10 Best Hiking Shoes For Women in 2022

We don’t want to beat around the bush here. Making the Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX your go-to kick for your everyday adventures would be the best hiking decision you will ever make!

Core to the X Ultra 4 GTX’s existence is ensuring that you get the most out of it comfort-wise. Yes, this sweet, sweet shoe will pamper your gentle tootsies from hour zero. And while it equals the men’s version when it comes to overall plushness, the women’s pair definitely knocks it out of the park with its cushy footbed!

Are you afraid of losing balance on the trail? Well, you can quell your worries in the X Ultra 4 GTX. Supremely stable underfoot (especially around the arch, this fantastic hiker dealt with rocks and uneven terrain like a real queen!

Extraordinarily grippy—is what we call the X Ultra 4 GTX’s rubber outsole. Its sticky tread pattern and aggressive lugs ensured our safety on pebbly terrain and muddy inclines alike. Going down soft-soiled and grassy slopes was also pretty confidence-inspiring in this Salomon kick.

This gem of a boot also left us in awe on the waterproofing front. Yes, much like most Gore-Tex shoes, the X Ultra 4 GTX fenced out all manners of moisture throughout our wet-weather outings!

Slip on the OUTline GTX and be the sleek hiking lady ninja that you’ve always wanted to be!

Crazy light at 300 g per shoe, the Salomon OUTline GTX can slip past many an obstacle, be it on trails or roads, with elegant quickness. This obvious lightness, coupled with the shoe’s ergonomically engineered sole unit, boosted our every stride.

The OUTline GTX’s Contagrip outsole made our speedy escapades on various terrain as secure as can be. The studs built on it latched on to sandy banks, moist mulch, and slightly muddy ground with little-to-no effort.

Equally convincing is the Salomon OUTline GTX’s MSRP of no more than $130. Sure, there are far more affordable offerings out there, but the shoe’s cunning speed and inclement weather protection bring forth undeniable value.

Speaking of weather protection, the OUTline GTX made our mildly rainy adventures fun through and through. And by fun, we mean not a drop gave us moist, wrinkly feet!

Now, our test-focused rides wouldn’t have been that enjoyable had it not been for the OUTline GTX’s from-the-box comfort. Yes, this speedster made it easy for us by being exceptionally plush everywhere on day one!

Now here—the Moab 2 GTX from Merrell—is a real comfort machine, and it’s coming your way in full force!

From its exceedingly plush liner down to its mighty cushy footbed, the Moab 2 GTX felt terrific on our feet from the box. Its padded backrest never gave dug to our heels, and the shoe’s instep didn’t bunch up.

Speaking of its liner, the shoe comes with a Gore-Tex membrane. With it, the Moab 2 GTX crushed it in moderate rains, negating all manners of wetness and keeping our longing-for-a-pedicure feet as dry as possible!

At around 370 g per shoe, the Moab 2 GTX didn’t weigh us down or make us struggle while going uphill. While there are less-weighty options out there, this Merrell kick felt quite light without neglecting support underfoot.

Traction-wise, we were floored by the Moab 2 GTX, too. Its creative tread pattern and multi-angled lugs made our journeys safe and slip-free. Whether on grassy hills, moderately muddy slopes, or wet mulch, the hiker gave us a to-the-nines level of surface traction!

So, if you’re serious about your trail game and comfort is way up high on your hiking needs list, the Moab 2 GTX has to be your “it” shoe!

Out of the literal hundreds of women’s hiking shoes we’ve put through the test, we have to give the Targhee II the highest praise on the backpacking front!

With its rigid-yet-comfy midsole, the Targhee II gave us superpowers for our multi-day trek. By superpowers we mean high protection underfoot and a long-mileage type of comfort.

In the realm of waterproofing, we can confidently say that the KEEN Targhee II beats out most GTX hikers out there. Armed with a proprietary membrane, the shoe remained impermeable across creeks, puddles, and shallow streams. As long as you don’t wade through waters beyond three inches in depth, your feet will be fine and dry in this trekking shoe.

And what is a heavy-pack-ready KEEN hiking shoe without a grippy outsole? Fortunately, the Targhee II has it, and its blocky and triangular lugs clawed into whatever surface we trampled on. Mossy and muddy routes were also a cakewalk in this fantastic women’s hiker from KEEN.

Equally and undeniably impressive is the Targhee II’s affordability. Indeed, this remarkable backpacking shoe has an MSRP of $130, which is quite a steal in this day and age!

Are you in the red but can’t give up your outdoorsy life? We have the best hiker for you—the Moab 2 Ventilator by Merrell!

With an MSRP of $100 a pop, the Moab 2 Ventilator pre-deals will dance to the tune of your quaint budget and more. To put things into perspective, its price tag puts the shoe neck and neck against most rugged sandals on the market.

The Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator, to us, lives up to its name (the Ventilator part). Engineered with a breathable liner, the shoe flushed out heat and wicked away sweat as we dealt with the obstacles in front of us.

And for a budget kick, the Moab 2 Ventilator impressed us so much with its Vibram outsole. We got pretty much the same amount of grip and slip resistance as our time with its Gore-Tex counterpart—the Moab 2 GTX. This means that no semi-slick surface or tricky descents made us lose our footing!

And if you are a thrifty lass like us, you should be delighted to learn that the Moab 2 Ventilator can take a serious beating. Its leather overlays passed our durability tests with flying colors, coming away with only microscopic scratches and mild dents!