Best Affordable Women’s Hiking Shoes: 5 Picks Compared

Our verdict

Top Picks: Five Affordable Women’s Hiking Shoes

An affordable women’s hiking shoe still has to fit a woman’s foot, so every pick in this guide comes with the evidence for that: a women’s-specific design named by the maker, a women’s size and width range from the maker or a named retailer, or a test of the women’s version by a named reviewer. “Affordable” here means the entry and mid tiers of the hiking-shoe market, judged against the list prices the makers and testers publish, not a fixed budget. Live prices sit in the table and review boxes, and they move with sales.

The five shoes come from Merrell, Columbia and adidas. We have not hiked in them. Three are tested in their women’s versions by OutdoorGearLab, and each review says what its evidence covers and which size the Amazon button opens. If you need full waterproofing, our guide to waterproof women’s shoes covers that side in more depth, and our hiking footwear and packs section collects the rest of our boot, shoe and pack guides.

Related guide: Best Water Sandals for Hiking: Open-Toe and Closed-Toe Picks

Price tiers in this guide: $ = entry level and $$ = mid-range, relative to the five shoes here and based on the list prices published for them; the live Amazon price for each is in the table. The Columbia Crestwood is $ by list price; the Amazon offer was above list when we checked.

Compare the picks

Compare the 5 Affordable Women’s Hiking Shoes

Width and size figures come from the maker where its page could be read (Merrell) and from Zappos’ women’s product pages where it could not (Columbia and adidas answered with an error when we checked). “Linked listing” is the gender, colour and size the Amazon button opens; you choose your own size and width on Amazon. Weights are left out because the makers do not state a size for them.

How the Five Were Picked

What every pick had to show

• A low-cut hiking shoe or trail sneaker sold as a women’s model, at the entry or mid tier by its published list price.
• Evidence that it fits women: a women’s-specific design named by the maker, a women’s size and width range from the maker or a named retailer, or a named test of the women’s version.
• A linked Amazon listing whose own title names the women’s model, with stock on the day we checked.
• A named review of the model, or of a close sibling labelled as such.

Sources and how they are graded, what posters on r/womensolocamping suggested and stock and seller checks

Sources and how they are graded

OutdoorGearLab’s women’s hiking shoe test is the main independent source: it buys the women’s versions and wears them on trail, and three of our picks have their own women’s review there. CleverHiker adds a women’s test of the Moab Speed 2. RunRepeat tested the waterproof Anylander Rain.Rdy, a sibling of the shoe we link, and does not say which gender’s pair it cut apart. Zappos sells the Columbia and adidas shoes, so we use its product pages for women’s sizes and widths only, as a retailer’s listing. Merrell’s own pages supply its widths, sizes, drop and materials.

What posters on r/womensolocamping suggested

The ranking thread “Budget hiking shoes?” on r/womensolocamping (June 2025) asked for low-top hiking shoes that last. The top-scored product reply calls the Merrell Moab (spelled “Merrill” in the post) “the best budget boot im aware of”. Another poster added that “Merrell runs coupon codes and sales every so often on their own website.” A third wrote: “A few years ago I ended up buying the men’s size version of the shoes I wanted (7 in men’s instead of 9 in women’s).” These are individual posters, not tests; we took the Moab suggestion as a lead and checked it against OutdoorGearLab’s women’s test.

Stock and seller checks

We read each listing’s title, stock and seller through Amazon’s product data on 2026-10-25, and re-checked the Merrell Moab 3 listing on 2026-10-31. Amazon.com sold four of the five; the other seller is named in its review. Some shoes the ranking guides name, such as the Saucony Excursion TR17 and KEEN Targhee 4 Vent in women’s sizes, had no in-stock women’s listing we could link that day, so they are not picks.

Detailed Reviews of the 5 Affordable Women’s Hiking Shoes

Merrell Moab 3, Supportive Leather Hiker

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. OutdoorGearLab: Merrell Moab 3, women’s.

Why it fits women: Merrell sells the women’s Moab 3 in women’s sizes 5 to 12 in medium and wide widths, per Merrell’s women’s Moab 3 page. OutdoorGearLab tested the women’s version: its lead tester, “who has a high arch and a narrow foot shape, found the design to be true to size, offering more room in the toe box than most hiking shoes” it had tested.

OutdoorGearLab writes: “The Merrell Moab 3 is a comfortable hiking shoe with a ton of support for high arches.” In its women’s roundup it calls the shoe “our favorite budget-friendly hiking shoe that excels in warmer climates.” Merrell lists a pig suede leather and mesh upper, a molded nylon arch shank, an air cushion in the heel and a Vibram TC5+ outsole with 5 mm lugs, and gives it a “Rugged” trail rating.

The caveats come from the same review. OutdoorGearLab has “some concerns regarding the longevity of this more affordable design”, and its con line is “Mesh lacing system and stitching cause durability concerns”. The shoe is not waterproof: in its creek test “it took about 20 seconds for water to permeate the upper.” OutdoorGearLab also lists “Overly padded design hot in summer”: its padding “does create a bit of heat within the design, especially when hiking for long and hot days on the trail.”

Overlap with the Moab Speed 2: the Moab 3 is the traditional suede-and-mesh build that OutdoorGearLab praises for high-arch support; the Speed 2 is Merrell’s athletic version with a rock plate and foam midsole, for which OutdoorGearLab suggests an aftermarket insole if you have high arches.

Specs (linked variant)

• Linked listing: women’s Moab 3 (non-waterproof), opens at size 8 (medium) in Falcon; choose your size and width on Amazon
• Women’s widths: medium and wide, per Merrell
• Women’s sizes: 5 to 12, per Merrell
• Drop: 11.5 mm, per Merrell
• Lugs: 5 mm, Vibram TC5+ outsole, per Merrell
• Upper: pig suede leather and mesh, per Merrell
• Waterproof: no
• Sold on Amazon by: Amazon.com, at the time of writing
• Price tier: $$ (live Amazon price in the table above)

Merrell Moab Speed 2, Rock-Plate Speed Hiker

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. OutdoorGearLab: Merrell Moab Speed 2, women’s.

Why it fits women: Merrell makes the women’s Moab Speed 2 in women’s sizes 5 to 11 in medium and wide widths, per Merrell’s women’s Moab Speed 2 page. Two named sources tested the women’s version, and they disagree on sizing. OutdoorGearLab says “The fit is true to size, comfortable direct from the box, and available in both wide and regular fits.” CleverHiker says “We found the shoe ran large enough to feel sloppy on uneven terrain, even with thicker socks, and recommend considering a half-size down.”

OutdoorGearLab writes: “The Merrell Moab Speed 2 is an affordable, lightweight hiking shoe that’s perfect for fast and light day missions without a heavy load.” Merrell lists a FloatPro foam midsole, its FlexPlate, a full-length rock plate, a Vibram TC5+ outsole with 4 mm lugs and a 10 mm drop, and rates it for “Moderate” trails.

OutdoorGearLab’s cons are “Limited durability and support” and “Not waterproof”, and it recommends “an after-market insole for those with high arches.” CleverHiker would “still choose something burlier for constant heavy-load travel or repeated off-trail abuse.”

Overlap with the Moab 3: see the trade-off in that review. Against the Columbia Crestwood, the Speed 2 is the mid-tier shoe with a rock plate; the Crestwood is the entry-tier shoe by list price (its Amazon offer was above list when we checked) that OutdoorGearLab recommends for maintained trails.

Specs (linked variant)

• Linked listing: women’s Moab Speed 2 (non-GORE-TEX), opens at size 10.5 in Black; choose your size and width on Amazon
• Women’s widths: medium and wide, per Merrell
• Women’s sizes: 5 to 11, per Merrell
• Drop: 10 mm, per Merrell
• Stack height: 34 to 24 mm, per Merrell
• Lugs: 4 mm, Vibram TC5+ outsole, per Merrell
• Rock plate: full length, per Merrell
• Waterproof: no (Merrell sells a separate GORE-TEX version)
• Sold on Amazon by: Amazon.com, at the time of writing
• Price tier: $$ (live Amazon price in the table above)

Merrell Siren Edge 3 Waterproof, Women-Specific Waterproof

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. OutdoorGearLab: Merrell Siren Edge 3, women’s, non-waterproof.

Why it fits women: Merrell’s page says: “Designed specifically for women, this waterproof hiker is built with a stabilizing, comfortable foam midsole and a Merrell exclusive Vibram TC5+ outsole for confidence no matter the terrain.” It is made in women’s sizes 5 to 11 in medium and wide widths, per the same page.

OutdoorGearLab tested the non-waterproof Siren Edge 3, not the waterproof version linked here, so its comments come from the sibling without a membrane. OutdoorGearLab wrote: “We were impressed by the comfort and affordability of the Merrell Siren Edge 3.” On fit it added: “Although not specifically narrow, the toe box isn’t wide enough for those who need extra room. So this is a shoe best suited to a narrow-to-average foot.” Its other caveat: “But keep in mind, the lighter weight comes at a cost: durability.”

On waterproofing, Merrell says the membrane “seals out water and lets moisture escape”. Merrell does not name the membrane or publish a waterproof rating for it, and we found no independent test of this waterproof version, so treat that as the maker’s claim.

Specs (linked variant)

• Linked listing: women’s Siren Edge 3 Waterproof, opens at size 5 in Black/Acai; choose your size and width on Amazon
• Women’s fit: “Designed specifically for women”, per Merrell
• Women’s widths: medium and wide, per Merrell
• Women’s sizes: 5 to 11, per Merrell
• Drop: 11 mm, per Merrell
• Outsole: Vibram TC5+, per Merrell
• Waterproof: maker’s membrane; rating not published
• Sold on Amazon by: Amazon.com, at the time of writing
• Price tier: $$ (live Amazon price in the table above)

Columbia Crestwood, Maintained-Trail Day Hiker

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. OutdoorGearLab: Columbia Crestwood, women’s.

Why it fits women: OutdoorGearLab tested the women’s Crestwood and writes that the shoe “is also true to size and is available in both wide and regular fits to allow comfort for a variety of different foot shapes.” Zappos’ women’s Crestwood page lists women’s sizes 5 to 12 in a B (medium) width and C and D wide widths.

OutdoorGearLab writes: “The Columbia Crestwood features a suede leather and mesh combination upper that offers a sneaker-like feel and out of the box comfort, available for those with both wide and narrow feet.” It gives the Crestwood its budget award in its women’s roundup, an award judged on list price (the Amazon offer was above list when we checked), and one of its testers found the Omni-Grip rubber outsole offered “the most security on slippery boulders and polished rocks along the trail”.

The caveats: OutdoorGearLab lists “Durability concerns in upper and mesh lacing attachments” and “Not waterproof”, and says “we cannot recommend this shoe for more than day hikes on well-traveled terrain.”

About the link: Amazon’s product data title for this listing names the women’s Crestwood with “Wide Fit Available”, and the search-result title for the same listing reads “Crestwood Wide”, so it may open a Wide width. Check the size and width on the Amazon page before you buy.

Overlap with the adidas Terrex Anylander, the other entry-tier pick by list price: the Crestwood has a women’s test and C and D wide widths on Zappos; the Anylander has no women’s test we could find and Zappos lists it in a medium width.

Specs (linked variant)

• Linked listing: women’s Crestwood (non-waterproof); the listing may open a Wide width; check the size and width on the Amazon page
• Women’s widths: B (medium), C and D (wide), per Zappos
• Women’s sizes: 5 to 12, per Zappos
• Midsole: Techlite, per Zappos
• Outsole: Omni-Grip rubber, per OutdoorGearLab
• Drop: not published
• Waterproof: no
• Sold on Amazon by: Amazon Germany (Amazon’s German store), above its list price (per OutdoorGearLab) when we checked
• Price tier: $ by list price; the Amazon offer was above list when we checked, so check the live price in the table above

adidas Terrex Anylander, Entry-Tier Trail Sneaker

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. RunRepeat: Terrex Anylander Rain.Rdy, gender not stated.

Why it fits women: The Amazon listing title names it a women’s model, and Zappos’ women’s Anylander page lists it in women’s US sizes with a B (medium) width, adding: “Fits true to size for most. Consider a 1/2 size up if you have wide feet or are between sizes.” That is a retailer’s sizing note, not a women’s-specific design. RunRepeat’s test of the Rain.Rdy sibling warns: “The aggressively tapered toebox shape of this adidas shoe can be a deal-breaker for many people.” If your feet are wide, the Crestwood above is made in wide widths.

RunRepeat tested the Terrex Anylander Rain.Rdy, the waterproof version, not the standard Anylander linked here, and does not say which gender’s pair it tested. It wrote: “With the Terrex Anylander Rain.Rdy, adidas made sure that even a tight budget can get you a functional hiking shoe to stay confident on light-to-moderate hikes.” Zappos describes a “lugged Traxion outsole” and “plush midsole cushioning” on the standard women’s shoe.

Overlap with the Columbia Crestwood: see the trade-off in that review.

Specs (linked variant)

• Linked listing: women’s Terrex Anylander (standard, not Rain.Rdy), opens at size 8.5 in Black/Black/Grey; choose your size on Amazon
• Women’s width: B (medium), per Zappos
• Women’s sizes: not confirmed (Zappos showed in-stock sizes only)
• Outsole: Traxion, per Zappos
• Drop: not published for this version
• Waterproof: no (the Rain.Rdy is the waterproof version)
• Sold on Amazon by: Amazon.com, at the time of writing
• Price tier: $ (live Amazon price in the table above)

Choosing an Affordable Women’s Hiking Shoe

Women’s fit and widths

Treeline Review writes that “Most of the best women’s hiking shoes are built from the ground up with a women-specific design.” Of the five here, Merrell names the Siren Edge 3 Waterproof as designed specifically for women; the others are women’s versions of shoes also made for men, sold in women’s sizes. Width matters as much as length: Merrell makes the Moab 3, Moab Speed 2 and Siren Edge 3 Waterproof in a women’s wide width, Zappos lists the Crestwood in C and D wide, and the Anylander appears in medium only. OutdoorGearLab notes that “most brands supply options in both regular and wide fits.”

Arch support

OutdoorGearLab’s women’s testers singled out the Moab 3 for high arches (“a ton of support for high arches”) and suggested an aftermarket insole in the Moab Speed 2 for the same feet. None of the sources makes a medical claim for any of these shoes; if you have a foot condition, ask a podiatrist about insoles and fit.

Outsole and traction

Merrell lists Vibram TC5+ rubber on the Moab 3 (5 mm lugs), the Moab Speed 2 (4 mm lugs) and the Siren Edge 3 Waterproof; OutdoorGearLab names Columbia’s Omni-Grip rubber on the Crestwood, and Zappos lists a Traxion outsole on the Anylander. OutdoorGearLab’s women’s testers write that the Moab 3’s “Vibram TC5+ outsole offers great traction on most terrain types”, that the Crestwood’s “Omni-grip rubber outsole performs especially well on slippery terrain”, and that the non-waterproof Siren Edge 3, a sibling of our pick, “provides decent traction”; that test scores all three 7 out of 10 for traction, and the Moab Speed 2 8 out of 10, noting its “deep, chevron lug pattern that grips well in most terrain”. No source we read scored the Anylander on that measure, so we do not rank the five on grip.

Waterproof or breathable

Four of the five are non-waterproof. OutdoorGearLab found the Moab 3 and Crestwood breathable for hot, dry hiking, though it flags the Moab 3’s padding as warm on long, hot days, and in its creek test water came through the Moab 3’s upper in about 20 seconds. If you hike in wet places, the Siren Edge 3 Waterproof is the waterproof pick here; its waterproofing rests on Merrell’s own description, with no published rating. For more waterproof options, see waterproof women’s shoes and waterproof walking sneakers.

Sizing

OutdoorGearLab writes that “Most avid hikers and trail runners will size up their shoe by half size” to allow for swelling and descents. The sources split on the Moab Speed 2 (true to size for OutdoorGearLab, a half-size down for CleverHiker), so check each review. Every Amazon link here opens one size, so change it to yours. Good socks change the fit too; our women’s merino wool socks guide covers hiking options.

Hiking shoe or trail runner

If you also run on trails, our women’s trail running shoes guide covers that category, and our value trail running shoes guide looks at trail runners chosen with price in mind. OutdoorGearLab’s women’s test notes that a trail runner’s lighter build “will often sacrifice some durability and protection, namely in the toecap as well as the midsole underfoot.”

Frequently Asked Questions

In this guide, by list price, the entry tier is the Columbia Crestwood and adidas Terrex Anylander (the Crestwood’s Amazon offer was above list when we checked); the mid tier is the Merrell Moab 3, Moab Speed 2 and Siren Edge 3 Waterproof. OutdoorGearLab calls the women’s Moab 3 “our favorite budget-friendly hiking shoe that excels in warmer climates”, though it flags the padding as warm on long, hot days, and its women’s test includes the Crestwood as a budget day hiker.

Of these five, OutdoorGearLab’s women’s testers singled out the Moab 3 for high arches. For the Moab Speed 2 it recommends an aftermarket insole if your arches are high. Merrell lists a molded nylon arch shank in the Moab 3 and the Siren Edge 3 Waterproof.

Not always, but fit should come first. A poster in the r/womensolocamping budget thread bought the men’s version of a shoe in a smaller size because it was cheaper, and another said they only buy men’s hiking shoes. Merrell says the Siren Edge 3 is designed specifically for women; the other picks are women’s versions sold in women’s sizes and widths.

The Merrell Siren Edge 3 Waterproof is the waterproof pick in this guide. Merrell says its membrane “seals out water and lets moisture escape”, but it publishes no rating and we found no independent test of that version. For more waterproof options, see our waterproof women’s shoes guide.

That depends on the model and your foot more than the brand. Three of the five picks here are Merrells and none is a Hoka, so this guide cannot compare them directly; OutdoorGearLab’s women’s test covers the Hoka Speedgoat 7 alongside the Merrell Moab 3 if you want a side-by-side.

OutdoorGearLab says most hikers go up half a size to allow for swelling and descents. Check each shoe’s own reports: CleverHiker found the Moab Speed 2 ran large, and Zappos suggests a half size up in the Anylander for wide feet.

The bottom line

Final Verdict

For a supportive, traditional hiker, the Merrell Moab 3 (check price) is OutdoorGearLab’s “Best Bang for the Buck” in its women’s test. For faster hiking with a rock plate, the Merrell Moab Speed 2 (check price) suits maintained and moderate trails, with sizing reports to check. For wet trails, the Merrell Siren Edge 3 Waterproof (check price) is the women-specific waterproof pick, resting on the maker’s claim and a test of its non-waterproof sibling. At the entry tier by list price, the Columbia Crestwood (check price) (its Amazon offer was above list when we checked) has a women’s test and wide widths for day hikes on maintained trails, and the adidas Terrex Anylander (check price) is a trail sneaker for narrow-to-average feet on light trails. Each review shows how strong its evidence is.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.