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As Backpacker Month on TFG comes to an end, I’m reaching out to you with a personal travel gear challenge: hiking boots for women.
I’ve started planning my travels for 2015 and I’ve decided to challenge myself with an epic trek! While I can’t disclose details at this point I do find myself in unknown territory. My travels take me to beaches (lots of them), cities, small towns, and mountains…but not like this.
Help Me Choose the Best Hiking Boots for Women
I’ve checked out a few outdoor shops here in England and asked for their recommendations on what they think are the best hiking boots for women. My requirements are that they are light, durable, have ankle support, and are made for difficult cold conditions. I think stylish hiking boots for women are a bit of a push but hey, that’s always a major bonus!
These are two styles from UK brands that I found to be good options:
Style wise, leather hiking boots appeal to me the most because it’s the closest in appearance to actually wearing boots. I’ve seriously got to research more leather options like these and try to find ones that don’t look as clunky.
These are the more traditional look and are a lightweight but sturdy. The colors are neutral and they were more on the narrow side in comparison to other hiking boots for women.
But now I leave it up to you fellow travel fashion girls. I’ve put together a list of some of the best hiking boots for women that I’ve found and hope that YOU can help me pick the one that will make it into my 2015 packing list! Are you familiar with any of these?
Keen Gypsum Mid Hiking Boot
Teva Kimtah II Mid WP Mesh Hiking Boot
Ahnu Montara Boot Hiking Boot
Columbia Newton Ridge Plus Hiking Boot
Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX Hiking Boot
Merrell Moab Ventilator Mid Hiking Boot
Salomon Quest 4D GTX Hiking Boot
Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Hiking Boot
Helly Hansen W Rapide Leather Mid HTXP Hiking Boot
Which of the above do you think are the best hiking boots for women? What do you recommend?
For more travel shoe ideas, please read the following:
- Fashionable Travel Shoes
- 10 Cute and Comfortable Ballet Flats for Travel
- Why Crocs Rock
- Travel Shoe Dilemma: Function vs Fashion
- Cute Walking Sandals?
Hey Alex,
So which did you choose?
I can personally vouch for number 5. They are great! I hiked the Inca Trail in them. No blister or pain of any kind. I wear them on all my hikes now. I was wondering if you have any info on shoes that are good for in the city and a light hike? Like somewhat fashionable hiking shoes? I’ve been on a quest because I’m going on an ATW trip. I will be mostly in cities, but I do like to hike and don’t want to find myself slipping on rocks with just your average sneaker. Yet I don’t want to look like I’m hiking in the city! It’s tough! Great site BTW!
Hi Sheri, thanks for your comment! The Nike Free tends to be the favorite for light hiking plus city shoe: http://amzn.to/1d15SEk
I now travel with this and I see many other female travelers wear this as well. Hope it works for you too 🙂
I would stay off KEEN shoes! Once, 90% of the sole detached from my shoe as I was descending a mountain in Norway! The shoe was less than 2 years old and used maybe 2 or 3 times 🙁
Customer service was useless.
Now I support Columbia. Have owned 2 and so far, it’s holding up.
Good to know, thanks Minty!
Hello Alex!
Keep in mind the soles of the boots. While many boots will have thinner and lighter soles that put less strain on your ankles, if they are too thin you’ll feel every rock and crack after just a few miles. If the terrain you’ll be on is rugged with a lot of boulders, this will kill your feet. Try for a happy medium between thick and too thin.
Get some sock liners too!
Thanks Christina!
I wonder what boots would fit my perculiar ankles – in my family, we have averagely-broad toes, but a narrow heel and ankle, with very pertrusive ankle bones.
Hmm…
The best option seems to go to an outdoor shop and speak to a pro. I just went 2 weeks ago and they measured my feet as well as recommended the exact boots that would be most appropriate for my feet. Try it!
I worked in the outdoor retail industry for years – and our store specialised in fitting hiking boots. It’s a bit embarassing how much I care about people getting the correct fit for their feet with boots! 1 hour of walking in boots that don’t fit your foot properly means everlasting blisters!
Took me ages to find a pair of boots that fit me well, and I ended up with Aku Ultra Lights. They are super lightweight, with a Gore Tex membrane so still waterproof and fairly breathable.
Another point to mention is no matter how well fitting your boots are – if you don’t have good well fitting socks to go with them, then it’s not worth the bother! So don’t skimp on socks, get the Bridgedales or other technical socks and walk pain free!
Hi Jen, wow thank you so much for your insight, and for the tip on socks! I think I need to go get my feet measured and fit properly – that’s the first step so I know my options. No blisters 🙁 Thanks again and cute blog!
I have the Ahnu boots in black and love them! I tried on Keens but the seemed really stiff and I wanted a little more flexibility in the foot. I also tried Merrells but didn’t find them nearly as comfortable in the arch.
Oh these Ahnus are calling my name!
I swear by Ahnu. I have terrible ankles and part of my daily work commute is a substantial uphill hike. I wear my Ahnu boots all day at work, all around town, hiking, and through the (admittedly mild Pacific Northwest) winter. They have substantial ankle support without being too stiff, bulky, or heavy.
It’s great to hear good feedback about Ahnu – thanks!
Another thing to think about with hiking boots is that you have to really try them on. I know this seems like an obvious thing, but fit is more important with technical gear. I have really tiny ankles with respect to my feet so most hiking boots did not fit tightly around my upper ankles and didn’t provide the ankle support I needed. It took years but I finally found my perfect pair (these: womensfashionsboots.com/fashions-boots/womens-glacier-boots) (funny that the link is “fashion boots”). Make sure the boots you choose fit whatever your feet/ankle needs are.
It’s also important to consider how much ankle support you really need, i.e. are you going to be carrying a heavy pack, do you have weak ankles, are you going to be going back down steep grades? Because if not, the the low-cut Merrell’s are a great option. They will be more lightweight because they don’t go as high. I have a similar pair that I love and wear for all hiking unless I need the really intense ankle support for backpacking or similar.
Best of luck! I can’t wait to hear what the trip is!
I’m very lucky that England has millions of outdoor shops so I’m definitely getting fitted for boots. I went to a shop yesterday and they even had a test ramp. It’s so exciting! Thanks for the tips 🙂
I bought a pair of Teva Reva Peak Mid eVent boots a few months ago and have been wearing then in for a few months now, in preparation for a big world trip next year which includes hiking in Nepal. (Woooo!)
So far, so good!
They look great – red! So I’m happy wearing them out. They are also super comfortable. I’m working my way up to a full day hike this weekend and a couple of days in a month or two.
I tried a pair of Scarpa boots but found them much too narrow and so swapped them for the Teva’s. Teva boots are made with a wider last, so fit a wider foot (I don’t have particularly wide feet, I just found the Scarpas way to tight)
Good luck finding your perfect pair 🙂
Thanks Pamela, Sounds like you have a very exciting trip coming up! Let me know how the Teva’s work on your test hike. There aren’t much hiking choices around where I live right now so I think I’ll be hitting the stair master at the gym 😉
Hi There! I am a long distance hiker and fell traveler. I think you should consider the weight of your pack and type of terrain. If I’m carrying a heavier pack I need a studier boot that will help manage the load so my ankles don’t get crunchy. For cold weather hiking I would suggest a leather boot. I have the Asolo Power Matic 200 boots. Gortex lined. Nice arch support, check them out! Pricey but worth the money. Your feet are pretty important to keep happy on a hike. A smart wool liner sock and thicker hiking sock and your good and warm. On your list, I have the Salmon quest for lighter and warmer weather hikes.
Good luck!
Hi there, thanks for your tips! The leather ones are for sure most appealing to me. I’m not carrying a super heavy pack but I will be in an extremely cold place. I don’t do many intense treks like this so I hope one good investment will hold me up for many years 🙂
I just completed the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) hiking 90 miles around Mont Blanc going up and down over passes each day. For my feet, wide in the front and narrow heels, I had great success with Hoka trail runners. If I were going to elevation with cold and snow I would wear my Asolo Stynger boots.
First, find boots that fit your feet. Look at the shape of your foot and find a boot that looks like it. Pretty simple advise.
Second, wear them on all training hikes, with the pack weight you will carry.
Lastly, learn how to cope with blisters See the website Fixing Your Feet fixingyourfeet.com. Know how to AVOID problems and have the supplies and know-how to treat blisters.
I never have had blister problems, until the TMB. Blisters can ruin your trip, and perhaps end it early.
Best wishes and I will look forward to hearing about your adventure.
Hi Betsy, thanks for all the great tips! Hope to do a training walk once a week, there aren’t many hilly options where I live 🙂 It’s so exciting!
Yeah, blisters can be brutal, eh? I don’t get them very often, but my sister does, and she has really suffered on a few of our trips. But we learned an awesome trick a few years ago that really works wonders: panty hose. The thin, knee-high kind. If you wear them under your socks, it reduces the rubbing that can cause blisters. I always use them when I’m breaking in a new pair of boots.
AWESOME TIP! I am definitely going to try that. Thanks!
How exciting, Alex!
Without giving away your destination, can you tell us how cold will it be on your trek? (i.e. near freezing? Or mostly in the 10C range?) And will you be trekking through a lot of snow? Are you looking at a lot of stream crossings?
I ask because the Vasque Breeze 2.0 have been my main boots for a few months now and I have really mixed feelings about them. One the one hand, they’re really light and comfortable. The Goretex lining works well and they provide decent ankle support. But I don’t think they’re as durable and protective as my dearly-departed leather hiking boots (made by Garmont).
I’m not sure that I’d want to walk through a lot of snow in the Vasques. And I don’t think it would provide as much protection from the cold as leather boots. For example, on a recent 2 day backpacking trip in the Sierras, I stumbled into an ice-cold stream and the front part of my boots ended up in the water. My toes got cold so quickly that I thought that water must have gotten in! Turns out it wasn’t water (thank you, Goretex!) but the fabric was so thin that I just felt the cold water immediately.
If you’re doing a trek where you may be at high altitude, but conditions will be dry (for example, Mt Kilimanjaro — when I did this in 2009 there was barely any snow on the trail) you’d totally be fine with the Vasques. But if you know you’re going to be going through more wet conditions like snow and streams, I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking the Vasque.
Just my 2 cents. Good luck with the boot search!
Hi Sivanny, AWESOME feedback! Thank you for taking the time to share it with me 🙂 Yes I will be hitting a very high altitude and doing it during the coldest time of the year – the main perk for me is that this is also the driest! Temperatures are supposed to be around 0 and 4 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and much colder at night. Scary!
A waterproof boot with Goretex is a must – I don’t want to take any chances in this weather. So much to think about! Thanks again for your 2 cents 🙂
Hey I have worked in the outdoor industry for many of years now and have tried numerous pairs of boots in different conditions and trains and still my go too boot is the Lowa Renagade! Its been voted one of the best hikes for many of years now and it’s untouchable! The Gore Tex will keep you dry and warm pluss you have a great Vibram sole! The upper on the boot is very heavy duty as well! These boots are a HEAVY DUTY boot but will have the lightness of the Ahnu! All in all hands down the best boot on the market! Hope this helps!
Wow sounds like the perfect boot. Thank you so much for sharing your feedback! I’ll have to check it out 🙂