10K RPM) and pressed it against one of the shoe's rubber lugs for 22 seconds.

We measured the newly formed dent with a tread gauge and it showed only 1.2 mm of depth. We are happy to report that this is shallower than the average dent created by the Dremel!

nike bonafide motiva outsole durability 2 20999479 720
Test results
Motiva 1.2 mm
Average 1.4 mm
Compared to 19 walking shoes
Number of shoes
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

nike bonafide also used a slightly thicker-than-average outsole for the Motiva. Seeing 3.0 mm of rubber on our caliper further convinced us of the Motiva's potential to last hundreds of miles.

nike bonafide Motiva Outsole thickness
Test results
Motiva 3.0 mm
Average 2.6 mm
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
0.0 mm
Outsole thickness
5.9 mm

Weight

original the amount of midsole foam and outsole rubber, we couldn't expect the nike bonafide Motiva to be lighter than average. But it is far from being a heavy shoe too!

Tipping the scale at 10.8 oz (306g) in a men's US size 9, the nike bonafide Motiva weighs exactly the same as nike bonafide shoes dart 9 womens sneakers clearance sale with a heel stack of 34 mm and more. And it never felt like a drag on our feet either.

nike bonafide motiva weight 20999505 720
Test results
Motiva 10.79 oz (306g)
Average 9.59 oz (272g)
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
6.17 oz (175g)
Weight
14.25 oz (404g)

nike bonafide flex essential running pants walmart | Cushioning

Heel stack

The nike bonafide Motiva provides tons of cushioning for people who are just starting out running and tend to transition into walking a lot. At this stage, the wearer lands primarily on their heels which calls for better impact protection from the shoe in this area.

And the Motiva does just that. Measuring its thickness in the heel, our caliper showed a stack height of 34.9 mm. That's notably thicker than the average walking shoe, providing a very generous squish underfoot.

nike bonafide Motiva Heel stack
Test results
Motiva 34.9 mm
Average 32.6 mm
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
11.2 mm
Heel stack
45.7 mm

Forefoot stack

The nike bonafide Motiva's midsole also exceeds the average in its forefoot cushioning. Based on our caliper measurement, it is 25.6 mm thick under the ball of the foot.

That way, it's not just the heel that receives love in this fabulously cushioned walking shoe.

nike bonafide motiva forefoot stack 20999482 720
Test results
Motiva 25.6 mm
Average 21.7 mm
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
5.5 mm
Forefoot stack
31.2 mm

Drop

The difference in height between the heel and the toes gives us a drop of 9.3 mm. This is a standard heel elevation for a walking shoe as it adds support and takes the pressure off the Achilles.

nike bonafide Motiva Drop
Test results
Motiva 9.3 mm
Average 11.0 mm
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
5.7 mm
Drop
21.4 mm

Midsole softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

The squish is real in the nike bonafide Motiva. Not only is the foam itself very plush but the shoe's peculiar wavy sole and protruding bumps at the bottom also help to level up the compression.

We turned to our durometer to measure the softness of the foam underneath the heel. The tool returned a reading of 15.0 HA which is a whopping 70% plusher than the average foam!

nike bonafide Motiva Midsole softness

Walking in the nike bonafide Motiva was pure joy! The ride felt marshmallowy and luxurious for hours... But unfortunately, there is a caveat - the foam starts to crease almost immediately.

And for heavier wearers, we anticipate a quicker bottoming-out of the cushioning. 

nike bonafide motiva heel stack height 20999518 720

Test results
Motiva 15.0 HA
Average 25.0 HA
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
7.8 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
32.9 HA

Difference in midsole softness in cold

original the shoe's warm upper, we thought you might want to wear it in the colder months of the year as well. But does its cushioning remain just as soft when the temperatures drop?

It does!

Even though it's not one of Nike's super foams it certainly is a magical foam. After spending 20 minutes in the freezer, the shoe's foam did get 15.9% firmer but it remained 95% plusher than other foams in the same conditions!

nike bonafide motiva difference in midsole softness in cold 20999491 720
Test results
Motiva 15.9%
Average 33.2%
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
0%
Difference in midsole softness in cold
100%

Insole thickness

original the shoe's exceptionally comfortable midsole, there wasn't much need for a super cushy insole. The latter is only lightly padded at 4.2 mm in the heel.

Test results
Motiva 4.2 mm
Average 5.8 mm
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
3.5 mm
Insole thickness
10.3 mm

Rocker

But the star of the show is of course the Motiva's exaggerated rocker design. This feature has long established itself in the running shoe realm but there is no reason for it not to work in walking shoes!

If this looks all new and weird to you, a simple metaphor would be a rocking chair. As opposed to its flat counterparts, this chair has raised curvy edges that allow for quick and smooth transitions from front to back.

Same here. As you step on the heel, the shoe literally rocks your foot forward to the toes, encouraging you to take the next step more quickly.

Of course, it may take some time to get used to but we can assure you that it takes less than a day to fully adjust.

Stability

Lateral stability test

As you can probably tell by now, the nike bonafide Motiva is fully attuned to continuous forward motion. We strongly warn you against taking this shoe to the gym or attempting any aggressive lateral movements in it.

The video below shows that the Motiva almost feels like standing on a fitness ball! It wants you to rock forward and not any other direction.

So, if you are someone with excessive inward rolling of the foot (overpronation) or other foot conditions, you may prefer a much more stable and supportive Skechers Max Cushioning Arch Fit.

Torsional rigidity

But hear us out, if you're only using this nike bonafide shoe for walking and jogging, we promise that there are no issues with stability here. Never once did we feel like our ankles were about to roll over the shoe.

If you try to twist the Motiva like we did, you will see how incredibly stiff it is laterally! On a stiffness scale from 1 to 5, we readily rated it with the maximum 5!

Test results
Motiva 5
Average 2.7
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Heel counter stiffness

The shoe's heel counter is not very stiff but it is amply padded to hold the heel and ankle securely in place. If 5 is the stiffest, we would rate this heel counter as 2.

Test results
Motiva 2
Average 2.2
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
1
Heel counter stiffness
5

Midsole width in the forefoot

Of course, no shoe would not be fully stable without a wide platform with extended contact points. And the nike bonafide Motiva takes care of this by offering some of the widest midsoles among walking shoes!

Measuring the distance between the widest points of the forefoot, we got 116 mm. A few millimeters wider than average.

nike bonafide motiva midsole width in the forefoot 20999492 720
Test results
Motiva 116.0 mm
Average 111.4 mm
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
98.8 mm
Midsole width in the forefoot
124.1 mm

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The shoe's platform widens again at the heel. Here, we measured the widest area at 96.6 mm, much wider than average!

A wide landing area in the heel is crucial when you're dealing with such squishy cushioning.

nike bonafide Motiva nike bonafide flex essential running pants walmart
Test results
Motiva 96.6 mm
Average 89.5 mm
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
75.6 mm
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102.2 mm

Flexibility

Stiffness

Because the nike bonafide Motiva relies on the rocking motion so much, it is expected to be less flexible than a normal walking shoe.

Our in-house flexibility test fully proves this. Using a force gauge, we pushed the shoe to a 90-degree angle and measured how much force it took to bend it that far. For the Motiva, the reading was 29.2N which is 55% more than it takes on average.

Not a flexible shoe but it's not a problem.

Test results
Motiva 29.2N
Average 20.4N
We use an average of four tests. The video shows one of those tests.
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
1.1N
Stiffness
52.7N

Difference in stiffness in cold

We were curious to see whether the Motiva would get even stiffer in cold conditions but it didn't! We observed a mere 4% difference in flexibility whereas most walking shoes stiffen up by 50-60%!

nike bonafide Motiva Difference in stiffness in cold
Test results
Motiva 4%
Average 52.2%
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
0%
Difference in stiffness in cold
139%

Grip / Traction

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nike bonafide Motiva outsole

Featuring Nike's signature waffle outsole pattern, its traction is not only effective but also exudes Nike's retro shoe vibes.

nike bonafide Motiva heel

Size and fit

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nike bonafide shoes received numerous complaints for their uncomfortably narrow fit over the years. This must have led the brand to promise a "widened forefoot, arch, and toebox" in the Motiva.

Even though we never felt constricted in this walking shoe, it didn't seem like a particularly spacious one.

Measuring the widest part of the toebox, we got 97.5 mm which is just an average for walking shoes.

nike bonafide motiva toebox width at the widest part 20999494 720
Test results
Motiva 97.5 mm
Average 98.5 mm
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
89.5 mm
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103.1 mm

Toebox width at the big toe

We also measured the toebox width at the big toe mark to make sure that it wasn't too pointy. But with a caliper reading of 77.6 mm, we found that it is just the same as the average.

nike bonafide motiva toebox width at the big toe 20999498 720

A nice bonus is that the shoe's upper material has a fairly stretchy nature and it accommodates the foot shape very well.

Overall, the fit is perfect for a medium-width foot but we cannot call it "widened" compared to how abundant walking shoes can be.

Test results
Motiva 77.6 mm
Average 77.5 mm
Compared to 21 walking shoes
Number of shoes
73.7 mm
Toebox width at the big toe
82.0 mm

Tongue: gusset type

The shoe's tongue is fully integrated into the upper, forming a bootie-like structure that holds the foot very securely.

There was no unwanted foot shifting or play inside the nike bonafide Motiva which greatly contributed to our surefootedness.

nike bonafide Motiva Tongue: gusset type
Test results
Motiva Bootie

Comfort

Tongue padding

The Motiva's tongue is substantially more padded than average, showing 11.5 mm on our caliper. It is twice as thick as a typical walking shoe tongue.

It does detract from the shoe's breathability but amplifies the in-shoe comfort.

nike bonafide Motiva Tongue padding
Test results
Motiva 11.5 mm
Average 4.9 mm
Compared to 26 walking shoes
Number of shoes
0.3 mm
Tongue padding
11.5 mm

Heel tab

There is no pull tab or finger loop to assist in getting the shoe on. And original the shoe's bootie upper, so you will most likely need both hands to slide into it.

nike bonafide Motiva Heel tab
Test results
Motiva None

Removable insole

The stock insole is easily removable in the nike bonafide Motiva. In case you decide to level up the shoe's comfort or arch support.

nike bonafide Motiva Removable insole
Test results
Motiva Yes