7 Best Women's Running Shoes in 2024

How we test running shoes

Our top picks for the best running shoes for women are NOT products of cherry-picking. First, we buy them with our own money. Second, we wear test them covering at least 30-50 miles doing intervals, tempo runs, recovery runs, basically pushing through all the paces both on the roads and trails.

We also bring the shoes to our independent shoe testing lab to run different kinds of tests and assessments, including: 

• Cutting each shoe into pieces for us to see what’s inside.
• Measuring the shoes' breathability, flexibility, softness, durability, etc. 
• Comparing the data we collected to their average values so we can better interpret the results.

What makes women’s shoes different from men’s?

Some brands make running shoes for women and for men to accommodate the anatomical differences between their feet. However, even though it’s said that women’s feet are more triangular (with narrower heels) and men’s are more rectangular, in many cases, women’s and men’s shoes are not that different. 

In most cases, it’s the upper that’s given more volume or made tighter to create the feeling of a narrower/wider fit while the cast of the shoe remains the same. 

There are 4 things that differentiate women’s running shoes from men's: 

1. Sizes
2. Width industry labels 
3. Heel drop and/or stack heights
4. Shape (width) and other shoe details
5. Colorways 

Women’s width options are marked as B for medium, D for wide, and 2E for extra wide. It can be somewhat confusing because D also marks men’s medium, and 2E marks men’s wide. 

Some brands release women’s shoes with different stack heights and heel drops from the men’s versions. This can go both ways (higher or lower stacks). For example, Hoka Mach 5 was released with 29mm at the heel for men and 27mm at the heel for women, and Kayano 29 has 24mm at the heel for women and 25mm for men (all numbers given according to the brands’ specifications, not our lab measurements). 

In some older Pegasus models, Nike customized the air chamber pressure to 15 PSI for women and 20 PSI for men. 

Women’s running shoes are said to be narrower at the heel and wider at the toebox. However, we should have 2 things in our mind: 

1. being narrower or wider is not always what we think it is. The whole cast is not always changed or made narrower/wider, but it’s the upper that plays a crucial role here. It’s given more or less volume meaning the shoe feels wider or narrower. Especially when you go from D to 2E. 
2. It actually depends a lot on the brand and what they decide to do. Some runners feel no difference when wearing the shoe in women’s and men’s variants. Saysh, for example, a women's-shoe-only brand, says they make shoes for female feet: narrower heel and a standard forefoot. Some brands explicitly say they are creating gender-neutral shoes, which means there’s no difference. 

If you’re looking into brands and models that make women-specific running shoes, here are a few options: Saysh, Lululemon’s Blisfeel collection, and Puma’s Run XX Nitro 2. Finally, women’s options often have different colorways, which is often an incentive for runners to choose the opposite gender’s option! 

When it comes to shoe names and shoe boxes, W is the symbol to look for. Or women, or a lady symbol like the one we see on the toilet doors. 

What’s the deal with unisex running shoes? 

Some brands create unisex running shoes. They may tag them as “all gender”, “gender neutral” or “unisex”. These running shoes are a no-brainer, no need to question how they are different, if at all, because they are not. 

If you’re looking for unisex running shoes, look for both the women’s and men’s “toilet” symbol or the sizes listed in the women’s and men’s charts. 

Here are some unisex running shoes in case you're interested: 

How to choose the best running shoe for you

It can be overwhelming to take everything into account. However, we recommend spending more time now on figuring things out, because that will enhance your chances of finding the perfect running shoe dramatically. 

1: choose the terrain 

There are 2 options: road running shoes and trail running shoes. Their names are self explanatory, so if you plan to run on concrete, asphalt, hard surfaces around the city, choose road shoes. If you plan to hit the trails, hills, mountains, or even a single track in your closest park, choose trail shoes. 

There is a hybrid category: running shoes that are great for a bit of both. They excel at road-to-trail adventures. We cover them in the trail shoe section where you can choose “light terrain” filter, and definitely skip “moderate” and “technical” when looking for a hybrid shoe.

2: decide on the purpose (pace)

There are 3 big running shoe categories that depend on the pace: 

1. Daily running shoes, which are used for (guess what) daily runs. These runs are usually easy, light, they entail jogging, recovery runs, basically everything at a slower pace. This does not mean they have to be short, we also have LSD or long slow distance, runs meant for building up the mileage. They are also done in daily trainers. 
2. Tempo running shoes or shoes for speedwork are used for tempo runs. The are lighter and faster than daily running shoes and they often overlap with race shoes. 
3. Race running shoes or competition running shoes which are, as the name suggests, used for races! They are often expensive and not durable, so runners keep them for the race day only and do not train in them. 

Here are some of the pronounced features of these 3 running shoe groups: 

Competition running shoes usually feature a softer and less stable foam 

3: figure out your pronation 

Skip this section if you already know whether you’re an overpronator, supinator, or have neutral pronation. 

Pronation is a completely natural and normal movement, and it happens when running when our ankle rolls inward once we land on the ground. In most cases, the ankle rolls inward (overpronation). Other runners have a neutral pronation or supination/underpronation (their ankles roll outward). 

Knowing pronation matters because of the shoe choices: 

• Overpronators usually wear stability shoes. Most of the stability shoes are meant for daily runs
• Neutral pronators and supinators wear neutral running shoes. All race shoes are neutral shoes, and in the world of tempo shoes, the majority are neutral

 Here, we see a (neutral) race shoe above a stability daily trainer:
1) soft sock-like heel vs a padded heel with a plastic heel counter
2) no side walls vs. GuideRails present
3) no heel flare vs. a present heel flare
4) less ground contact vs. more ground contact outsole

This is a big step when choosing running shoes and it’s important to nail it! Stability shoes feature special technologies for extra stabilization and support, while neutral shoes tend to be more flexible, lighter and cheaper. 

4: figure out your foot strike

When running, we land on the forefoot, on the midfoot, or on the heel. That’s why running shoes are usually made for forefoot/midfoot strikers and/or for heel strikers. Knowing your foot strike is important because then you can look for more cushioning in the area where you land. 

And, looking at the outsoles, you can look for running shoes that also feature rubber outsole where you land. Some race shoes place rubber only at the forefoot or add some smaller pieces to the heel. As a complete opposite, there are running shoes with full-length rubber outsole. The majority is somewhere in the middle. 

5: focus on your priorities

Running shoes have many features and, depending on your previous experience with the shoes and your current form and maybe even injuries, you might want to prioritize different things. Here, we’ll list many of them and dig deeper into the most important ones further down. 

You might care about: 

1. Stack heights or how high off the ground your feet are if you already know whether you want some ground feel (lower stack heights) or no ground feel and as much cushioning as possible (high stack heights). 
2. Heel-to-toe drop if you previously experienced or are currently experiencing muscle strains or injuries. And if you never run before, in that case, best to choose a higher heel drop. 
3. Pronation if you have flat feet or you overpronate noticeably. 
4. Foot strike because forefoot/midfoot strikers have different shoe needs than heel strikers. 
5. Durability of running shoes if you already have a bad experience with shoes lasting nearly not long enough or if you know which part of the shoe you’ll expose to the beating (toebox or outsole). 
6. Breathability if you plan to run in very hot weather, if you have sweaty feet, or if you need shoes that trap the heat because you prefer running in cold weather. 
7. Stability of running shoes if you want to be extra safe, you’re pregnant, you love cornering and running over demanding terrain, etc. 
8. Toebox width - something that runners usually care about if they have a wider toe box.

Now, we will explain all of these features, back them up with numbers, and give recommendations depending on your preferences. 

Stack height in running shoes for women

Stack height varies, the more midsole you have below your feet, the less you’ll feel the ground and the more impact protection you’ll get. The downside of very high shoes is that they can be very unstable. 

We recommend a heel stack height of 25-35mm for beginners. In our lab, we measure the stack heights according to the guidelines from WorldAthletics. This means we cut the shoes in half and measure the heel and forefoot stack height at the center of the shoe, not a bit to the right or left. 

Heel stack height is measured at 12% of the inner shoe length, while the forefoot one is measured at 75% of the inner shoe length. 

If you land on your heel, it’s best to look for a lot of cushioning in that area. If you’re a forefoot/midfoot striker, prioritize cushioning at the forefoot. 

Heel-to-toe drop in women’s running shoes

Heel drop is the difference in height between the heel and the forefoot in running shoes. Like the stack heights, it’s given in millimeters. 

Women who just started running often don’t bother with heel drop and a general recommendation is to go with ~10mm heel drop in that case. However, it’s important to understand the effect of heel drop on our bodies and running. 

There are 4 categories of heel drop and choosing one should be done based on your running experience and overall leg/muscle health: 

1. Zero-drop running shoes with a heel drop of 0 mm. These running shoes ask for the longest adaptation period because the majority of footwear is not zero-drop. We’re used to a higher drop. These shoes utilize your foot muscles the most. Experienced runners add them to their rotation to strengthen the foot muscles. 
2. Low-drop running shoes have a heel drop of 1-4 mm. These running shoes also ask for an adaptation period if you’re coming here from a 10mm drop. They utilize the lower leg muscles the most (Achilles, calves). 
3. Mid-drop running shoes with a heel drop of 5-8 mm. These shoes are quite frequent in trail shoes. They utilize higher leg muscles the most (thighs). 
4. High-drop running shoes have a heel drop of 9 mm or higher. Most of the running shoes have this heel drop and most of the runners are used to it. When coming from a zero drop to a 10mm drop, you can feel your hip muscles on fire. 

How soft are running shoes for women? 

Most of us care about softness because we relate it to comfort. However, some women prefer running in firmer shoes because they feel more stable and supportive. Also, some foams can be too soft, meaning they allow your feet to sink in, but don’t push them back and forward. 

The only way to properly measure the softness of the midsole foam is to stick the durometer needle into it but once the shoe has been cut in half. Doing this on the outside (whole shoe) gives wrong results. 

Foam that is very soft to the point of being unstable for heel strikers 

Looking at the numbers on the durometer, the lower they are, the softer the foam. For example,  race shoes are 8.2% softer than daily trainers, according to our lab data. 

For context, here’s how soft the best-rated running shoes for women are: 

In case you want your ride to be as soft as possible, here are running shoes which got the lowest numbers on our durometer: 

Responsiveness in women’s running shoes

Responsivness is THE feature to look for in competition running shoes. However, in daily trainers, it’s ok to sacrifice some responsiveness for durability and/or stability. 

Premium running shoes usually feature premium foam. This foam has an insane energy return and leg-saving features but is very expensive and not durable. Standard foams, on the other hand, are usually found in daily trainers. They are much more affordable and more durable, but not as responsive. 

Just by looking at running shoes, it’s almost impossible to tell the difference between standard and premium foam 

Our advice is to find your foam in the list of standard or premium foams and find out what you can expect from it! 

Pros and cons of premium foams

Pros and cons of standard foams

Durability of women’s running shoes

Women who care about the durability of running shoes are usually the ones who already had bad experiences. Or maybe you just want to know what you’re investing in! 

In our lab, we use a dremel to test the durability of 3 areas: toebox, heel padding, and outsole. 

Testing the durability of the toe box in RunRepeat lab 

When we damage the toebox and the heel padding, we look at the damage and assign it a durability score on a 1-5 scale, 1 being the least durable and 5 being the most durable. 

However, when we perform the same test on the outsole, given the nature of the material, we’re able to precisely measure the depth of the dent. So, we don’t need to assess anything. 

Testing the durability of the outsole in RunRepeat lab 

We actually use a tire tread gauge to measure the damage. It accurately measures the depth of the dent, so the deeper the dent, the less durable the outsole. 

When it comes to the outsole durability, what also plays a part is the thickness, the more outsole you have, the more you can damage it, obviously. 

Breathability of women’s running shoes

We use a smoke machine and a microscope to assess the breathability of running shoes. 

Assessing the breathability of a running shoe on a 1-5 scale, 5 being the most breathable 

Most women prefer very breathable shoes, which makes sense given that no one enjoys having sweaty feet. However, choosing those that don’t breathe (well) is a great decision for running in cold weather. When equipped with a waterproof membrane, it’s also great for wet weather! 

Looking at the upper under the microscope allows us to understand better why a shoe does (not) breathe. Very breathable running shoes have large ventilation holes, a 1-layer upper, loose structure. Non-breathable uppers have tightly packed threads, no ventilation holes, and often 2 layers. 

How to assess stability of women’s running shoes?

As mentioned in the stack height section above, higher shoes are great because they are easier on the legs with no ground feel and more foam to welcome your feet during the landing. However, high shoes can also be unstable. 

So, when we talk about the stability, we measure the platform with. The wider the midsole, the more planted the landing and toeoffs! 

Wide toebox in women’s running shoes

While women’s shoes are, on average, narrower than men's, it does not mean some of us don’t need a wide toebox! For this reason, we measure the width of the toebox in 2 places. 

These 2 measurements allow us to understand not just how wide the toebox overall is, but also how pointy it is, or how much it tapers. 

Women have differently-shaped toes, and that’s normal. So, one shoe shape can’t properly fit us all. 

If you have pointy feet, look for pointy toebox. If you have a wide forefoot, look for that! We list all our lab data points in our reviews so you can easily look for the shoes within the same range or wider. 

We also recommend reading our guide on Best running shoes with a wide toebox for more details, lab data, and advice! 

Pregnancy and running shoes: recommendations 

When pregnant, women gain weight and their feet can swell. Here are features we recommend you look for in running shoes if you plan to use them as the pregnancy advances, maybe more as walking shoes than running shoes: 

1. Stability. Look for running shoes with a wider platform. Wobbling is a no in running not to mention when you’re carrying a child. 
2. Midsoles that feel stable and are not too soft. Firmer midsoles can be more stable and you should not feel like the shoes are tiring your feet (making them work extra).
3. Perfect lockdown. This is a must for all runners but their feet might not swell as much. So, you need a shoe that will allow your feet to swell and yet fit perfectly, not too tight or too loose. Feet sliding to the sides and heel slipping are a no. Knit uppers are softer and have more give than the mesh uppers, but are also less breathable

Trail running shoes for women

As mentioned above, the main difference between the road and trail shoes is the outsole. Trail running shoes have lugs. They also have more protection on the upper, the most noticeable being the toe bumper, and they feature (on average) a lower heel drop. 

Basically it’s all about the lugs when it comes to trail shoes. Very shallow lugs (less than 3mm) are mostly used for light hiking and such lugs are found in hybrid shoes - those that we use both on roads and trails. Lugs that are 3-4mm deep are mostly used on moderate terrain. And, finally, lugs deeper than 4mm are used for technical terrain. 

However, it’s not just about the depth. Their shape, orientation, and distance matter a lot. 

In the lab, we also measure the hardness of the outsole rubber. We do this because softer rubber is usually stickier so it can tell us more about the grip. On the other hand, harder rubber is more durable and protective. 

At the end, the design of the shoe can tell us a lot about the shoe’s purpose. Just because lugs are deep does not immediately qualify the shoe for mud or technical terrain. If it’s too unstable or too chunky, it won’t perform well on such surfaces.