Best hiking and walking boots for women 2022

Best: Overall

The perfect boot for spring and summer walking, these technical but versatile shoes felt to us like a hybrid between Scarpa’s approach shoes (grippy shoes to get you over rocks to the crag) and mountain boots. Lightweight, waterproof and yet still breathable, the mid-cut feels dynamic like a trainer, but supportive enough for hills and rocks, and for wearing with a pack.

For our reviewer, these shoes epitomised out-of-the-box comfort, and didn’t take any breaking in (she wore hiking socks during testing). They’re great boots if you like city walking as well as a long weekend ramble, the ultra-supportive, firm insole is brilliant if you ever suffer from back ache after really long walks. They’re vegan-friendly, too.

Best: For keeping out insects

Feature-rich boots from one of our favourite outdoor brands. Comfortable and technical, they have all the structure and support you need in a tough pair of boots – classic vibram soles, a tough but flexible upper, and a ghillie lacing system that means you can keep them snug to your foot without risking any abrasion.

But the smart extras are what make these boots stand out. The Craghopper’s nosilife insect repellent fabric on the outer, plus an absolutely ingenious in-built insect cover that you can pull over the boots at night if you’re camping to stop creepy crawlies from greeting you in the morning.

Best: All-season boot

These could be your boots for life, and we don’t say that lightly. Look after these sturdy leather boots – treating them with weatherproofing cream around once a season – and they will look after you. An all-season boot for the mountains, they are at home on rugged, rocky terrain, with a high cut and a rubber rand all the way around to protect you from any abrasion. They’re not strictly waterproof, because they’re leather, but we have strolled through fords and puddles in them all day without any issues.

Our reviewer found them comfortable from the off, but other walkers have found they need a lot of breaking in – around 30 miles (not in one go!). We loved the aggressive (crampon compatible) sole, which sheds clumpy mud as you walk. The boots to buy if your hike will find you ankle deep in mud, clambering over rock fields or packing any serious weight.

Best: For versatility

A technical shoe that’s still perfect for city walks, these comfy boots are waterproof but breathable, with fantastic support around the mid foot thanks to the flexible, looped lacing. The thick but responsive sole means they feel reassuringly rigid when you’re traversing and protective over sharp rocks, but they still have enough flex to wear for longer ambles, flat trails and paths.

Best of all, though, are the colours: highlights on women’s hiking boots are almost always some shade of pink. With their soft or bright blue flashes and cool neon sole, these boots are a welcome change.

Best: For vegans

Merrell makes some of our favourite walking shoes, and these cool boots take one of their most popular trail shoes – moab – and adds in the ultra-supportiveness of a boot cut for longer, hiller walks. Vegan-friendly, they also have impeccable eco credentials, including recycled lining, laces and top sheet. Even the sole – top-of-the line, ultra grippy Vibram – is an eco blend. Lightweight and comfortable right out of the box, we loved them for shorter, faster walks, urban journeys and towpath trails.

Best: For rocky terrain

Brilliant boots with all the features of more expensive pairs, at almost half the price. Comfortable and supportive, these boots feel steadying and fitted all the way up the ankle, making them brilliant for hilly walks and rocky terrain.

The sole has excellent grip, even in wet conditions, and the comfortable but moulded insole helps on longer walks. The boots are waterproof and we had no problems at all walking in puddles and heavy rain, and we found them to be perfectly breathable in the cooler weather we tested them in.

Best: For looks

Fast, fabulous and flexible, these were some of the best looking boots we tested, and so lightweight we hit the hills at a run. A cross between trainers, approach shoes and walking boots, they are ideal for walking in warmer weather, or when you’re trying to cut weight for a trip where you also have to carry camping gear.

The flex “bellows” in the toe is an amazing innovation that makes walking over variable terrain significantly easier – it takes a little bit of breaking in, but these shoes are so stylish you’ll find plenty of opportunities to do that.

Best: For comfort

With vibram soles and Jack Wolfskin’s fantastic texapore waterproof outer, these versatile boots are a blend of some of the best hiking tech available. Outrageously comfortable, the combination of a wide forefoot and an innovative, supportive and grippy mid-sole – the kind you get on running shoes designed to stop you from heel striking – makes it easy to find your stride, despite being in structured boots. The strong, rubber toe plate is good at protecting from stubbed toes without being uncomfortable on the descents.

Best: Lightweight boot

Really gorgeous boots that are as hi-tech as they look. Weighing in at just 714g for the pair, they were by far the lightest shoes we tried – and they felt like it, with a sneaker-style fit and fast stride. But even though they’re featherweight and flexible, the robust lugs on the sole and the durable mesh outer – which is waterproof and rip proof – made us feel perfectly secure over tricky terrain and in the hills. The bright white boots are an awesome statement, but a darker colour might be better if you’re expecting mud.