Women's Hiking Boots

Women's hiking boots for every kind of Irish walk

Whether it is a Sunday loop through the forest, a coastal path with a few muddy stretches or a full day on the hills with a climb at the end, your boots carry you the whole way. A good pair of women's hiking boots keeps your feet dry, gives your ankles the support they need on uneven ground and stays comfortable hour after hour. Every boot in this collection is waterproof, from light, flexible boots for trails to supportive leather boots for the hills, from Meindl, Scarpa, Salomon, Merrell, Columbia and The North Face.

Lighter boots for trails and paths

If most of your walks are on forest tracks, waymarked trails and gentle hills, a lighter boot will feel comfortable from the first day. The Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid GORE-TEX is light and stable, with a durable Matryx upper and a Contagrip outsole that is as good on the way down as the way up. The Salomon Elixir Activ Mid GORE-TEX combines a plush midsole with Salomon's Active Chassis for balanced support. The Merrell Moab 3 Mid GORE-TEX pairs pig suede leather and mesh with Merrell Air Cushion and a Vibram TC5+ outsole for dependable comfort on changing trails.

Supportive boots for hill walking

For regular hill walking, rough ground and longer days, a supportive leather boot gives your ankles more stability and your feet more protection. The Meindl Bhutan MFS GORE-TEX uses Meindl's Memory Foam System to cushion around the ankle with a Vibram sole underfoot. The Meindl Peru GORE-TEX is a waxed nubuck boot with a lower ankle profile and extra padding to reduce pressure as the ground rises and falls, and Meindl classifies it as a category B boot for paths, hills and lower mountain routes. The Scarpa Terra GORE-TEX has a 2mm leather upper, a revised fit with more room for your toes and a Vibram Energy II outsole.

For multi-day walks and heavier loads, the Salomon Quest 5 GORE-TEX is built with Salomon's 4D Advanced Chassis for stability and agility.

Leather or fabric

Leather boots are the hardest wearing and most supportive, and they mould to your foot over time, which makes them a great choice for wet, rough Irish ground. They need a little breaking in and regular reproofing. Fabric and synthetic boots are lighter, dry faster and feel comfortable almost straight away, which suits trails, travel and faster walking. Both can be fully waterproof.

Waterproof linings

Most of the boots here use a GORE-TEX lining, which keeps water out while letting sweat vapour escape, so your feet stay drier from the inside too. The Scarpa Terra uses GORE-TEX Performance Comfort. Columbia uses its own OutDry construction on boots like the Peakfreak Hera II OutDry Mid. You will find every GORE-TEX style in our GORE-TEX boots.

Finding your fit

The most important thing about a hiking boot is how it fits you. Try boots on in the afternoon, when your feet are at their largest, and wear the hiking socks you plan to walk in. You should be able to move your toes freely, your heel should stay in place as you walk, and your toes should not touch the front of the boot when you walk downhill. Lace them snugly over the top of your foot and a little firmer around the ankle. The right socks make a real difference, so add a pair from our hiking socks collection. For boggy and muddy walks, a pair of gaiters stops water and mud getting in over the top.

Caring for your boots

Brush off the mud after every walk, let your boots dry naturally away from radiators and reproof them regularly. Nikwax and Grangers treatments keep leather supple and fabric shedding water. For more advice, read our guide on how to choose hiking boots and our tips on choosing the right hiking boots for Ireland. For lighter walks, browse our women's walking shoes.