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Finding a great pair of women’s hiking boots can be a transcendent experience. Hiking is one of the most enjoyable and accessible ways to get out in nature. You don’t need to have special skills like downhill skiing or mountain biking. To hike, you simply find a trail and walk. The equipment is pretty minimal, too — a great pair of hiking pants would add to the experience, but the most important element is the footwear. Hiking boots no longer have to be the clunky leather shoes that add exceptional weight to each step. We have amazing soles and upper materials today that combine performance with lightweight support that’ll help you rock any mountain trail.
Overall, your hiking boot needs to provide the right amount of support without getting in the way of your foot’s movements. Aside from that, it’s up to your own personal preferences and the conditions you’ll be hiking in. To that end, here are our picks for the best women’s hiking boots worth lacing up.
- Best Overall: La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX Hiking Boots
- Best Budget: Merrell Moab 2 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots
- Best for Hot Weather: Altra Lone Peak Hiker
- Best Waterproof: Topo Athletic Trailventure 2 WP
- Best All-Weather: KEEN Targhee III Waterproof Mid Hiking Boots
- Best for Narrow or Wide Feet: Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Hiking Boots
- Best for Winter Hiking: Icebug Stavre Women’s BUGrip GTX
- Best for Weak Ankles: La Sportiva Nucleo High II GTX
- Most Comfortable: Altra Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid Hiking Boots
Best Overall
La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX Hiking Boots
Pros
- Comfortable for all hiking, from short local hikes to multi-day treks
- Gore-Tex waterproof liner
- Great sole for tricky terrain
- Lightweight for extra agility
Cons
- Not as cheap as some options
- Runs small
Product Specs
- Color options: Two
- Outsole: FriXion XF 2.0 rubber
- Upper: High-weave AirMesh/microfiber/thermoplastic polyurethane
- Weight: 1 pound 7 ounces
Why It Made The Cut
- The lightweight, do-it-all La Sportiva Raptor is ready for any terrain/weather combination with awesome traction and unparalleled comfort with a customizable lacing system.
Best Budget
Merrell Moab 2 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots
Pros
- Affordably-priced
- Well-padded ankle
- Breathability is good for hot feet
Cons
- Waterproofing is iffy
Product Specs
- Color options: Four
- Outsole: Vibram TC5+ rubber
- Upper: Suede leather/mesh
- Weight: 2 pounds
Why It Made The Cut
- Massively popular, the Merrell Moab 2 offers durability, cushioning, a Vibram sole for tough trails, and a wide range of sizes, all at an affordable price.
Best for Hot Weather
Altra Lone Peak Hiker
Pros
- Super lightweight
- Features Altra’s FootShape toe box that allows feet to spread out
- Outsoles perform well on dry dirt and rocky trails
Cons
- Not designed to be waterproof
Product Specs
- Color options: Three
- Outsole: DuraTread rubber
- Upper: Durable mesh
- Weight: 1 pound 3.8 ounces
Why It Made The Cut
- The incredibly comfortable and breathable Altra Lone Peak Hiker is impressively lightweight at just over one pound per pair, making it perfect for hot hikes.
Best Waterproof
Topo Athletic Trailventure 2 WP
Pros
- Lightweight cushion
- Great for speed hiking
- Full-length rock plate for protection
- Breathable and waterproof inner bootie
Cons
- Trail debris can end up in the boots
Product Specs
- Color options: Two
- Outsole: Vibram Megagrip rubber
- Upper: Mesh
- Weight: 1 pound 10.2 ounces
Why It Made The Cut
- Comfortable out of the box, the Topo Athletic Trailventure 2 WP keeps feet incredibly protected from getting wet while maintaining breathability so you don’t end up sloshing around in sweaty boots.
Best All-Weather
Keen Targhee III Waterproof Mid Hiking Boots
Pros
- Comfortable for all-day hikes
- Wider toe box
- Flexible but stable sole
Cons
- On the heavier side
Product Specs
- Color options: 3
- Outsole: Rubber
- Upper: Oiled nubuck leather
- Weight: 1 pound 12.4 ounces
Why It Made The Cut
- Ready for year-round hiking, the Keen Targhee III offers comfort right out of the box, excellent waterproofing, and a durable leather upper that’s both reliable and protective.
Best for Narrow or Wide Feet
Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Hiking Boots
Pros
- Impressive range of sizes and colors
- All-leather design means excellent durability
- High ankle support for good stability
Cons
- Heavier than most hiking boots
- Pricier than many options
Product Specs
- Color options: 13
- Outsole: Vibram EVO rubber
- Upper: Nubuck leather
- Weight: 2 pounds 2 ounces
Why It Made The Cut
- A trusted hiking boot for over 25 years, the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid stands out with its color and width options, all-leather construction, and awesome waterproofing.
Best for Winter Hiking
Icebug Stavre Women's BUGrip GTX
Pros
- BOA fit system removes pesky laces
- 16 carbide-tipped metal studs for excellent grip in icy conditions
- Removable Ortholite Hybrid insoles
Cons
- Specific use, especially for the higher price point
Product Specs
- Color options: Two
- Outsole: Recycled rubber with BUGrip carbide tip studs
- Upper: Bluesign solution dyed polyester, TPU mudguard
- Weight: 1 pound 5 ounces
Why It Made The Cut
- Built to grip on the slipperiest hikes, the Icebug Stavre BUGrip GTX provides great traction while being waterproof, comfortable, and with removable laces that are prone to becoming snowballs.
Best for Weak Ankles
La Sportiva Nucleo High II GTX
Pros
- Tall, well-padded ankle support
- Gore-Tex waterproofing
- Impact Brake System is great for grip
Cons
- Expensive compared to many other options
Product Specs
- Color options: One
- Outsole: Vibram Nano XS-Trek rubber compound
- Upper: Nubuck leather
- Weight: 1 pound 6 ounces
Why It Made The Cut
- A taller boot with a cushioned ankle means the La Sportiva Nucleo High II GTX provides excellent ankle support for hikers with weaker or injured ankles, or anyone who likes higher support.
Most Comfortable
Altra Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid Hiking Boots
Pros
- Lightweight meets comfort
- Great traction from DuraTread outsoles
- eVent weatherproof bootie liner
Cons
- Not as stable as some hiking boots
Product Specs
- Color options: Three
- Outsole: DuraTread rubber
- Upper: eVent fabric
- Weight: 1 pound 8 ounces
Why It Made The Cut
- Suitable for a quick post-work hike or a backpacking expedition, the Altra Lone Peak ALL-WTHR is a girl’s best friend on the trail when comfort is the priority.
Things to consider before buying women’s hiking boots
Gone are the days of choosing between the four options of hiking boots at the store. Today, we have hundreds of options when searching for the best hiking boots for women. Here’s what to look for when shopping that’ll help you narrow down your options.
Function, materials, and durability
With so many hiking boots on the market, narrowing down the good from the bad should start with deciding what features and materials you’re looking for. I live in the wet Pacific Northwest, so I know I need hiking boots with a waterproof liner. Consider where you’ll be hiking and in what conditions to determine the feature that will suit you best.
The materials of the boot’s construction play directly into how durable the hiking boots are and how long they’ll last. Leather has been a tried-and-true hiking boot material, but we’re seeing some great synthetic alternatives these days that hold up and perform just as well.
Sizing
If your feet tend toward narrow or wide, your hiking boots will definitely need to be sized to accommodate. If you’re physically trying on a pair of boots in the store, try to do it later in the day when your feet are potentially more swollen from simply walking around compared to when you first wake up. It’s also worth checking some reviews to see if any sizing discrepancies seem to be taking place, like that you need to order a half size larger, for example.
FAQs about hiking boots for women
Q: What is the difference between a hiking boot and a hiking shoe?
A: A hiking shoe is lower-profile when compared to a hiking boot, which is typically a mid- to high-top shoe. Most hiking shoes refer to trail runners, designed with a below-the-ankle design while still providing hiking features like extra traction and durability. Hikers with weak ankles might fare best with a hiking boot thanks to the extra support.
Q: Which are the most comfortable women’s hiking boots?
A: Comfort is subjective, so the best hiking boots for you are likely to be different from your fellow trail mates. To help find the most comfortable hiking boots, consider the shape of your foot (wide, narrow, or standard) and look for a boot that matches the features you’re looking for like waterproof, lightweight, etc.
Q: Should you buy hiking boots a size bigger?
A: If you’ll only be wearing chunky wool socks while hiking, you might want your hiking boots to be a larger size than you normally wear. If not, your regular size is probably best when it comes to buying hiking boots.
Final thoughts
The La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX hit the sweet spot of a modern take on the classic hiking boot. They provide excellent support without sacrificing mobility, have a super grippy outsole, and keep your feet dry with waterproofing that won’t let you down when you need it most. All of this in an impressively lightweight hiking boot means we’re sold.
Methodology
To come up with the best hiking boots for women, I turned to my own closet. On average, I hike three times a week, so my baseline understanding of what qualities to look for in good hiking boots for women were already well intact. But I also started paying attention to boots I was seeing out in the wild and reached out to some female backpacking friends to get their expertise. All of our feet are uniquely shaped and comfort is subjective, so I wanted as many voices as possible. All things considered, we explored 22 pairs of women’s hiking and backpacking boots from 15 brands. We also tried to include a few pairs that we considered stylish hiking boots.
We scanned for categories like waterproofing, what the sole was made of, lug depth, how abrasion-resistant the upper material was, and what kind of sizing was available. We also looked into how long the brand had been making the boot and what changes were implemented for the latest iteration. We considered the price and questioned if we thought it was justifiable. For example, leather almost always comes at a higher price point than synthetic. We wanted to make sure the price was worth the performance of the boot.
While I was able to take some of our top picks out on the trail myself, other pairs we turned to crowdsourcing reviews — both expert and customer. We narrowed down our picks to include the best overall, the best for if you’re shopping on a budget, and then got into some pickier categories like hot weather and icy conditions. Eventually, we deleted enough entries to be left with our top nine picks for women’s hiking boots of which we feel anyone can find a match.