The Best Women's Hiking and Adventure Shoes and Boots for 2024

Most walking shoes and boots tend not to differ much between mens and womens options beyond the sizes and maybe the colors. Yet women's feet typically have different proportions to mens and some women may struggle with boots that have been designed primarily for men's feet. 

Salomon's Vaya Mid boots are specifically designed for women's feet, with a wider toe box and re-engineered arch support. They proved comfortable and supportive in our testing time, while the aggressive sole design and Gore-Tex waterproof lining means they're just as at home in the hills as they are on sedate lake-side footpaths. 

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Salomon Vaya Mid here.

Built with lighter-weight materials that are stitched, rather than glued together, the Xerocole boots are built with breathability and comfort in mind when hiking in hot, desert conditions. And while our Scotland-based testing might not be comparable to the Arizona trail, we can confirm these boots are sturdy, supportive and comfortable enough to put the miles in on day one, yet still feeling ready to go on day two. 

Better yet, the boots are crafted with an eco focus, including full repair options and making use of naturally biodegradable materials.

The deep, rugged lugs of the Continental sole and the sturdy footbed make the Terrex AX4 shoes a solid option for everyday hikes, especially if you don't need the ankle support -- and additional weight -- of a regular boot. They're comfortable on long walks and the Gore-Tex lining means that a sudden rain shower won't result in you returning home with wet feet. (Note: Men's version tested.)

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Adidas Terrex AX4 shoes here.

Brandecosse Boots is based in Scotland, so it's no surprise that the Capriolo boots tackled the trails, hills and rocky footpaths of the Cairngorms National Park in the heart of the country with ease when I took them for a long weekend of testing. The boots themselves are hand-built in Italy, and the result is a quality-feeling product. It's both comfortable over long distances and supportive when the going gets more tough. 

They're surprisingly light for a leather boot, so I never felt weighed down by them, while the waterproof and breathable inners kept my feet cool in the summer heat and unexpected stream crossings didn't leave me with wet socks. (Note: Men's version tested.)

The deep padding of the footbed and the flexible outer material makes the Dropline GTX probably the most comfortable hiking shoes I've ever worn. They've tackled mile upon mile of woodland, dirt trails and loose gravel -- along with city-center asphalt and paving -- and they never fail to feel supportive and encouraging to get those extra steps in. They're very light-weight too, extremely grippy and waterproof, thanks to their Gore-Tex lining.

They're an exceptional shoe for everything from Sunday afternoon wanders through the park to weekends away in the hills. (Note: Men's version tested.)

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Women's Salewa Dropline GTX shoes here.

Timberland's Garrison Trail Hikers have a low-to-mid ankle height that offer just the right amount of support for longer walks without feeling too restrictive for quick jaunts to the shops and back. They're comfortable, with a grippy sole, waterproof lining and a playful, almost '90s retro style that would look as much at home sitting outside a pub as it would halfway up a hillside. 

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Timberland Garrison Trail Hikers here.

The Facet 60 OutDry combines lightweight materials with mid-ankle support that makes them feel more like sneakers than traditional hiking boots. They're very comfortable to wear all day, have a waterproof lining to keep the rain out, and have an aesthetic that's just as at home queuing at a street food market as it is heading into the hills. 

They're a great do-it-all traveling shoe that will work equally well on city explorations and countryside trails. (Note: Men's version tested.)

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Women's Columbia Facet 60 OutDry shoes here.

I love Inov-8's existing boots that infuse the wonder-material graphene into the sole (seen below), but its most recent RocFly G 390 boots take that further and put graphene into the footbed as well. Why? Well Inov-8 reckons it makes the foam stay soft and supportive for longer, meaning these boots will feel just as good after 50 miles as they did after five. 

For me, I found them incredibly comfortable, with great ankle support and robust grip that gave me confidence for fast-paced walking on hillside trails in any conditions. The Roclite Pro (seen below) are the more burly ones in the range, so it's those you should look towards for more mountainous conditions. (Note: Men's version tested.)

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Women's Inov-8 RocFly G 390 boots here.

The lightweight and soft materials give the Cloud Hi Edge shoes more of a sneakerlike feel, but the rocker-like design and deep lugs of the sole mean these shoes are perfectly suited for covering a lot of ground at a fast pace. We loved them for urban adventures, tackling city streets and parkland footpaths with ease, while their stylish design meant wearing them into the pub at the end of the day was no problem at all. 

With no waterproof lining, these aren't hiking boots designed for all conditions, so if that's what you're after from your On Shoes, look instead towards the Cloud Hi Waterproof, seen below.

Shopping in the UK? Buy the On Shoes Cloud Hi Edge shoes here.

Like the Roclite 345s above, these boots are infused with graphene for added durability, are lined with Gore-Tex for waterproofing and are comfortable right out of the box. However the Pro G 400s have a thicker, stiffer sole, more support around the ankle and a ceramic coating on the upper material that makes them much more suited to tougher terrain. 

They're still surprisingly lightweight though, and I had no problem in wearing them on all-day hikes on forest trails and muddy hill tracks. The deep lugs on the sole help them dig into loose terrain to keep you stable and I certainly felt confident that my feet weren't going to slip out from under me. (Note: Men's version tested.)

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Women's Inov-8 Roclite G Pro 400 boots here.

Athletic Propulsion Labs (or APL to the rest of us) is better known for its sports and athletics footwear, the TechLoom Defenders do look remarkably like a pair of basketball sneakers. But they're built for a life off the court, featuring sturdier, grippier soles, a waterproof design and a higher, more supportive ankle that'll keep you upright on difficult terrain. 

While I wouldn't wear them on an alpine expedition, they're comfortable on all-day treks across the city and the beach and won't struggle with riverside weekend walks either. It's worth noting though that they're sized quite small -- I'm usually a UK 10 but I found the 11s were a better fit -- so go for the size above when ordering. (Note: Men's version tested.)

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Women's APL TechLoom Defenders here.

True to the company name, these boots innovate through their use of graphene -- the atom-thick "miracle material" that's stronger than steel and lighter than carbon fiber. Here, it's been infused in the sole which Inov-8 reckons makes it more durable and grippier. In my testing I certainly found the boots to be extremely capable on mixed walks, handling muddy trails, loose rock or wet asphalt with ease. 

They're exceptionally lightweight too, making them as comfortable to wear as sneakers, right out of the box with no break-in period required. You can walk all day without feeling weighed down, so this is a boot to consider if you plan on tackling long trails. While they have a waterproof Gore-Tex lining, they don't have the same ruggedness required for more mountainous terrain so if that's on the agenda then consider their more burly siblings below. (Note: Men's version tested.)

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Inov-8 Roclite G 345 GTX boots here.

The Active #2147 boots have the same classic elastic-sided Chelsea profile Blundstone has been making since 1870. However the new Active series feature an updated midsole and footbed designed to give improved comfort and support on more active walks. The slip-on design and water-resistant materials makes them great to quickly throw on for local jaunts with the dog or lengthier trips to the pub. 

Riverside footpaths, forest trails and gentle hillside tracks are all within reach of these boots, but their slip-on nature means they don't quite offer the support and stability for more strenuous hikes, especially on rocky or otherwise challenging terrain. 

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Blundstone Active #2147 boots here.

With a tough outer fabric and more sturdy, grippy soles, the Trail shoes are better equipped for a life in the hills than the slipper-soft Allbirds Mizzle (seen below). But their Merino wool lining and comfortable footbed makes them incredibly comfortable to wear, even on longer trail runs (or fast hikes, in my case). They're great on woodland trails and lakeside pathways but are just as at home on city streets, too. 

They're made with eco-conscious materials including Merino wool, eucalyptus fiber, natural rubber, sugarcane and castor bean oil, while the shoelaces are made from recycled plastic bottles. 

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Women's Allbirds Trail shoes here.

Aimed more at trail running than regular walking, these sneaker-like shoes are excellent for those of you that like to hike the forest trails at a faster pace. The shock-absorbing midsole is extremely comfortable on mixed terrain, while the deeper lugs of the Vibram sole provide plenty of traction, even in wet conditions. 

They're light, too, meaning you can wear them for full-day trail walks without having to spend days nursing your aching feet afterwards. (Note: Men's version tested.)

Shopping in the UK? Buy the New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro V6 shoes here.

The Allbirds Mizzle shoes are among the softest things I've had the pleasure of putting on my feet. It's thanks to their merino wool construction which has the added benefit of making them an eco-friendly choice. The soft, spongy sole means these aren't shoes for tackling mountains, or even woodland trails, but they're delightful for urban exploration, hopping between cafes and museums. 

They're water-resistant, so an impromptu rain shower won't slow you down, while the incredible light weight of the shoes mean you'll be forgiven for thinking you've accidentally gone out in your slippers. (Note: Men's version tested.)

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Women's Allbirds Runner-up Mizzle shoes here.

I love the look of these adventure shoes, with their deep lugs protruding from the footbed and the white-brown-blue color combination on my test pair. They look great with jeans and are ideal for those rainy urban exploration days when you know you'll end up at the bar with your friends. The sole -- as I found with others in the On range -- is exceptionally supportive and provides a rocking motion as you walk which seems to actively propel you forward making them great for faster hikes.

What I don't like is the elastic lacing that comes with them, which seemed too loose for me and resulted in my foot slipping out, particularly when I walked at a faster pace. I replaced it with a set of regular laces for just a few dollars which I found made these boots feel much more secure and comfortable all round. (Note: Men's version tested.)

Shopping in the UK? Buy the On Shoes Cloud Hi Waterproof shoes here.