7 Best Hiking Boots For Women, 100+ Shoes Tested in 2023

Picking the ideal pair for your outdoorsy escapades can be a real challenge more often than not. To make the hunt so much easier for you, we’ve tested 300+ hiking boots for women across multiple brands.
Do you need a tough-yet-comfy well-rounded hiker? How about a lightweight kick that propels on manicured trails? Or perhaps something that sits on the affordable end of the pricing scale? Whatever you need, we got the right boot down below.
How we test hiking boots
The way we make compelling and trustworthy reviews is hardly complicated at all. Here is our straightforward approach:
- Hiking boots for women can be as expensive as those for men. That said, we buy them using our own funds to be as objective with our reviews as possible.
- We test each hiker for days, even weeks. Every pair is gauged, from comfort level to durability.
- Our reviews on the best hiking boots for women reflect thousands of opinions from regular users and experts alike.
- We assign a CoreScore to each reviewed hiker and then use that score to help us define our top picks.
Best hiking boots overall for women
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all hiking boots.
- Top 8% in hiking boots
- Top 24% in Lowa hiking boots
- Top 8% most popular hiking boots
Pros
- Comfortable hiking shoe
- Lightweight
- Short break-in time
- Excellent ankle support
- Waterproof
- Excellent grip
- Breathable
Cons
- Poor build quality
- Expensive price tag
- Doesn’t offer much in terms of torsional stability
Verdict
After testing hundreds of fantastic hiking boots for women (and wrestling with some), we are proud to hail the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid as the ruler of them all!
This kick can really get down and dirty whether you are prepared or not. With its aggressive rubber lugs down under, the Renegade GTX Mid made our every step slip-free, be it on steep slopes or grassland. The shoe’s Vibram outsole also wowed us on descents, thanks to its deep, deep heel brake.
Up top, the Renegade GTX Mid’s upper elevated our hiking experience with immense comfort. Virtually not requiring a break-in period, this Lowa boot offered plushness from the off. Its no-rub liner, particularly around the collar, was a real blessing for us!
If you have wobbly ankles, you can rest assured in the Renegade GTX Mid, too. We can say this because this offering held ours magnificently. It’s true—the boot has tons of ankle support going for it!
At no more than 900 g a pair (women’s hiking boots this good usually weigh more, by the way), the Renegade GTX Mid felt lighter in real life. Yes, you’ll be striding fluidly in this gem!
Best women's hiking boots for backpacking
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all hiking boots.
- Top 5% in hiking boots
- Top 9% in Salomon hiking boots
- Top 4% most popular hiking boots
Pros
- Superb comfort
- Very secure fit
- True to size
- Stable
- Perfect ankle support
- Fantastic grip
- Great for long-distance hikes
Cons
- Expensive
Verdict
Do you need something truly remarkable for days-long backpacking trips? Then write down the Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX as part of your shopping list!
Categorized under premium kicks, this brawny yet gentle beast eats rocky terrain for breakfast. Our packs were heavier than usual during our tests, yet we held our ground and didn’t lose balance in the Quest 4D 3 GTX.
Equally impressive is the hiker’s Contagrip outsole. Every step felt secure on it, and the way it clung to pebbles and crumbly rocks made us instant believers. The Quest 4D 3 GTX’s dedicated heel brake also didn’t disappoint on descents. Superb!
Is the Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX watertight? It fenced out wetness left and right, so that’s a yes. Rainwater tuned into beads on its waterproof upper, leaving us with dry and fresh feet after the downpour was over.
And let’s not forget the comfort level of the Quest 4D 3 GTX. After a short break-in, the boot in question made our tootsies happy in its snug confines. We, however, want to highlight the shoe’s cushy footbed in this regard for keeping our feet centered, pampered, and supported the entire time!
Best lightweight hiking boots for women
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all hiking boots.
- Top 5% in hiking boots
- Top 7% in Adidas hiking boots
- Top 1% most popular hiking boots
Pros
- Lightweight
- Breathable
- Eclectic colorways
- Groundbreaking grip
- The plushest midsole in any hiking boot
- Durable outsole
- Perfect for urban hiking
Cons
- Poor durability in the midsole
- Terrible support throughout the shoe
Verdict
After going through over 300 pairs of women’s hiking boots, we’re pleased to bring you the Adidas Terrex Free Hiker as our top pick for lightness!
Weighing no more than 350 g per boot (for insight, the men’s sits at 380-ish), the Terrex Free Hiker is freeing indeed! Moving over and past rocky obstacles in this lightweight piece was speedy and quite effortless.
Engineered with Adidas’ ever-iconic Boost midsole, the Terrex Free Hiker upped our game on uneven terrain and level paths alike. The rebound and support we got out of it were nothing short of amazing. The propelling Boost midsole of this hiking boot is definitely among its highlights!
Is the Terrex Free Hiker grippy enough on more demanding terrain? If by “demanding” you mean moderately muddy or sloped and damp, then yes. While its lugs aren’t as prominent as those in backpacking boots, they still kept our footing in check where slick surfaces were involved.
Overflowing with comfiness from the off, the Adidas Terrex Free Hiker made our first few days struggle- and pain-free. We couldn’t detect any warm spots inside its pampering interior even if we tried. And blisters? We didn’t get any!
Best women's hiking boots with wide toe box
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all hiking boots.
This shoe has a 9% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn more- Top 17% most popular hiking boots
Pros
- Amazing arch support
- Very durable
- Wide toebox
- Comfortable for long treks
- Snug, secure fit
Cons
- Break-in period
- Not for wet, slippery surfaces
- Heavy
Verdict
Women's hiking boots with best comfort
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all hiking boots.
- Top 26% in lightweight hiking boots
- Top 29% in eco-friendly hiking boots
Pros
- Lightweight
- Excellent ankle support
- Offers comfortable feel
- Flexible
- Budget-friendly price
- Laudable warmth
- Excellent grip on various terrain
- Short to zero break-in period
- Commendable toe cap
Cons
- Unsatisfactory waterproofing
- Lack of breathability
- Restrictive fit
- Poor quality
Verdict
Queenly comfort is what awaits those who’d dare don the Targhee III Waterproof Mid from KEEN.
There’s something purely magical about the Targhee III Waterproof Mid. On the outside, the boot means tough business, while on the inside, the brilliance of its comfiness stuns like the northern star! There’s just a combination of solidness and suppleness within its confines that we’d rather experience than explain!
And with the boot’s semi-stiff construction comes amazing supportiveness. Yes, the Targhee III Waterproof Mid is by no means a pushover in this area, as it successfully carried us across tricky terrain without getting our ankles injured. Our arches came out of it all pain-free, too!
Traction-wise, the KEEN Targhee III Waterproof Mid delivered in aces. Its saw-like lug design proved mighty useful on both dry land and wet terrain. We also scrambled on it, and the ground beneath us submitted with no qualms.
As grounded as it looks, the Targhee III Waterproof Mid shocked us (in a positive way) with its lightness. It’s about 400 g per kick, which is lighter than the men’s variant by approximately 100 g!
So, if royal comfort is what you’re after without skimping on brawny performance, get the Targhee III Waterproof Mid immediately!
Best value hiking boots for women
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all hiking boots.
This shoe has a 9% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn more- Top 21% in hiking boots
- Top 16% in Timberland hiking boots
Pros
- Comfy interior
- Commendable stylish design
- Versatile (outdoor and casual)
- Supportive arch zone
- Satisfying lightness
- Right-out-of-the-box comfort
- Effective waterproofing
Cons
- Not durable
- Too narrow
Verdict
Feast your budget-shoe-seeking eyes on this—the Mt. Maddsen Mid Waterproof. Yes, this Timberland boot retails at $115 (MSRP), and it has the fantastic performance to match its mouth-watering price tag!
Super-comfy straight from the box, the Mt. Maddsen Mid Waterproof delighted us with plush cushioning everywhere. From its snug collar that didn’t rub to its dreamy yet supportive footbed, the shoe pampered our feet for miles.
Underfoot, the Mt. Maddsen Mid Waterproof’s contoured arch gave us amazing security and support. Even with a light pack, we safely completed our journey without a hint of pain anywhere around our arches!
With the hiker’s super-humble asking price, you’d think that its waterproofing wouldn’t be up to snuff. Well, we’re happy to report that the Timberland Mt. Maddsen Mid Waterproof lives up to its name—it kept our tootsies fine and dry in its watertight shell in moderate rain.
And we dare not leave out the Mt. Maddsen Mid Waterproof’s amazing grip. We trampled on dirt tracks, mushy soil, and wet rocks, and the boot stuck on them like glue! Downhill traversals were equally impressive, thanks to the kick’s clawing heel brake.
Most popular hiking boots for women
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all hiking boots.
- Top 22% in hiking boots
- Top 17% in Salomon hiking boots
- Top 2% most popular hiking boots
Pros
- The boot of choice for multi-day hikes
- Lightweight
- Waterproof
- Excellent grip
- Supportive midsole
- Detailed ground feel
- Great ankle support
- Protective
- Perfect lacing system
Cons
- Midsole may be thin for some
- Very stiff in colder climates