The Best Women's Trail Running Shoes

We analyzed 912 reviews from 31 websites to find the best women's trail running shoes. Sources included:
WalmartJet
+29 More

Top Women's Trail Running Shoes

Best for Most People
Best Women's Trail Running Shoes Saucony Peregrine 7 Women's Trail Running Shoes
$39 from 5 stores
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Why Consider This:
We loved both the men’s and women's Saucony Peregrine 7 shoes for their superior cushioning properties, which not only absorbed impact but also delivered a bit of rebound after each step, making for a very pleasant ride. The outsole of this shoe is awesomely grippy, but not at the expense of trail feel.
People Like:
  • super comfortable
  • supportive
  • lightweight
People Dislike:
  • Heel coverage too small
  • Narrow in the toes
0
Owner Score
0 Reviews from 3 Sites
89
Media & Critic Score
2 Media Reviews
Buy On Amazon.com
Why Consider This:
This shoe costs well under $100 yet delivers most of the characteristics of expensive trail running models. The men’s and women’s Adidas Kanadia 8.1 shoes offer good traction, supportive uppers, and pleasant rides. Most entry-level and occasional trail runners should be able to overlook the shoe’s drawbacks, such as an extra-warm upper, given the attractive price.
People Like:
  • Very affordable
  • Lightweight ride
  • Good ground feedback
People Dislike:
  • The 8th edition of the Kanadia is slightly narrow and small
  • Not as breathable as before
  • New version looks bulkier than the previous model.
91
Owner Score
332 Reviews from 1 Sites
69
Media & Critic Score
2 Media Reviews
Buy On Amazon.com
Why Consider This:
The women's Salomon Sense Ride shoes each have a soft ride that should please entry-level trail runners who are used to cushy road-running shoes. This style is built with plenty of outsole and a forefoot rock plate, too, which will keep serious off-road runners protected from rocks and sticks.
People Like:
  • High Value At $120
  • Outsole Offers Superb Grip And Traction
  • Upper Breathes Well And Dries Quickly
  • Versatile Midsole
People Dislike:
  • Heel Fit
  • Forefoot Protection On Rocky Ground
  • Stability and cushioning fall short on rough.
88
Owner Score
221 Reviews from 16 Sites
90
Media & Critic Score
2 Media Reviews
Buy On Amazon.com

How Critic.ly Saves You Time

When it comes to reviewing the best women's trail running shoe, critic.ly is different than other sites. How?
Unbiased & Unsponsored: Critic.ly aggregates and analyzes reviews from real owners and industry critics. We remove spam, sponsored reviews, and other forms of bias to make sure you get the best possible sense of what people actually think about products.
Our reviews of the best women's trail running shoes were based on 912 reviews from 31 websites.
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How to Find the Right Women's Trail Running Shoe

Women’s trail runners don’t just come in unique colors and a different sizing scheme anymore—they also address the overall particularities of women’s feet. Some shoe makers accomplish this with women’s-specific lasts, or molds. Men’s lasts are generally D width, while women’s lasts are often B width. Other brands modify the last by adding heel padding and taking volume out of the forefoot, depending on gender. Some also work to modify the cushioning in the shoe, assuming that women will have a lighter body weight at a given shoe length. If you want a to be able to run on rugged, or uneven surfaces trail running shoes are for you. Sure, you could use regular shoes on the trail, but since these tend to be more rugged and heavy than traditional shoes, since you do need to be light and nimble when running on trails, navigating difficult terrain, while also feeling the trail itself underfoot. Generally speaking trail running shoes will be more heavy than normal running shows, otherwise known as road runners. Sometimes, long distance hikers will choose trail running shoes over to navigate certain kinds of terrain. THis does not mean, however, that trail running shoes are ideal for everyone. The will serve you well if you are hiking fast and light, but if you start to carry more weight, you will absolutely begin to appreciate the greater support that hiking shoes or boots would provide.

Women's Trail Running Shoes We Eliminated

We research and analyzed 7 women's trail running shoes. Here's what we concluded about the ones that didn't make the cut.
Columbia Caldorado III Women's Trail Running Shoes
Runner Up
Highly rated (95 owner score, 100 expert score), but a slight notch below the best.
Altra Superior 4.0 Women's Trail Runner Shoes
Runner Up
Highly rated (92 owner score, 90 expert score), but a slight notch below the best.
Hoka One One Challenger ATR 3 Women's Trail Running Shoes
Runner Up
Highly rated (84 owner score, 83 expert score), but a slight notch below the best.
Brooks PureGrit 8 Women's Trail Running Shoes
Runner Up
Highly rated (0 owner score, 57 expert score), but a slight notch below the best.

Sources & Methodology

Critic.ly uses a combination of machine learning and human editors to help you find the best products.
We start by aggregating and analyzing reviews from real owners and industry critics. We remove spam, sponsored reviews, and other forms of bias to make sure you get the best possible sense of what people actually think about products.
We convert every review to a weight average score from 0 to 100.
For this article, we analyzed 912 reviews from 31 sites to find the best women's trail running shoe.