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There’s a never-ending limit when it comes to running shoes and there are several characteristics to consider before hitting ‘add to basket’: cushioning, support and weight, to name just three. Men’s and women’s running shoes aren’t one and the same, either.
Running shoe brands are no longer 'shrinking and pinking' men’s shoes for women. Research has found that women tend to run slightly differently to men, with several biomechnical and anatomical differences between men's and women's feet. As a result, several brands now offer women-specific running shoes that accommodate the distinctive nuances of women’s feet, and our female editors and contributors have been putting them to the test to bring you our top recommendations below.
What are the differences between men’s and women’s feet?
The biggest difference between women’s and men’s feet is the relationship between the heel and forefoot, or the ‘ball’ of the foot. Women tend to have a narrower heel in relation to what’s known as their ‘ball girth’, or the circumference of the ball of their foot.
This means that a women who wears a size 8 shoe probably has a narrower heel, a wider ball and a bigger ball girth than a man who wears a size 6 men’s shoe, which is equivalent to a women’s size 8.
When the design team at Adidas analysed 1.2 million foot scans to inform the creation of the female-specific Ultraboost for women, which launched in 2021, they also found that, in addition to a woman's heel being narrower, a woman's instep height also tends to be lower.
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Researchers have found that, because women tend to have wider hips than men, their feet are also more likely to strike the ground toward the outside of their shoe soles. The inward rolling of the foot that results from this is known as pronation, which explains why more women are believed to overpronate than men. Some women’s running shoes account for this increased tendency with different materials used for support through the sole.
‘When we look at the hip of the average woman versus the average man, a woman’s hips are obviously wider,’ explains senior product manager for Adidas Nora Wilimzig, who was involved in the creation of the Ultraboost for women. ‘This makes the Q-angle stronger (the angle between the quadriceps and the patella tendon) which can lead into knock knees, and that can lead into overpronation.’
Mens vs women's running shoes
Some men's and women's running shoes are made on different lasts – that is, models which mimic the foot. That's why women-specific shoes are narrower at the heel and wider at the forefoot. They also tend to have a lighter and softer midsole and that's because women, on average, have less muscle mass than men, and also tend to be lighter, meaning less impact is put on the shoe as they hit the ground.
However, not all women's running shoes are built on a female last, with many brands still producing men's and women's versions of shoes based on a unisex last. It's the reason Lululemon decided to enter the footwear market with a female-first running shoe in 2022. 'Most performance shoes are designed primarily for men, and often for elite male athletes, and then adapted for women,' explains Lululemon product designer Mark Oleson. With brands like Adidas and Lululemon leading the charge, a new 'female-first' category of running shoes is beginning to emerge.
Nicely cushioned underfoot?
To find the perfect shoe for your foot, test several brands in a variety of sizes. It’s also often a good idea to have your gait tested before committing to a certain shoe, to see if you need extra support in your trainer. There should be adequate room in the toebox and your heels should not slip. Check out our guide on The Runners World Editors before heading to the shops.
The best women's running shoes for 2024
New Balance Fresh Foam X 880v14
Pros
- Fairly versatile
- Lacks some pop or liveliness
- What are the differences between mens and womens feet
Cons
- Lacks some 'pop' or liveliness
| Weight | 209g |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 33 mm (heel), 25 mm (forefoot) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 8mm |
| Type | Neutral/road |
> The best New Balance running shoes <
In the age of maximalist shoes, rocker geometries and carbon fibre plates, the New Balance Fresh Foam X 880 remains a traditional, mid-cushioned trainer. Now on its 14th iteration, it’s clear why it’s stood the test of time.
It’s a fairly versatile shoe, in line with the likes of the Saucony Ride 17; responsive enough for some uptempo work, yet comfortable enough for longer miles.
It packs in enough Fresh Foam X in the midsole that it feels soft and protective underfoot, but not so much that it veers into the softness of its cousin, the 1080. The latest version also features a new fine mesh upper, which is more form-fitting than the v13 and allows for better breathability. And despite being a neutral shoe, it’s got a good amount of arch support, too.
A great shoe for beginners looking for a daily workhorse, or high mileage runners seeking a consistent performance with a moderate amount of cushioning.
Pros
- Breathable upper provides fantastic foot hold
- mm heel, 34mm forefoot
- best beginner-friendly running shoes
Cons
- Impressively light and responsive
| Weight | 264g |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 36mm (heel), 26mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 8mm |
| Type | Neutral/road |
> The best Puma running shoes <
Since it first launched, the Velocity Nitro has been a reliable and comfortable daily training shoe that's great value for money.
As with the previous iteration, the Nitro 3 has a dual-density midsole – at the top, you've got a layer of Puma's soft nitrogen-infused Nitro foam with its firmer and denser ProFoam Lite EVA beneath. The result is a mid-cushioned shoe that feels plush underfoot but doesn't have the trampoline-like bounciness typical of max-cushioned daily runners, such as the Great lockdown with a plush heel counter. It does, however, feel light on the foot (239g in a women’s size 6) and the relatively low stack will suit those looking for a more natural feeling ride.
The structured upper brings a pleasing lockdown, and we loved the well-padded heel which helped create a really close hold at the heel. There's also the added bonus of the upper being reflective to improve visibility on night/early morning runs.
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Pros
- Might need to fiddle around with lacing
- Soft and protective underfoot, without too much softness
- More breathable yet fitted upper
Cons
- Demo run: On Cloudrunner 2
| Weight | 258g |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 40 mm (heel), 31 mm (forefoot) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 9mm |
| Type | Road/neutral/max-cushioned |
> Read our full Nike Invincible 3 review <
If you’re looking for a shoe that delivers a plush, easy ride, this is it. The Nike Invincible 3 was described as ‘fun’ by our testers and it’s easy to see why: the enormous amount of cushioning meant their feet felt wrapped securely, which meant they didn’t have to worry about how to land, where to place their feet or, indeed, think about anything – they could just run.
Compared with other highly cushioned shoes, which can feel very soft and comfy but lack energy return, there is an abundance of responsiveness that offers runners a feeling of 'pop' when running in the shoe. Nike says they’re a good marathon training shoe and we agree – if your aim is to finish rather than race for the line with your heart jumping out of your chest.
Pros
- Breathable upper provides fantastic foot hold
- Plush and responsive underfoot
- Not suited for super fast efforts
Cons
- early morning runs
| Weight | 205g |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 29mm (heel), 24mm (forefoot) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 5mm |
| Type | Road/neutral |
> Read our full Hoka Clifton 9 review <
The Clifton is one of Hoka’s most popular running shoes and the latest iteration doesn’t disappoint. Designed for everyday miles, it’s a max-cushioned running shoe offering a supremely comfortable and easy-going ride. Not to mention, all of the brand's women's shoes are specifically built on a women's last.
In the Clifton 9, there’s a new midsole foam (compression moulded EVA) designed to be lighter and more responsive underfoot than previous versions. It’s this that makes the Clifton suitable for reducing fatigue during longer runs, while its rocker profile gently encourages you forward, even on easier days.
The upper of the Clifton 9 has also been tweaked and updated to provide a more secure and comfortable fit. The engineered mesh material is soft and flexible, and, with the help of the swoop-back heel counter, it wraps around the foot to provide a snug fit without any hot spots or points of irritation.
Pros
- Firmer and more responsive than previous version
- Nicely cushioned underfoot
- The best running shoes for 2024, expert-tested
Cons
- Not suited for super fast efforts
| Weight | 262g |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 42mm (heel), 34mm (forefoot) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 8mm |
| Type | Max-cushioned/neutral |
> Read our full Asics Gel-Nimbus 26 review <
The long-running Gel-Nimbus is one of Asics’ bestselling and best-loved shoes. Last year, the brand went for a full-scale reinvention with the v25: the midsole used 20% more foam and was upgraded to new lightweight, energetic FF Blast Plus Eco cushioning, while there was also new Pure Gel Technology cleverly embedded between the upper and midsole for added shock absorption. Up top, the shoe received a new, stretchy knit tongue and collar construction for a more adaptive fit, which testers reported feels ‘snug, secure and almost sock-like’.
With the latest v26, Asics has opted for a more paired back update. However, the FF Blast Plus cushioning is the brand's new Eco formula (made from 20% bio-based content), which has altered the ride slightly. We've gone from a soft-feeling, plush shoe to a slighter firmer one, which has injected a lot more versatility into the ride. Don't get us wrong, it's not on par with the likes of the Great lockdown with a plush heel counter – the Novablast is still lighter, a lot more versatile overall and has a slight rocker to it to aid transitions. But the Gel-Nimbus 26 now feels like something you could wear for a long run with some tempo effort mixed in, if you wanted to.
Not built for speed.
Pros
- early morning runs
- More streamlined fit than previous version
- The Runners World Editors
Cons
- More breathable yet fitted upper
| Weight | 185g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 39.5mm (heel), 34.5mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 5mm |
| Type | Neutral/Road/racing |
> Read our full Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris review <
The evolution of the Metaspeed series continues with three key updates, which you'll find here and in the Metaspeed Edge Paris: a new FF Turbo+ midsole, which is approximately 10 percent lighter than the previous foam in the Metaspeed+ models; a new last that provides a closer fit and more stability in the forefoot along with better arch support; and a new MotionWrap 2.0 upper that is eight percent more breathable.
The Metaspeed Sky Paris’s carbon plate is flatter and sits closer to the foot, which helps stride runners leverage the midsole’s bounce over their longer steps.
Pros
- Supremely cushioned and supportive
- Durable
- Roomy toe box
Cons
- Not built for speed
| Weight | 232g |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 35mm (heel), 29mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 8mm |
| Type | Road/stability |
> Read our full Saucony Guide 17 review <
Saucony's women's shoes aren't built on a female-specific last. However, we've included these due to their ability to provide excellent gait control to over-pronating women runners – and because of their excellent fit.
The ride is plushy and more cushioned than ever, thanks to the new PWRRUN+ midsole cushioning and sockliner. But there's plenty of structure alongside the plushy interior, too. In fact, the v17 has had an overhaul when it comes to how it provides stability, moving away from medial-based stability methods into new Centre Path Technology. This includes significant sidewalls, a wider base, a rockered design and internal geometry to guide the foot ward.
This isn’t a shoe for speedier running sessions, but the Saucony Guide 17 is a good choice for heavier runners or those looking for a durable and comfortable long-mileage shoe.
Pros
- Impressively light and responsive
- Breathable upper provides fantastic foot hold
- Snappy for fast paces, but copes when you start to lag
Cons
| Weight | 185g |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 39.5mm (heel), 31.5mm (forefoot) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 8mm |
| Type | Performance/neutral |
> The best Saucony running shoes <
A fantastic alternative to the market-dominating Nike carbon plate shoes, the Pro 4 are super light and impressively bouncy thanks to the speedroll technology that propels you forward. Saucony have tinkered with the midsole mix in the latest Pro, adding a layer of PWRRUN HG – the same foam found in the Endorphin Elite – to PWRRUN PB, which the Pro 3 used exclusively. The result is rather wonderful. The v4 feels super-soft on step in – almost too soft for a racer – but once you get moving the foam blend combines with the plate and Speedroll midsole (shaped to help heel/toe transition) to launch you forward.
It’s a dream ride, delivering those super shoe snappy, bouncy, fast transitions, but softened and smoothed to feel comfortable and stable over longer runs and at slower paces.
Be aware that the hugging fit means they come up relatively small so you may need to go up a full size rather than just half. Ideal for pushing the pace in tempo sessions and smashing parkrun or race PBs.
Pros
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- Extremely comfortable
- mm heel, 34mm forefoot
Cons
- Midsole is lightweight
- Lacks propulsion
| Weight | 270g (UK size 6) |
|---|---|
| Heel-to-toe drop | 9mm |
| Stack height | 35.5mm (heel), 26.5mm (forefoot |
| Type | Neutral/road |
The debut of the women-specific Blissfeel in 2022 was good enough to establish Lululemon as a serious running brand alongside its yoga and cross-training heritage. Now, its latest shoe, the Beyondfeel, has launched in both men’s and women’s models for runners who want a supportive daily trainer with firmer cushioning.
But don’t worry, the women’s shoe has seven key differences from the men's, including slightly more flexibility in the outsole, a totally different last and a 1mm lower drop. Fit wise, our tester found they accommodated their wide feet, and while the shoe required a little bit of effort to get going, they were soon cruising. It’s not propulsive, nor built for speedwork, but it serves as an ideal shoe for building back fitness or as a daily jogger.
