best women’s hiking shoes 2024

It's not easy coming up with a short list of the best women's hiking shoes. The good news is that most good brands now offer their best hiking shoes with gender-specific fits. That's a step up from the days when brands would simply take a men's hiking shoe and "shrink it and pink it." The bad news is that there are few hiking shoes made solely for women—and the best women-specific hiking shoes seem to get phased out after a few seasons.

Still, I can come up with a solid list of the best women's hiking shoes, based on my outdoor industry experience and feedback from my female customers and co-workers. My list of the best women's hiking shoes of 2024 assumes that women and girls deserve hiking shoes that are just as technical as men's hiking shoes. The best women's hiking shoes are the 

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best hiking shoes for women

Hoka Anacapa Low

Best Women's Hiking Shoe with Max Cushion

The Hoka Anacapa Low is one of the best women's hiking shoes for hikers who crave as much cushioning as possible. Hokas are known for their light weight and max cushion—and this is their go-to hiking shoe for day hikers. As a hiking shoe (not a trail running shoe), the Anacapa is heavier than the Hoka Speedgoat (below) with firmer, more durable cushioning and premium Vibram outsoles for excellent traction on the trail. This shoe has a slightly roomy fit and is available in either a waterproof GORE-TEX ("GTX") or non-waterproof "breeze" for more ventilation and breathability. 

Altra Olympus 5 Hike

Best Zero Drop Hiking Shoe for Women

Altra is a popular brand with hikers, even though they'd never actually made a hiking shoe—until releasing the Olympus 5 Hike in summer 2022. And it's a doozy. The Olympus 5 Hike features the wide toe boxes, balanced cushioning (aka "zero drop"), and gender-specific fits that've been Altra's calling card. However, it also features significantly more cushioning, support, and durability than Altra trail running shoes, such as the popular Lone Peak. It's also packed with the best waterproofing (GORE-TEX) and traction (Vibram outsoles) available. These premium features makes the Altra Olympus 5 Hike one of the best women's hiking shoes for those who want a sturdier version of Altra's zero drop, foot-shaped shoes. 

Oboz Sawtooth X

Best Value for Women Hikers

The Oboz Sawtooth X may be a little heavier than some hiking shoes, but it's got "all the right junk in all the right places" (to use Meghan Trainor's lyrics). Thanks to its excellent cushioning, support, and expensive O Fit insoles, it's the rare hiking shoe that's sturdy enough for harder hikers while being comfortable enough to wear everyday. This 10th ("X") anniversary update to the best-selling Sawtooth has dialed down some of the shoe's more "masculine" features and offers women hikers a traditonal hiking shoe with a ton of value. 

Salomon X Ultra 360

Best All-Around Women's Hiking Shoe

For years, Salomon's X Ultra series has stood out for offering above average support at below average weight. The X Ultra 360 and 360 Edge continue that legacy with a new hiking shoe reminscent of the uber-popular X Ultra 3 (which is no longer available). Thanks to good support and traction, the X Ultra 360 can handle everything from average trails to more rugged terrain and lighter backpacking. (Pro Tip: The "360" refers to "all around" use in Salomon's titles.) Beginners sometimes find this shoe too firm; however, it's still moderately cushioned and made to minimize weight. In my experience, women often prefer the look of the X Ultra 360 to the more tactical X Ultra 4 GTX , which is why it nudged its more technical sibling to make my top 5 list of the best women's hiking shoes.

La Sportiva Spire GTX

Premium Hiking Shoe for Women

La Sportiva's Spire GTX is one of the best hiking shoes for women who hike tougher trails and more technical terrain. This is one of the rare hiking shoes that's both relatively light and relatively supportive, and it's packed with premium features, including the most breathable GORE-TEX waterproofing and Vibram outsoles made for harder hikes. If you mostly hike moderate to difficult terrain and want one of the best women's hiking shoes, the La Sportiva Spire GTX is a premium pick. 

best women's hiking shoes: trail runners

Salomon Thundercross

Best All-around Trail Runner for Women Hikers

For me, the new Salomon Thundercross is the best all-around trail running shoe for women who hike. This do-it-all shoe is cushy yet supportive, lightweight yet rugged enough to tackle tough trails. Its traction stands out on steep terrain and sheds mug when you're hiking the river bottoms. Wider than traditional Salomons, the Thundercross's relatively roomy fit gives your toes some wiggle room, and the optional GORE-TEX waterproofing provides all-weather protection. For women who prefer a lighter trail running shoe to a traditional hiking shoe, the Thundercross is one of the first trail shoes to try on. 

The Salomon Speedcross is a good pick for women with narrow feet who want clutch traction for mud, gravel, and snow. Like the Thundercross above, the Speedcross mixes good stability and agility and gives hikers a grippy base of aggressive lugs. However, it features Salomon's narrowest fit and tread that maximizes traction in mud. If you regularly hike muddy trails, wet woods, river bottoms, or steep, gravelly trails, the Speedcross is a clutch trail running shoe—if it fits you. It has the narrowest fit of the shoes on this list (but can be found in wide sizes, too). 

Altra Lone Peak 8

Best Zero Drop Trail Runner for Women Hikers

Many female thru-hikers love the Altra Lone Peak because its lightweight mesh dries quickly and its wide, footshape toe boxes provide extra room for their toes to splay out. Lone Peaks are moderately cushioned and specifically engineered to fit female feet, including a narrower heel and mid-foot, higher instep, and longer arch. Altras are best known for their wide toe boxes and "zero drop" platforms (that position the heel and forefoot an equal distance from the ground). However, zero drop shoes aren't for everybody (see my brand review), and those wide toe boxes may be a sloppy fit for narrow feet, steep descents, or harder terrain. If you want to rely on your lower body—not your shoes—for natural cushioning and support, the Altra Lone Peak may be the best trail running shoe for your hikes. 

Hoka Speedgoat 6

Best Cushioned Trail Running Shoe

HOKA dominates the "max cushion" niche of trail running shoes with their tall stacks of midsole foam. The Speedgoat is the most popular Hoka for hikers—and top selling trail shoe in the U.S. right now. It may be a killer pick for hikers who want minumum weight and maximum cushion. And it’s also surprisingly supportive for such a cushiony shoe. With their tall stack height and pronounced rocker, Hoka’s look and feel are not for everybody. But if you want max cushion, the Speedgoat 4 may be the most comfortable trail running shoe for your hikes.

where to buy the best women's hiking shoes

I hope this curated list of the best women's hiking shoes has helped you pick out your next pair!? If not, please check out my general recommendations for the best hiking shoes or Hiking Feet's brand recommendations and hiking shoe reviews. There's a good chance that you'll find the right hiking shoe by browsing this site. 

For those of you who are ready to buy, you'll find the best women's hiking shoes and trail running shoes at outdoor specialty retailers. It's always great to support your local outdoor gear shop (versus the sporting good chains on the edge of town). For online shoppers, you'll generally find the best selection of women's hiking shoes at Backcountry (where I work) or REI.

If you're ready to pull the trigger on a new pair of women's hiking shoes, please consider purchasing them through the affiliate links in this post. That doesn't cost you anything, but it pays my bills and gives me a few dollars back for the hundreds of unpaid hours I've spent creating free and independent content to help you find the best fits for your feet and the best matches for your hikes. If this site hooked you up, please consider hooking me up, too.

Happy hiking!