Hiking is a fantastic way to boost your health at any time of year, with big benefits to your emotional and mental wellbeing too, but to do so comfortably you need great footwear, which is where the best women's hiking boots come in.
After all, if you're wearing walking boots that don't provide enough ankle support or cushioning at high pressure points along your feet, your life-affirming hike or 'big walk' will soon turn into a blister-fest. We've been there and it sucks.
So proper women's hiking boots not only ensure each step you take is comfy and well supported, they also ensure you can step carefully over various terrain. The extra grip they deliver on icy trails and paths is why so many people wear waterproof hiking boots as standard throughout autumn and winter – yes, even when popping to the shops.
Just like a waterproof jacket, a proper pair of walking trousers or a trusty head torch, women's walking boots are an essential bit of outdoors gear. Choose correctly and you'll have a pair of boots that'll be by your side through many an exciting adventure. Let's take a look at our favourites...
These highly technical boots, and a T3 Award 2019 winner, have a Gore-Tex Performance Comfort waterproof liner, making them safe to wear during the autumn and winter, as well as during the summer months when you might be walking across streams and brooks.
Salomon’s Quest 4D 3 GTX offer a huge amount of support and comfort, yet aren’t as heavy as they might appear. We’re not saying they’re featherlight, but they won’t weigh your feet down either. These hiking boots for women also offer a superb fit, with an adjustable lacing system to give you a snug feel that enhances support in high-impact places: toes, heels, arch.
The boots are infused with running shoe tech and sport an Advanced Chassis, there to increase the amount of cushioning and the level at which the boots absorb shock from impact (your feet repeatedly hitting the ground). This tech also works to reduce fatigue, helping you to hike comfortably for longer.
Our top pick for the best women’s hiking boots is ideal for backpacking holidays, and for throwing on when you’re heading into the mountains for a day hike. Salomon’s High Traction Contagrip will ensure you stay upright and stable on various types of terrain, including ice and scree.
The AKU Trekker Pro isn't the lightest boot here but it is a very robust option. The leather and synthetic upper strikes a beautiful balance between durability and breathability, with a Gore-Tex liner ensuring a high level of water-resistance.
Support from the relatively stiff midsole and high cuff is excellent, and the traditional tongue and lacing are welcome too. An outsole of Vibram Curcuma dishes out grip in all the right places, exactly when you need it.
This high-tech hiking boot features AKU’s proprietary Elica Natural Stride System technology, designed to enhance ‘bio-dynamic performance’. In plain English, that should make longer days on the trail much easier on your legs. That very same tech works to distribute weight more evenly through the foot too.
Ultimately, if you want a reliable hiking boot to see you through every season, you won't go wrong with this one.
The lightest hiking boot in this round-up, Inov-8’s hotly anticipated Roclite 335 trail boot is a pleasure to wear. Whether you’re hiking along a stone and leaf-strewn trail or ambling upon wet sand, these technical boots will help you stay upright.
At only 335g you’ll hardly notice them on your feet. We wore them with light hiking socks and had zero issues with rubbing or blisters. In fact, despite wearing them for nine hours+ on the first day of testing, we experienced much less foot fatigue than with other more expensive, heavier hiking boots we’ve tried in the past.
The Inov-8 Roclite 335 are flexible enough to accommodate any swelling in your feet too, which is good news towards the end of a long hike or walk. While they’re water-resistant, they’re not fully waterproof, so don’t submerge them completely in puddles or streams.
Of course, the main attraction with Inov-8’s latest trail boots is the graphene-infused rubber grip, known as G-GRIP. Graphene is the strongest material on earth – 200 times stronger than steel yet only one atom thick – so you can imagine the technical prowess it lends to these boots.
We maintained a steady balance on the frost and ice of late winter during initial testing, and felt continuously sure-footed thanks to the impressive grip and traction enabled by those G-GRIP soles. The PrimaLoft insulation adds extra warmth for cold weather hikes and walks too.
Elsewhere, the boot cut design is comfortable around the ankle, offering ample padding without encouraging a build-up of sweat. PrimaLoft’s breathable properties comes into play again here, keeping clammy feet at bay.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a lightweight yet hard-wearing trail boot, and you don’t mind that they’re water-resistant instead of being fully waterproof (the Inov-8 Roclite 345 GTX boots are waterproof), then slip into these pronto.
When it comes to the best women’s hiking boots, there are some brands that crop up time and time again, they’re that good. Merrell is one of those brands. We’ve tried and loved many of their low- and mid-cut hikers, with our current fave being the funky MQM Flex Mid Gore-Tex.
We’ve taken these hybrid boots out on many day hikes now and recommend them for easy, fast and light walking. They’re sporty, breathable and rock a barely there feel on the feet compared to heavier duty women’s hiking boots.
Another bonus: the MQM Flex Mid required zero break-in time during our initial testing, and continued to deliver high comfort on subsequent hikes. Especially when we teamed them with our favourite Smartwool merino wool hiking socks (a blissful combination if ever there was one).
These Merrell’s are pretty rad at protecting key areas of your feet from impact, too. That’s due in large part to the Air Cushion in the heel, which also enhances stability. You’ll need both when you’re roughing it off-road.
Grip is massively important, of course, and the MQM Flex Mid won’t skip out on you here. While we wouldn’t recommend them for very icy or wet scree-laden trails, or for backpacking where you’re carrying heavy loads and need maximum ankle support, we’d heartily recommend them as a lightweight and waterproof choice for spring, summer and autumn.
These excellent all-rounders are packed with features designed to keep you hiking all day, including shock absorbing EVA mid soles and Berghaus's extra-grippy OPTI-STUD technology.
Rest assured, these boots will go the distance: the hard-wearing leather is made in a tannery certified by the Leather Working Group (which assesses the performance capabilities of leather products) and the upper has a scuff-resistant coating.
These hiking boots for women will also keep your feet odour-free, thanks to the use of breathable mesh panels in key areas.
If you want a pair of comfortable, fuss-free women’s hiking boots to see you through the seasons, Grisport has just the ticket with its classic-looking Lady Glide.
With a Vibram rubber sole, they’ll appeal to anyone wanting to stay sure-footed on muddy cross country rambles in the rain, as well as on sunnier day hikes.
The waterproof Lady Glide boots are made from waxed leather and sport a padded collar and toe-joint, as well as a triple-density cushioned midsole, keeping blisters to a minimum and walking comfort at a maximum.
This stylish women’s hiking boot is beyond good-looking — it’s also the best boot for wet weather. Owners of the Keen Terradora Waterproof Boot have been known to wax lyrical about just how waterproof it is, so there’s no need to fret at an unexpected stream (unless it means you’re really, really lost).
The adaptable soft mesh material is ideal if you don’t have time to devote to breaking in, and looks the part no matter which shade you choose. A great investment, but not the best for very small feet.
Durable, comfortable, and reliable, it’s unsurprising that Lowa’s women's hiking boots are some of Europe’s best-sellers. Trusty Vibram soles wear extremely well, so you’ll be sure to get years of walking out of them, and the interiors have been praised for their comfort, resulting in dry feet even after a long day’s walk.
The Lowa Renegade Gore-Tex Mid sport a narrower fit, which is good news for walkers with smaller feet. Due to their nubuck leather construction they'll require some breaking in as standard, and they are heavier than most other hiking boots in this round-up.
Still, if you want a plain women's hiking boot that goes with everything from jeans to walking trousers, Lowa's option is a good match.
