The Best Women's Running Shoes of 2015

Published: May 14, 2015

For pavement pounding or trail ultras, we've got you covered.—Justin Nyberg

(Photo: Michael Karsh)

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For pavement pounding or trail ultras, we've got you covered.
—Justin Nyberg

Altra Superior 2.0

If you have wide feet, take heart: the ($110) was the broadest shoe in our test. The roomy fit and spongy, zero-drop ride felt best on mellow trails with predictable footfalls. On technical routes, it was too loose to offer precision or much protection. It’s a boon to runners who prefer a low-to-the-ground, minimal feel and loads of toe splay. 7.5 oz; zero drop;

If you have wide feet, take heart: the Superior ($110) was the broadest shoe in our test. The roomy fit and spongy, zero-drop ride felt best on mellow trails with predictable footfalls. On technical routes, it was too loose to offer precision or much protection. It’s a boon to runners who prefer a low-to-the-ground, minimal feel and loads of toe splay. 7.5 oz; zero drop; altrarunning.com — If you have wide feet, take heart: the ($110) was the broadest shoe in our test. The roomy fit and spongy, zero-drop ride felt best on mellow trails with predictable footfalls. On technical routes, it was too loose to offer precision or much protection. It’s a boon to runners who prefer a low-to-the-ground, minimal feel and loads of toe splay. 7.5 oz; zero drop;
(Michael Karsh)

Inov-8 Race Ultra 270

The ($120) is the ultimate mountain-runner’s shoe. The firm, low-riding midsole and subdued, stable lug pattern are made for high-efficiency agility efforts. We liked the women-specific fit, although it’s a bit wide, so narrow feet may slosh on downhills. 9.5 oz; 4 mm drop;

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The Race Ultra ($120) is the ultimate mountain-runner’s shoe. The firm, low-riding midsole and subdued, stable lug pattern are made for high-efficiency agility efforts. We liked the women-specific fit, although it’s a bit wide, so narrow feet may slosh on downhills. 9.5 oz; 4 mm drop; inov-8.com — The ($120) is the ultimate mountain-runner’s shoe. The firm, low-riding midsole and subdued, stable lug pattern are made for high-efficiency agility efforts. We liked the women-specific fit, although it’s a bit wide, so narrow feet may slosh on downhills. 9.5 oz; 4 mm drop;

(Michael Karsh)

Nike Wildhorse 2

The ($110) felt like a hardtail bike: firm but highly efficient. Among the stiffest of the trail shoes we tested, it stood out for its protective midsole and low-cinching fit. “Super precise on grass and rocky turf,” raved one tester. It wasn’t the smoothest strider, but it was among the more versatile at an impressively low weight. 7.8 oz; 4 mm drop;

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The Wildhorse ($110) felt like a hardtail bike: firm but highly efficient. Among the stiffest of the trail shoes we tested, it stood out for its protective midsole and low-cinching fit. “Super precise on grass and rocky turf,” raved one tester. It wasn’t the smoothest strider, but it was among the more versatile at an impressively low weight. 7.8 oz; 4 mm drop; nikerunning.com — The ($110) felt like a hardtail bike: firm but highly efficient. Among the stiffest of the trail shoes we tested, it stood out for its protective midsole and low-cinching fit. “Super precise on grass and rocky turf,” raved one tester. It wasn’t the smoothest strider, but it was among the more versatile at an impressively low weight. 7.8 oz; 4 mm drop;

(Michael Karsh)

Zoot Sports Solana

The ($100) is equal parts cruiser and tempo-day shoe. The soft, moderately thick foam has a cushiony feel but with nice quick turn-over—a popular mix for faster women on their mellower runs. “It gives you float without the bloat,” one tester said, though there’s not much spring to the foam. The interior comfort is so great, some of our testers went sockless. 8 oz; 8 mm drop;

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The Solana ($100) is equal parts cruiser and tempo-day shoe. The soft, moderately thick foam has a cushiony feel but with nice quick turn-over—a popular mix for faster women on their mellower runs. “It gives you float without the bloat,” one tester said, though there’s not much spring to the foam. The interior comfort is so great, some of our testers went sockless. 8 oz; 8 mm drop; zootsports.com — The ($100) is equal parts cruiser and tempo-day shoe. The soft, moderately thick foam has a cushiony feel but with nice quick turn-over—a popular mix for faster women on their mellower runs. “It gives you float without the bloat,” one tester said, though there’s not much spring to the foam. The interior comfort is so great, some of our testers went sockless. 8 oz; 8 mm drop;

(Michael Karsh)

Adidas Supernova Glide 7

The ($130) delivers an excellent blend of cushion and pep for silky-smooth transition. The midsole isn’t overly heel oriented, but it was just thick and stable enough (with good torsional stability) to earn nods from our higher-mileage crew. Thumbs up to the soft, com-fortably padded upper. 9.2 oz; 10 mm drop;

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The Supernova ($130) delivers an excellent blend of cushion and pep for silky-smooth transition. The midsole isn’t overly heel oriented, but it was just thick and stable enough (with good torsional stability) to earn nods from our higher-mileage crew. Thumbs up to the soft, com-fortably padded upper. 9.2 oz; 10 mm drop; adidas.com — The ($130) delivers an excellent blend of cushion and pep for silky-smooth transition. The midsole isn’t overly heel oriented, but it was just thick and stable enough (with good torsional stability) to earn nods from our higher-mileage crew. Thumbs up to the soft, com-fortably padded upper. 9.2 oz; 10 mm drop;

(Michael Karsh)

361 Degrees Chromoso

This light, low-flying shoe is the first U.S. offering from Chinese brand 361 Degrees, and our team found the formula sufficiently dialed in. The ($90) had a smooth stride, with thin but sprightly foam and a single overlay that delivers a close fit. We love the speed-ready vibe: the shoe turns over quickly, which should make it a hit with soft landers. 8.3 oz; 10 mm drop;

(Michael Karsh)

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Lead Photo: Michael Karsh

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