Best Women's Trail Running Shoes

Trail running opens up a completely different world to road running. Softer surfaces, more scenery, and a whole different set of demands on your shoes. Here are the best women's trail shoes for UK conditions.

Best women's trail shoe: Salomon Speedcross 6

The Salomon Speedcross 6 is the most popular women's trail shoe in the UK and for good reason. Its aggressive Contagrip lug sole handles soft, muddy terrain better than almost anything else on the market.

The women's Speedcross fits slightly narrower than the men's and runs roughly true to size, though many women prefer to go half a size up for trail running where feet swell more. It's a particularly good choice for UK trail conditions where mud is a frequent companion.

Best for ultras and longer trail efforts: Hoka Speedgoat 7

If you're running longer distances on the trails — half marathon distance and beyond — the Hoka Speedgoat 7 adds the cushioning that the Speedcross lacks. The Vibram Megagrip outsole handles technical terrain with confidence while the generous midsole protects your feet across long mountain days.

It's a favourite on the ultramarathon and fell racing scene and the women's version shares the same outstanding Vibram sole and cushioned midsole as the men's.

What to look for in a women's trail shoe

Lug depth matters. For soft, muddy UK conditions you want aggressive lugs of at least 4mm. For hard-packed trails in summer you can get away with something shallower.

Rock plates — stiff inserts between the midsole and outsole — protect your foot from sharp stones. If you run technical or rocky trails, look for a shoe that includes one.

Women's trail shoes typically have a narrower heel cup than men's to prevent heel slipping on technical terrain. If you find trail shoes heel-slipping, try a women's-specific model before buying insoles.