Women’s running shoes – collection of the best running shoes for women
Looking for women’s running shoes? Here you will find a complete guide to buying running shoes. There are many things to consider before buying running shoes. With my guide, you can choose running shoes with peace of mind and look forward to many fun and good running experiences.
I have gathered the most important information here so that you are well prepared to buy new running shoes, no matter what you are looking for. At the same time, I have written a guide to safe buying of running shoes online, so that you avoid being cheated. The article will be constantly updated so that it is always relevant to you as a potential user. It doesn’t matter if you want to buy new running shoes, or you are simply interested in what the real difference is between running shoes for women and men.
You should check this before buying.
Before you buy running shoes, there are several things you should be aware of. If you want a quick overview, you can see this graphic on how to best choose running shoes.If you want to be a little more thorough, you will get an in-depth review of what you should pay attention to when buying running shoes below.
You should primarily pay attention to the following:
- Running style
- Use
- Goal
- Previous training and injuries
Running style
The most important thing is that you know your own running style. This gives you a basis for evaluating and thereby choosing or rejecting shoes for your run. Basically, you can run in three ways: pronation, neutral, supination. Most runners are pronator runners, a smaller proportion are neutral runners and a small proportion are supinator runners. Your running style matters for what support should, or should not, be in your running shoes.
You may also be one of those runners who likes to run in a natural running shoe. This is the “new” running style where the shoe is much more minimalistic, and you use more of your body’s own system to control the support. The thinking behind this phenomenon is that the body will easily get used to running in shoes – without the “unnatural” support of a pronation wedge.
Natural running can be equated with running barefoot, but not many people want to do that, so a natural running running shoe is usually a shoe where you are very close to the ground, and with an extremely flexible sole. Models such as Nike Free or a Fivefinger running shoe can be mentioned here. The advantage or what you want to achieve by running natural running is to land on the midfoot or forefoot, and in this way create more natural shock absorption from the body. In regular running shoes as you know, you land on the heel, killing much of the shock absorption and energy that the body itself provides.
Use
How will you use your shoes? Depending on whether you will mainly be running on asphalt and gravel or if you will be running in the forest on single trails, there are different types of shoes, each of which is adapted and specialized for the type of running you will mainly be doing. In the following links you can find good and useful information about running shoes for asphalt, trail running shoes or running shoes for treadmills, so you can be better prepared to choose. Choose according to the surface you will primarily be running on.
Goal
It is also important to determine what you want to achieve with your running training. This gives you a good starting point for choosing running shoes. There can be quite a big difference between which running shoes should be used for different paces and distances. If you have your eyes set on longer distances, you should probably look for running shoes with strong shock absorption. If you instead want to run fast, short and intense, it will be a great advantage to havea pair of lightweight running shoes. There are also some who are specifically looking for minimalist running shoes in pursuit of a natural running style. The extreme runs barefoot.
Previous training and injuries
If you have had any previous injuries (I am thinking especially of ankles and knees), it is also important to consider when buying shoes. If this is the case, I would recommend paying close attention to buying running shoes that match your running style. Additionally, it is typically a good idea to have an insight into your current fitness level. This can also have an impact on how you run and which running shoes you should choose.You can calculate your fitness score here.
The 5 best women’s running shoes in 2017
(Updated September 2017)
It is not surprising that again one is tempted to say 2 running brands dominate the list when we look at the most popular women’s running shoes in 2017 (and partly also 2016). There is no great surprise in the fact that the list looks like this. It is a list that has been similar to itself for many years..
However, you can now see that the trend around lighter running shoes has found its way onto the list. In recent years, it has become somewhat more popular to switch to a lighter and faster running shoe. Just as the trend with the natural running style is also gaining a little bit. So the classic running shoes with super good support, a little heavier and perhaps a pronation wedge are now being pushed a little on the list. However, it is still the classic models that take up the most space on the list. We have chosen to present a top 5 in women’s running shoes from 2017 for you here.
(1) – Asics Gel Nimbus Women’s Running Shoes
It’s probably not a huge surprise that this particular running shoe for women is at the top. It has been for a number of years now, and I doubt it will ever be pushed down from first place. The Nimbus women’s running shoe is simply a fantastic running shoe that meets a huge demand among female Danish runners. It has a lot of shock absorption, it is really good in its support and it can actually be used at all distances. If there is a negative point about it, it is probably the weight. It is not the heaviest running shoe of women’s running shoes, but it is not the lightest either..
Asics Nimbus is a neutral running shoe designed for regular running on hard surfaces. If you would like to read a very in-depth test of the Nimbus, you can read our extensive review of the shoe.
—–>>> Read the big test of Asics Nimbus her
(2) – Nike Air Pegasus Women’s Running Shoes
When you have Asics Gel Nimbus in 1st place, we have Nike’s answer to the ultimate neutral running shoe for women in second place. A superb fusion of very high comfort, lots of softness and really good support for the foot. At the time of writing, it has reached its 34th version in 2017, and here the weight of the shoe has been reduced a bit. The Pegasus for women, like the Nimbus, has struggled a bit with being a solid but unfortunately also heavy running shoe..
NThe Nike Air Pegasus is a neutral running shoe designed for running on hard surfaces. If you want to know more, you can read our extensive review of the shoe. Here you get all the details
—– >>> Read the big test of Nike pegasus her
(3) – Asics GT-2000 Women’s Running Shoes
This model from Asics may be a bit surprising to some, but not to us. There is a big and little sister in this category of Asics running shoes for women. You probably know the big sister too, namely the Asics Gel Kayano for women. But the GT-2000 is this little sister, and it can quickly sound as if it is less good, but that is actually not the case. Almost the opposite. It must be this fact that is now winning a little. That more runners would actually benefit from running in the GT-2000 rather than the Kayano. We have written an article about this battle between the 2 running shoes Asics gt-2000 vs Asics Kayano.
Asics GT-2000 is a running shoe for women who have a form of pronation and want to run on hard surfaces. We have of course also done an in-depth test of this running shoe
—– >>> Read the great review ofAsics GT-2000 for women here
(4) – Nike Free RN Flyknit women’s running shoes
Here is the surprise that we mentioned on the list. With their new RN series, Nike has really managed to get hold of both men’s and women’s runners. And here we are talking in particular about a slightly unconventional women’s running shoe. It is, as the name suggests, very free and without so much support. But it is the running shoe of the time where there should now not be as much support and support in the running shoe as before. It is freer and more natural. It is a running shoe that is unique in relation to the weight but has, in our opinion, a limitation on the kilometer front. I would never run more than a maximum of 12 kilometers in this shoe, my legs and feet cannot handle that. The Nike Free RN series has several different models for women. There is, among other things, this RN Flyknit, but another model is also very popular, Nike Free RN Distance
Nike Free RN a natural running shoe that is best suited for running on hard surfaces. If you want to read a big test of the shoe, you can read ours. Here you get all the facts, advantages and disadvantages and of course the best price of the shoe.
—–>>> Read the great review of Nike Free RN Flyknit her
(5) – Nike Lunarglide Women’s Running Shoes
Such a women’s running shoe that has lived a life of its own. Has been somewhat overshadowed by, for example, the Nike Pegasus for women at Nike. But nevertheless, it is a shoe that you see time and again being incredibly popular with women. And that’s because it is a great combination of both support, comfort and lightness. A running shoe that covers all distances, so both the female exercise runner and the more dedicated female runner can use this running shoe. The shoe has at this moment (time of writing, September 2017) just jumped into its 9th version. And that alone indicates that it is a running shoe that Nike really focuses on for women.
The Nike Lunarglide is a stability running shoe. It is basically neutral, but the good Lunarlon midsole can easily slow down pronation. We have tested the shoe where you get all the facts.
—–>>> Read the great review of Nike Lunarglide her
The favorite running shoes for women
Below is the historical list of the most popular women’s running shoes divided into different categories. There will soon be many different options for a running shoe for a woman, and the following is just a small selection, but still the most popular running shoes for women.
Neutral shoes for women and girls
Popular brands for women
Women’s shoes w/ pronation wedge
What’s special about running shoes for women and girls?
There are differences from men’s running shoes to women’s running shoes, that goes without saying. But it’s not really that the difference is huge. But since women are by definition built differently than men, you also have to take that into account when making running shoes.
The shock absorption
What makes the shoe comfortable to run in. The shock absorption or absorption as it can also be called is the part of the running shoe that takes off when we land, and helps us take off. The shock absorption in running shoes nowadays is usually always good. The different running brands each have their own way of doing shock absorption, and they also have different names. You probably know the Gel version from Asics, or maybe Nike runs with the Air system, and New Balance has a system called Abzorb
But it is clear that when there are by definition differences between men and women in the structure, then of course there is also different shock absorption in women’s running shoes versus men’s running shoes. The shock absorption is less, but not worse. Not at all. It is simply adjusted to the fact that it is a women’s shoe. It is physiological logic that the shock absorption pad should not be as large on someone who weighs 55kg as it should be for someone who weighs 75-80kg.
The width
The width of a running shoe for women or girls is usually narrower. Many women naturally have narrower feet, which is why narrow running shoes for women must also be made. This ensures that the shoe fits optimally on the foot, and you get the support from the running shoe that you need. When we talk about widths on running shoes for women, it is usually what is called a width or last A that is used. Not all running brands are equally good at pointing this out – but if nothing is written, you should assume that it is built in width A. You can of course easily get wider running shoes for women, as there are women with wider feet, and there it is usually called width D (The normal width of men in running shoes). A slightly complicated matter, and if you have quite normal feet, then don’t think too much about the width, if the running shoe fits well, then that is the one you should have. You can easily feel if it is too narrow, for example.
Libra
The weight of women’s running shoes is almost always lower. And of course, this should be seen from the perspective of comparing apples to apples and not apples to oranges..
When we say that a women’s running shoe weighs less, it is when we take an average size such as size 39 or 40 in women’s running shoes, and compare it to a size 43 or 44 in men’s running shoes. That is the way you should make the comparison. Because you can get women’s running shoes in size 43, and it is clear that they usually weigh as much as a men’s running shoe in the same size..
The weight is the composition of the entire running shoe. Everything from the upper to the cushioning to the sole. Everything. And the less materials you can use, the less the shoe will weigh. But it is always a delicate balance for the manufacturers, as the running shoe will also be functional and meet the requirements of being a running shoe..
Then you can find other concepts in the brackets that affect weight. Lightweight running shoes for women (and men) have become very popular. It is basically the same structure, but they have cut down on materials and shock absorption. And a lightweight running shoe for asphalt is usually one you use in competition and for running. If you just want to have the last seconds with you, the weight of the shoe can give you this.
Ladies – to buy in Denmark or abroad?
When you buy women’s running shoes in Denmark Are you in a very good position as a consumer:
- You always have a 14-day full right of return (the stores must pay the full amount back if you return in the same quantity and condition)
- You can typically have it delivered within 1-3 days.
- Many stores are E-labeled, which is a signal of pressure to trade online. The E-commerce Foundation is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to create the best and safest conditions for consumers on the Internet.
- You can often find reviews of the stores. A rule of thumb is that the store should have +50 reviews before you can draw conclusions. Beyond that, anything over 9.0 is really good.
You can of course also buy your running shoes in one of the English running stores or German running stores.It is also quite safe.
- Be aware of the right of return. However, the right of return in Germany and England is good, and it is only getting better.
- You can typically buy your women’s running shoes significantly cheaper abroad.
- The delivery time will typically vary between 2 and 5 days for in-stock items.
Regardless of whether you choose to shop in Danish or foreign webshops, My research shows that there is an average of 30% savings to be made when buying running shoes online..
What brands of women’s running shoes are best?
Most major running brands are really good at making women’s running shoes, with Asics women’s running shoes However, Asics is still the most preferred brand among female runners. Almost half of all running shoes sold to women are from Asics.
Here are some of the brands that I can recommend. You can read more about the individual brands by following the links (not in priority order):
Brands like Inov8 andSalomon makes more specialized running shoes, and are especially suitable for those who like to run cross-country running.
Women’s shoe size guide
Most brands have roughly the same sizes, but you should be aware before you buy. A rule of thumb is that you should use the size you use in normal shoes + 1 size. For example, if you have a pair of women’s shoes in size 39, your women’s running shoes should be around size 40, but this can vary slightly. If you have challenges, you should check our size guides.
Sale and offers on women’s running shoes
There are many reasons why online shopping is increasing year after year. One of these is the prices. Women’s running shoe sales will typically be found online. The same applies to women’s running shoe deals. Search around the different stores, and you will quickly find both deals and sales on women’s running shoes that you can’t say no to. Especially in January and August there are good sale items, while the sale items run regularly.