Best hiking boots for women-top brands reviewed
Which are the top rated hiking boots for women?
With so many fashionable and stylish womens hiking boots on the market it is sometimes too easy to be swayed by ‘the look’ rather than performance. We review five of the best hiking boots for women based upon customer ratings and comfort/ safety construction to ensure that your feet get the best deal!
KEEN Women’s Targhee II Mid WP Hiking Boot – one of the most comfortable womens hiking boots
Available in eight different color schemes. The Keen Womens Targhee II is robustly built to tackle any hiking terrain and built for comfort.
The boot has the KEEN.DRY breathable waterproof membrane to keep your feet cool and dry. The S3 heel design (S3 =Shock resistance, stability and suspension) protects your feet from ankle injury as shock is dissipated laterally away from the heel.
The sole has A ESS torsion shank system. This means that the heel twist is controlled particularly on rocky terrain to prevent potential injury and keeps you stable on unstable ground.
The multi directional lugs on the sole gives exceptional grip and the protective toe bumper keeps your toes safe and protects the front leather areas of the boot.
One of the main benefits of this boot is that it is extremely comfortable and lightweight. Many previous customers have commented how comfortable the boots are even over a long and arduous hike and particularly on the ‘first wear’. They are also sylish enough to be worn around town, out in the park or for general day to day use.
This is a great hiking boot with over 90% Amazon customer review ratings at 4-5 star rating
- Leather upper with rubber sole and toe protection
- S3 Heel system (shock : stability : suspension)
- Weight: 14oz / 397g
- 1.5″ heel
- Protective toe cap
- Size ranges available 5 – 10 US
- Removable EVA foam footbed insert
- Pull on loop at rear
See the full color range and latest price of the Keen Womens Targhee II mid WP Hiking Boot here…
Merrell Women’s Moab Mid Waterproof – cute womens hiking boots
Available in four differen color styles this boot is very stylish and has a very high Amazon customer rating with 4-5 star reviews at over 85%. However there are issues that you may wish to consider.
Some customers voiced sizing accuracy as a problem in several cases. The general view was that sizes stated were smaller when compared to other brands. It is worth looking at the reviews before buying as you may need to go for a larger size.
The Multi Sport Plus Sole is stated as providing ‘great traction for outdoors’. When comparing the sole pattern with other leading brands it appears to be more aligned with general sports footwear patterns than, for example, the multi directional lugs on the KEEN Women’s Targhee II. However reviews generally seem to indicate that the traction and grip is good for hiking.
The upper body is a combination of leather and fabric with a breathable waterproof membrane. The front toe protection consists of a small rubber bumper which is an extension of the sole. Note that this partially protects the toe area although there is substantial protection on the outer fabric.
This appears to be a very good multi-purpose boot that would suit a ‘hiking newby’ that would also use them for other outdoor activities. Although there are some issues with sizing they are a great looking boot with high customer satisfaction ratings.
- Leather/Fabric
- Vibram sole
- Waterproof hiking boot featuring breathable mesh panels and aggressive lugged sole
- Size ranges available 5 – 11 US
- Waterproof and breathable M Select DRY membrane
- Pull on back loop
Timberland Women’s White Ledge Hiking Boot
These are designed for hiking and you can tell. It isn’t a compromise that covers a range of activities – it’s a hiking boot!
Waterproof, full grain premium leather uppers with a composite rubber outsole. This is a solid sturdy hiking boot built for comfort, durability and abrasion resistence.
There is a removable EVA footbed (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate foam) which is costructed to provide comfort and give your feet additional air circulation. The internal lining is moisture wicked to maintain dry internal conditions.
There is good heel and toe protection and the lugged sole design provides solid grip over a variety of terrains. The heel and tongue are extremely well padded to give you support and comfort where you need it most.
On the down side they are heavier than other boots in this review at just over 4lbs due to the qaulity leather grade. Some customers have experienced waterproofing issues but these are far and few between.
The Amazon customer reviews indicate a very high satisfaction level with around 90% of reviews in the 4 and 5 star category.
This is a great looking, built for purpose hiking boot that will give you years of robust service.
- Leather
- Rubber sole
- Ankle-high leather hiking boot with waterproof upper featuring combination D-ring and speed-hook lacing
- Size ranges available 5 – 11 US
- Moisture-transfer lining
- Padded tongue and collar
Get the latest price for the Timberland Women’s White Ledge Hiking Boot here…
Salomon Quest 4D 2 GTX Womens Stylish Hiking Boots
This is a really stylish looking boot and is packed with features designed specifically for hiking.
The boot has a Gortex membrame to keep it perfectly watertight. There is ample heavy duty toe and heel protection.
The heel design is splayed outwards to spread the load and give more area for grip. It is also designed to prevent mud collecting although under test this is not 100% successful as mud was found to collect around the heel.
The ortholite sock liner provides several benefits including moisture management due to its open cell structure. It is removable and washable. Has a high level of breathability and is salt based which provides an antimicrobial function. The ortholite brand also gives long term cushioning so that there is no more than 5% compression over time. Not bad attributes for a simple piece of foam!
A double set of metal lace eyelets high on the front side of the boot gives additional flexibility for you to adjust the boot pulling the neck of the boot firmly in place
The boot shaft (height) is 6.5″ from the arch and is quite high giving tons of support. If you are very short in stature this may cause you a problem from friction above the ankles.
This hiking footwear 3lbs in weight which, for the amount of boot you are getting is extremely light.
Around 90% of customers on Amazon have rated these boots at 4 to 5 stars which is very high. The very few negative comments appear to be from people who have foot arch issues with the internal support. Most customer reviews have nothing but praise for the comfort, stability and durability that the Salomon Quest 4D 2 GTX provides.
Overall this is an exceptional womens hiking boot stacked with great features specifically for lady hikers.
- Synthetic fabric and Nubuck uppers
- Synthetic sole
- 3lbs in weight
- Available in 5 different color schemes
- Heel measures approximately 1″
- Size ranges available 5 – 11 US
- GORE-TEX membrane – waterproof protection
- OrthoLite sockliner
- Molded EVA mid-sole
- Non-marking out-sole
Lowa Women’s Innox GTX – the best lightweight hiking boots for women?
This is hikining boot ‘eye candy’ and with over 95% Amazon reviewers giving it a 5 star rating it appears to be a class act all round.
It is totally synthetic uppers and sole and has a Gortex liner keeping it totally waterproof. There are some nice features with a strap pull for the laces to pull in the back support and high level metal eyelets for additional adjustment.
The shaft height (boot height from arch) is 5″ which is around 1.5″ less than the Salomon GTX. Possily more suited for ladies with shorter lower leg length.
LOWA have incorporated their MONOWRAP midsole contruction system. This acts like a firm frame which provides stability on uneven terrain even at pace.
The boots are incredibly light at 2lbs which for a mid size ladies hiking boot is extremely impressive.
Delving into the Amazon customer reviews it is clearly obvious from the overwhelming positive feedback that customers love these boots. They are crazy about the comfort level. As a walker you will appreciate that comfortable feet is paramount so you can concentrate on enjoying the hike!
- Synthetic uppers
- Synthetic sole
- 3lbs in weight
- Anti Abrasion toe gaurd
- Available in two different color scemes
- LOWA MONOWRAP midsole contruction system
- GORE-TEX liner
See the latest price for the Lowa Women’s Innox GTX Womens hiking Boots here…
So which are the best hiking boots for women?
All five boots in the review are of a high standard and give a range of great qualities to consider. If you are looking for the best lightweight and most comfortable womens hiking boots then the front runners are:
- Lowa Women’s Innox GTX or
- KEEN Women’s Targhee II
With the Lowa Women’s Innox GTX just having the edge purely on its superb customer review rating.
The Salomon Quest 4D 2 GTX is in our opinion the best designed hiking boot as it has many great features that are desirable for the serious hiker.
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