Top 5 Best Trail Running Shoes for Women in 2020 (Reviewed)

1. Saucony Peregrine ISO - Best Overall

Starting off the list one of the most popular trail running shoes on Amazon - Saucony Women's S10483-2 Trail Running Shoe, newest ISO release. These tick all the boxes in terms of comfort, traction control, weight, durability, and of course, budget.

To offer nearly a custom fit, these shoes come with ISOFIT dynamic upper with wings that attach to laces. You won’t struggle with loose shoes as that can make you slip at uneven trains.

While we enjoyed comfort with proper cushioning, foam midsole, and snug-fitting, we were most impressed with its outsole. The PWRTRAC outsole is capable to save your feet from sharp rocks and mud while providing great traction.

We tested these shoes with a run on trains with a mix of snow, wet leaves, ice, and mud and to our surprise, they barely slipped at all. It’s safe to say that Saucony Peregrine ISO is the industry-best when it comes to trail running shoes.

2. Brooks Women's Caldera - Runner Up

If you have been doing the research for trail shoes on online stores like Amazon, you’d have repeatedly seen Brooks Caldera as one of the top picks. These are designed for ultra-distance trail runners which means they are well-cushioned, highly responsive, and light-weight.

The front footbed is wide enough to perfectly fit every woman's feet. While forefoot is thicker and features a 4 mm offset. Luckily, they also offer good arch support and you won’t be disappointed with shoe’s traction on difficult surfaces.

To prevent laces for untying (which is a serious problem), Celdara comes with little lace pouch on the tongue that can hold laces in place. It also has a double mesh upper to offer better breathability while preventing small debris from entering inside.

Overall weight of a shoe is just 9 ounces and unlike Saucony Peregrine, these have a toe guard. If you need a lightweight and extremely comfortable trail running shoes for ultra-distance trails, you can’t go wrong with Brooks Caldera.

3. Merrell Women's Glove 4 - Budget Pick

Trail running shoes typically go for over 100 bucks but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a good one for a cheaper price. Merrell Women's Glove 4 is one such popular choice amongst budget-conscious runners.

The latest version has been improved in protection and looks more stylish than previous ones. According to our thorough test and various online reviews, we found them to be very suitable for short and long-trail distance runs.

Apart from being inexpensive, these shoes are well designed and look visually appealing. The upper part is made with lightly padded synthetic material which provides decent support. As far as breathability is concerned, these are one of the best in the category.

Being minimal shoes, they lack heel cup and the heel collar has little padding which is standard for the type. Fitting is also pretty good and we didn’t find ourselves stopping to tie laces very frequently.

4. Salomon Women's X-Mission 3 W - Best for Short Runs

In the footwear industry, Salomon has a great reputation for making versatile trail shoes for both men and women. X-Mission 3 is another masterpiece designed to work properly on various surfaces making trail-to-asphalt transitions quite easy.

With a 3D Mesh upper, they provide excellent breathability and the Sensifit overlay system helps in providing glove-like fitting. Another welcoming move is the Quicklace system that makes it super easy to adjust the tightness without worrying about untying.

To support the foot when running, they have included Sensiflex stretch panels which also helps in flexibility. During our trial, we didn’t find any complaints about traction or performance, they perform better than you’d expect even on the trickiest trains.

However, due to their weight (at 250 grams), these aren’t well suited for long runs and if used can make your legs tired sooner.

5. La Sportiva Bushido II - Best for Rocky Trails

Moving on, this is the final pick to be the best trail running shoes for women in 2020. La Sportiva Bushido II are well known for their structure and construction making them stand out from other competitors.

Due to its distinct design, these pairs are best suited for rocky trails as they can protect from sharp rocks while being slip resistance.

In terms of comfort, these have been largely improved from their previous generation and provide a better amount of traction while trailing. Many will also find them to be responsive and providing excellent stability.

Coming to features, these shoes are equipped with dual-density FriXion XT 2.0 V-Groove2 in addition to Impact Brake System. In the upper area, you’ll find a tongue unit which is highly breathable, ergonomic and padded to provide extreme comfort even on long runs.