Best Nike Walking Shoes for Men & Women – 2020 Edition

This article reviews the best Nike walking shoes for men and women in 2020.

Are There Really Best Nike Shoes for Walking?

The Nike brand covers a wide range of sportswear and in my world that's a world of all things shoes, Nike is famous for their running and baseball shoes.

But with street cred and celebrity desire-driven markets of today, you cannot deny that walking is the activity Nike shoes do more miles every day more than any other activity.

I present to you the best Nike walking shoes – the best Nike shoes for walking to suit power walkers, regular walkers for exercise, casual walkers, workers, commuters & city walkers who are our readers.

The Most Comfortable Nike Walking Shoes for Men

I remain convinced the most comfortable men's Nike walking shoes in 2020 are still the Nike Monarch IV because they are a multi-purpose shoe at a very good price and are durable which is great for walkers.

Most Nike shoes are produced only in the standard medium width fitting but the wider range of widths available for the Monarch IV makes it less likely that you will be trying to fit your foot into a Nike shoe that is really not big enough.

I think this gives the Monarch IV a huge advantage over the other Nike shoes so far as male walkers are concerned. See our review below.

The Most Comfortable Nike Walking Shoes for Women

The most comfortable Nike walking shoes for women in 2020 is Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail for Women.

This shoe is an improvement over the Pegasus 35 and is more comfortable for walkers than the same model running shoe because of its more protective and grippier sole and double zoom air pods for better cushioning and shock absorbance. See our review below.

There are a lot of models that Nike produce and some are better for more focused activity. For Nike walking shoes our picks of the best follow.

Quick Look at The Best Nike Walking Shoes for 2020

Nike Air Force 1, Nike Monarch IV, Nike Revolution 5, Nike Air Max 270, Nike Epic React FlyKnit, Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail, Nike Tanjun, Nike Air Max 720. The Nike Adept gets a special mention.

Nike model ranges have designs for both men and women but the features are the same so the reviews apply equally to both sexes. Most models have kids versions too, so you can model them in your own image should you please. Mini-me!

If you are a little bewildered at what all the buzz words mean – Lunar, React, Zoom, FlyKnit, etc., then please skip down to the info section underneath the reviews by clicking the orange button below.

Links Disclosure: Some links on this page go to affiliate partners where, without cost to you, we may receive a small commission should you make a purchase.

The table below gives a quick view of the shoes reviewed in this article for men and women. Use the jump links in the table as well as in the reviews to jump up and down the page quickly and easily. Blue links are for men, pink for women.

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Overview

The Nike Air Force One really was named after the famous presidential plane, perhaps with reference to the company flying high at the time. Ah OK, it was released the same year as the plane was unveiled.

The shoe has three styles; low, medium and high-top, though perhaps it's a little surprising that the styles weren't named Stratus, Cumulus, and Cirrus!

Anyway, it is available in various colors, the most popular are the white (often referred to as white on white) and the black (often referred to as black-on-black).

It is one of those styles which has become a collector's item which offers the average Walker, a multipurpose shoe that can be worn in lots of different situations.

The Air Force has gone through several iterations using numbers and Roman numerals and is actually a basketball shoe that became adopted as a street shoe.

Is been discontinued and reinvented several times with a few changes cosmetically whilst keeping the general look of the shoe. However, the technology of the shoe has been updated in its various versions.

I guess there are a few street kids still wearing the air force one boots, and the mid style shoe is more commonly worn by basketball players, leaving us walkers with the classic style training shoe.

Is it a great walking shoe?

Well, the answer to that is not really. There are better-designed shoes for walkers but it is a perfectly capable walking shoe for generally walking around rather than power or fitness walking for which you will be looking for something slightly more flexible, running shoe style.

Before we go on, we must mention the most important feature of the shoe which is the AF/1 badge attached to the middle of the lace. Now that I have that have out of the way, let's get on with a quick description.

There are various iterations so you may be getting a leather upper sneaker or you may be getting suede or some synthetic material depending upon the model chosen. The shoe has a rounded toe box area and the tongue of the shoe is held in place by the laces which keeps it from slipping off to one side. This reduces the risk of the laces rubbing your instep.

As with most Nike shoes, it is probably the sole of the shoe which is going to be more important.

The sole would be fairly unremarkable, being molded out of a springy foam material, except that it features the Nike Air cushioning system which can be seen in some of the models and is hidden in others.

There's a description of the Nike air cushioning system in the info section after the reviews if you're interested in learning a little about it.

The rubber outsole provides great traction and is pretty durable and springy which gives a good comfortable and likely sprung ride to the shoe.

This is a staple of the Nike shoe range at a reasonable price point and provides a good multi-functional shoe.

Nike haven't messed too much with the latest technology and so the shoe remains a cultural icon amongst shoes.

Nike Air Force 1 – Features of Interest

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Overview

Even though you probably won't find too many hip-hop youngsters wearing even the air force one these days, you will certainly not find them wearing the Nike Monarch.

Not unless there is a sudden surge in retro after writing this article.

The Nike Monarch IV is a dad shoe, something you might buy as a Father's Day present.

Much as McDonald's serve everything Coke, so the Monarch IV is the staple for the older generation's Nike sneaker.

The shoe, in fact, was born with this idea in mind, with the changing demographics moving wearers of athletic shoes who were doing sport into trainers for walking as they got older and interested in less energetic exercise.

The idea was to provide a comfortable training shoe and would appeal to this generation.

And it still does!

For most of us, the style is rather outdated and clunky but for others, it is the epitome of practicality and retro style that appeals.

The leather uppers have a practical, smart and edgy look, but it's the sole of the shoe that is the foundation of its retro-ness.

My son was complaining about women's liberation this morning, and said that it rather got out of hand, but not the Nike as there is a nice pink version available – haha.

The shoe design is rather more for function than form with a lightweight fairly non-descript foam midsole which is given a lift by the ubiquitous Nike air cushioning. It ends up giving you a good level of comfort.

The rubber outsole provides plenty of traction which makes this a good Nike walking shoe for casual walking and general casual wear.

Nike Monarch IV – Features of Interest

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Overview

The Nike Revolution 5 brings us into a more modern design with a mesh upper with a soft foam insole.

The foam midsole is soft and consistent throughout the length of the shoe and is very lightweight which reduces the overall weight of the shoe. The outer wall is textured to further reduce and Nike claim, help reduce creasing. Being lightweight is good for walking!

This full length cushioned midsole provides a well-cushioned feel underfoot and feels good quality for a responsive and gentle ride.

The shoe has a durable rubber outsole that provides plenty of traction and is nicely flexible thanks to well-designed spaces in the tread to help your foot flex as it naturally wants to.

The Revolution 5 has a knit upper that provides reasonable breathability and flexibility – good for you if creases in shoe uppers often force local pressure points where the uppers crease in all the wrong places. The downside of the knit upper is that it has no resistance to water and your feet will get wet in damp or wet conditions.

The uppers also feature no-sew overlays which reduce the possibility of rubbing and together with the sockliner provide a smooth feel inside.

These shoes do come up quite small in length and width and you will almost certainly need a wider and longer shoe than you normally order. We suggest going up 1/2 a size and a width fitting wider than you normally wear.

If you thought Nike Air technology was more hot air than function, then you’ll find these a breath of fresh air – ironically because there is none.

Nike Revolution 5 – Features of Interest

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Overview

So what's the deal with all this Nike Air and Air Max marketing?

I go into this in a little more detail in the information section but basically, Air Max is the air system provided within the midsole for the full length of the shoe. Hence Max!

It is the latest version of the Air Max series after the Air Max 90 and Air Max 97, which have seen some recent revival.

The original Nike Air shoes had the little air bubbles coyly hidden within the structure of the midsole and they didn't run the full length of the shoe either.

Then, the system was extended full length but remained hidden until a spark of genius in Nike's design office came up with the idea of unclothing it.

And so a little window was cut into the midsole for all to see the genius of the air filled plastic bag that everyone had been running on for years.

Not only was the world amazed and captivated by this see-through window through the bottom of the shoe but sales rocketed. So much so that more and more of this transparent plastic marvel was exposed.

The Nike Air Max 270, removes all the flows from the middle to the bottom and shows a transparent plastic shapely bottom!

That's a bottom that provides excellent cushioning to your heel as it bangs into the ground.

With a dual density foam sole and issues insole chiming in and sandwiching the air pod, you have an excellent cushioned and shock absorbing system for the heel.

For walkers, this is a wonderful invention.

So what else is the Nike Air Max 270 hiding?

There is ample cushioning to the heel area although it rises rather high at the back of the shoe which may cause a little rubbing to some people's Achilles, and they need a stylish mesh upper that sort of cuddles your foot.

The tongue of the shoe is integral so there's no slippage to contend with and the lacing hoops are asymmetrical to secure the shoe on your foot.

With a breathable upper and a really comfortable sole, the Nike Air Max 270 ends up as a remarkable walking shoe from Nike.

As with all Nike shoes, order a half to one size larger than normal.

Nike Air Max 270 – Features of Interest

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Overview

*Note* – There is a new model Nike Air Vomero 14 but it is worse than the old model so we are recommending you stick with the Vomero 13 or one of the alternatives in our review.

‘React’ Is a proprietary foam midsole material developed by Nike which is very lightweight, durable and soft.

This is another air free design, with shock absorbency, cushioning and comfort all coming from is technologically advanced foam made in part from recycled plastic.

So if you see the word react in the name of the shoe, it refers to this excellent foam material.

The upper is the popular mesh that provides great breathability with very little weight in the shoe that's light and it's almost like wearing socks.

This is possibly the most comfortable yet responsive Nike walking shoe for casual or power walking on the market.

Responsive yet lightweight, durable but soft.

Prior to the React foam, there was the lunar range such as the Lunaglide 9 which was in itself a significant advance in foam technology and lightweight shoe design.

The React foam takes this one step further with 13% more energy return than the lunar material.

So the react is like a bouncy version of the Lunarglide 9 with the addition of a heel shelf which supposedly adds some additional stability to the heel.

I actually found the heel shelf to be rather off-putting I tried the shoes on in the store but your mileage may differ.

The heel shelf actually makes this shoe much more suited to power walkers than regular exercise walkers because it introduces more roll to the sole which benefits a faster pace Walker.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 – Features of Interest

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Overview

If the heel shelf of the Nike Epic React and styling is not to your fancy, then like me, you'll likely prefer the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 trail shoe.

Like the Pegasus 35, the insteps are a little low so if you have fairly high insteps, you'll need to completely loosen the laces to get the shoe on and off.

It is also fairly shallow in the toe area which is a problem for people with bigger toes despite the fact that the mesh upper is flexible. In fact, the shoe overall is snug so you might consider going up half a size bigger than normal.

This shoe has two Zoom Air units underfoot to provides better cushioning, shock absorbency and together with the more substantial build over the Nike Pegasus 36 Running shoe, makes it a much better candidate for walkers of most persuasions.

The trail shoe has a beveled heel replaces the undercut heel shelf, which provides a better experience for regular walking and the rubber sole provides plenty of grip and traction.

The upper has been improved with more perforations that make the shoe more breathable and looks very smart.

This model keeps its flywire cabling to the lacing system which provides an elasticated fit that can accommodate your foot swelling slightly through your exercise for a better fit.

The integrated shoe tongue is similar to the React in that it won't slip and it is stitched place and is additionally kept in place by the laces passing through a hoop in the tongue material.

This shoe is slightly lighter than the previous model but not by much. I do have to confess it still didn't really work for me from the point of view of sizing because of the snug sizing and lack of wider fittings. I did manage to get the shoe on in the shop and it felt comfortable and light with more room in the forefoot than the Pegasus 35, though much too snug in width at the midfoot.

I decided not to buy because my foot shape did not really suit the shoe.

That said if you don't have weird shaped feet like me, then you'll find this a comfortable very well-cushioned shoe to make walking a pleasure and well worth the price of admission.

Gore-Tex version of this shoe is available if you need a water repellent shoe.

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail – Features of Interest

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Overview

Phew! After writing about all the technology in the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus, it's back to basics with the Nike Tanjun sneaker which is just what intended with this shoe.

Tanjun in Japanese means simple and that's exactly what this shoe is.

A simple foam midsole and outsole combination offer very lightweight cushioning and integral solution with moderate shock absorbency well-suited to all day wear.

The shoe is so light it is almost like wearing slippers, with a breathable textile upper that molds to your foot shape.

The foot shape is quite accommodating though the shoe is not as well cushioned as the Pegasus nor any of the Air range.

Nevertheless, it provides a good walking shoe for general walking around town or in the office but is much less suited to exercise walking if you're doing it every day.

The more accommodating foot shape compensates for the slight underperformance in cushioning which isn't really noticeable unless you are tackling somewhat uneven surfaces, stones and the like.

Support in the shoe is reasonably good which makes an excellent shoe for casual use and possibly the most comfortable, suitable shoe for that purpose available from Nike at an excellent price point.

Nike Tanjun – Features of Interest

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Overview

The Nike 720 sneaker is an excellent shoe for all round use. Whether you want a comfortable shoe for work or a shoe that will handle long or short walks, the 720 will handle it all.

With the largest and tallest air unit currently produced by Nike the level of cushioning to your stride is amazing. The air unit runs the full length of the outsole and so provides an excellent and consistent cushioning for the entire length of your foot.

The shoe comes in several restrained colors for men and huge range of colors for women. Nike provides a wide range of fitting sizes so far as length is concerned but sadly no width fittings are provided as with so many of the Nike lineup. 

You should note that the shoe runs small in size and so you should order at least a size larger unless you have narrow feet. Even the narrow footed should size up if your feet are between sizes. The wide footed may need to go up one full size or perhaps even more to get a shoe that will fit.

The uppers are constructed of a mix of synthetic and textile which is breathable and is moulded for design as well as providing some additional structure to the uppers.

The socklining is minimally quilted and has good cushioning which just adds to the comfort that the shoe is designed for. Coupled with a full lacing system that will ensure a snug fit and the good heel counter at the back, the shoe is well sculpted and able to hold your heel nicely in place.

The sole is rubber with good grip on smooth surfaces but is not designed for the traction needed by runners, with a quite different tread layout to most athletic style shoes.

As for design on the Nike 720's, you may love the upper styling which is classy and not ostentatious but some will find the transluscent rubber on the heels that highlights the air unit to be a little too much. I am sure others will find the same feature attractive though.

A little futuristic looking, exceptionally well cushioned and comfortable shoe for regular wear. 

Nike Air Max 720 Sneakers – Features of Interest

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9. Nike Adapt: Shoe with Latest Nike Technology

I am surprised the branding doesn’t include the word ‘Nano’ as the latest buzzword or is that already old. Time passes by seemingly so much quicker as I get older and it’s hard to keep up with the pace.

I do remember Back to the Future II though and the futuristic shoe featured in that film which was the inspiration for the Nike Adapt.

Tinker Hatfield heads up the Innovation Labs at Nike, charged with perpetual innovation. The designer of the Air Max and a former architect from Oregon, Tinker has been tinkering again to incorporate lacing and your smartphone.

There is an app for everything nowadays and your smartphone can now control your shoes.

No word of a lie – Nike has developed a shoe that loosens or tighten laces all controlled by your smartphone. The shoe is called the Nike Adapt.

We all know our feet expand as we progress through our exercise, well now you can whip out your smartphone and loosen off those laces a bit instead of pausing to put your foot on a tree stump and do it manually.

It works via a little motor in the sole that reels in the fly-wires connected to the laces to pre-configured settings for the perfect fit!

Nike has come up with some excellent technology to move sport forward. There is no denying that. But this seems to me to be somewhat over the top.

But hey, street cred is a big thing so grab your latest pair if your wallet is bulging.

Nike Shoe Technology

How Did Nike Get Started?

Nike Inc. started off as Blue Ribbon Sports, a collaboration between a track athlete, Phil Knight and his coach Bill Bowerman back in 1964.

Originally acting as a distributor for a Japanese shoemaker, selling shoes out of the back of their cars at sports events, believe it or not. Now they are the most famous and valuable sports brand in the world.

What is Nike Fly?

What is this fly? Obviously a BUZZ word right?

Is it a device to keep the flies away? Some device to make you go faster – fly if you will? Maybe shoes that can make you walk on water like a fishing fly?

No. It refers to fly-wires.

What are fly-wires? They are thin pieces of elastic (like mini cables) that are integrated within the sides of the uppers either side of the lacing area. The laces are looped through these and so slightly tensioning these mini-cables which in turn pull the fabric or mesh material closer to your foot for a better fit.

As your foot expands during exercise the elastic mini-cables give a little allowing the mesh or knit to expand and reduce pressure from the laces which are loosened in the process.

That’s the idea anyway.

What's Special About Nike Air Shoes?

Nike brought true revolution to the world of sports and, courtesy of celebrity marketing, the streets of hip hop with the introduction of Nike Air.

It was a simple idea brought to Nike by Marion F. Rudy who was an aeronautical engineer whose idea was basically to fill a plastic bag with air which would compress and spring back on pressure. Stick it in a shoe and it should enhance the cushioning properties of the sole.

So they did. And IT did – improve cushioning that is.

Marketing it as improving performance, which is debatable and pushing out the branding expertise of the brand by using celebrities to make their customers malleable and naive to believe they needed Nike more than sliced bread, though perhaps not more than weed!

Anyway, Nike Air was born and hidden away in the first model to feature it the Nike Tailwind. Interestingly the Tailwind was apparently made on the sly in the factory of the Japanese company the founders were distributing and offering design ideas to. The company found out, sued and the resulting case ended with both manufacturers marketing the same shoe.

Being expert at branding, Nike expanded the original rather small pod in the Tailwind and decided it would be a good idea to let people see the wonders of walking on Air, exposing the transparent airbag and enlarging it in the Air Force 1. So successful it was that they gradually exposed more and more of it in ensuing models.

Then came Nike Air Max which was basically a new name for putting even more Air into their shoes from heel to tip. And then Air Max 2 which was just an upgrade to the pressure of gas used in a slightly more resilient bag.

And there you have it – how the Nike Air is indispensable to athletes everywhere.

Or is it all just a marketing ploy and pile of hot Air? I’ll leave you to decide.

What is Nike Phylon Foam

First, there was EVA and then came Son of EVA or Phylon.

Phylon is a lightweight, springy foam material used in the midsole and sometimes the outsole of shoes to provide cushioning and controlled sponginess. It is in fact EVA which has been pelleted, heated up and cooled into shape – a process which slightly enhances its behavior to provide an excellent shock-absorbing and cushioned bed for your foot to press into and launch off of.

What is Lunarlon?

Just as we hope to teach our children everything we know so they can add to that knowledge and end up better than us, so Nike continued to improve their foam arsenal looking to improve Phylon.

They wanted to produce an even better material that would help put a spring in the step of marathon runners and basketball players.

Inspired by the image of astronauts on the moon who sort of float as they walk, they came across a composite material of EVA and Nitrile Rubber that seemed to fit the bill. With a lot of testing the sticky molasses-like material was stabilized enough to make it usable.

It was springy (from the rubber) and cushioned (from the foam) and following their source of inspiration, called it Lunarlon.

Originally Lunarlon foam was used inside a conventional foam housing as it is not durable enough on its own. Over time it has been improved upon with the latest version used in the Lunarglide 9 shoe.

What does Nike React Mean?

The next iteration of foam is called React.

What do walkers, sportsmen and athletes want from their shoes, more particularly their soles?

They want a lightweight shoe that provides lots of cushioning to absorb impact and reduce shocks on their body structure, they want spring to the shoe to make it responsive and put energy back into their stride and they want them to be durable.

That is a pretty tough set of requirements since typically a material that is cushiony on compression does not suddenly push back and become springy. Durable materials are typically not soft ones either.

Enter React. A do-everything foam from Nike that is super lightweight has excellent cushioning properties like Lunarlon and even better springy response – 13% better Nike’s marketing tells us.

Not only that but it lasts longer than Lunarlon and is the longest lasting foam to come out of Nike’s laboratory.

What is ZoomX Air Technology?

Zoom foam has been around for about 20 years but many things can be repurposed.

ZoomX Air is the marriage of Zoom Foam with Nike Air technology – or marketing if you prefer.

The pods containing the air are compartmentalized with fiber that compresses as your weight squashes down and these fibers then spring back to provide more response.

That is basically it. Does it work?

You’d have to be at the edge of your sport to know but for a walker or your average runner, there is little to say whether it works or not.

And really no one cares because the main thing is who endorses the product and wears it to show it off. We all know that is the most important thing right? It certainly is a factor in the price tag.

If you disagree then I’ll show quite a few billion dollars worth of reasons that you might be mistaken.

Which is Better Nike Knit or Nike Mesh Shoes?

What is the difference between knit and mesh apart from the look?

I guess this depends on the tightness of the knit, the materials used and the stitching.

I know for a fact that Cole Haan, for instance, employs special stitching in their knit shoes to improve fit and affect stability in the shoe. I am sure Nike do something similar.

Apart from this, the mesh comes with a different smoother look and is generally the more sporty looking model.

Knit and mesh shoes are certainly more flexible so making cause less rubbing than more rigid materials like leather can cause. But if you are cross-training or using in sports like basketball, what sideways stability do these materials provide?

Not much I’d wager.

But for walkers, this can be a good option. For a start, the materials are lightweight – who wants a couple of bricks on your feet as you walk?

Then they are substantially more breathable as they are porous – I’d rather have nice dry feet than hot sweaty ones that eventually blister.

And they are more flexible – which is fine since we are not doing the Salsa, turning from left to right and back again as we walk and so do not need quite so much lateral stability.

We do need stability in the sole – to help keep out gait on line and there is a marginal benefit from leather uppers in preference to knit or mesh because it keeps the foot better positioned through our stride.

If you are interested in other brands then you might like to take a look at my posts for the best walking shoes for men and best walking shoes for women which cover a broad range of walking shoes.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Nike Walking Shoes

Are Nike Shoes made in Vietnam Fake?

Nike has a factory in Ho Chi Min in Vietnam and so Nike shoes made in Vietnam are not fake simply because they are labelled as being made in Vietnam.

But a label indicating your pair of Nike shoes is made in Vietnam does not mean they are necessarily genuine either. Unfortunately brand rip offs are often difficult to spot because a lot of attention goes into trying to pass off copies as genuine. You cannot tell just from what is written on the label.

Do Nike shoes last long?

Nike is a premium brand and the shoes are made from better materials than cheaper brands. Nike also spends a lot of money in developing materials and technology for their shoes. These two factors mean that their shoes should last a long time.

But how long a shoe will remain supportive does depend on how often you use them, meaning that your shoes may look fine but the support structures do breakdown with use that you might not immediately notice.

What is the Most Comfortable Nike Walking Shoe?

Nike Monarch IV is the most comfortable Nike Walking shoe for men because it is made with plenty of width fittings to suit more people. Many men find Nike shoes narrow and wider fittings are not available for many Nike walking shoe models.

For women the most comfortable Nike walking shoe is the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail because it has great cushioning and shock absorbing qualities and the size issues that affect men are less problematic for most women.

What are No-Sew Overlays?

Overlays are pieces of durable material that are added to the shoe upper to provide strategic strengthening to the shoe and better stability for your feet through your stride.

No-sew overlays were developed both to simplify the manufacturing process and also to reduce the risk of rubbing via the stitching in the internal shoe surfaces. No-sew overlays can be achieved through bonding (glue) or even 3D printing directly onto the fabric.

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