Womens Top7 Trail Running Shoes 2015

We did the men’s Top7 yesterday.  Here’s your women’s best of the best:

#Top7 Trail Running Shoes Women 2015 (by sales, not including clearance shoes)

1. Merrell All Out Peak – We thought we had something with this shoe…but #1?!? We never saw that coming.  It has such a great fit for anyone–but more so for women who tend to like a snugger mid-foot and heel fit.  The traction was easily the best in the shop!
2. Altra Lone Peak 2.5 – Close behind, women’s Altra sales really took off this year because of this shoe! It just fits most women better than previous versions.
3. Pearl Izumi Trail N2 (v1 and v2 combined) – These shoes are the Queen of Versatile.  Can be sold to all foot-shapes; all ability and experience levels.  Road or Trail or gym.  They can do anything.
4. Hoka Challenger ATR – I was surprised they made the women’s list and not the men’s!
5. Altra Superior 2.0 – Like the LP2.5, the fit of the Superior got dialed in this year.  Better fit = more sales! In previous Altras, more women complained of sloppy fit–but not this year!
6. Altra Lone Peak 2.0 – Even with only half the year to compete with sales, the LP2.o did amazing. The Grey color that is; we could hardly give away the Mocha Brown color!
7. Pearl Izumi Trail M2 (v1 and v2 combined) – This shoe slumped from last year’s 2nd place performance.  The color was the main issue.  Most ladies preferred the N2v2’s color compared to the M2v2.

There was quite a change from last year; only 3 of this year’s Top7 were on 2014’s list.  The #1 shoe from last year failed to make the list, but that was in part due to the low inventory Scott Sports kept with the Kinabalu this year.  We ran out of certain sizes and colors and couldn’t get more.

The women’s shoes always seem to be closer together in sales than the men’s.  The Topo MT & Runventure, Brooks Cascadia 10, Scott Kinabalu, and Salomon Sense Pro were all close to making this year’s Top7.

At the end of 2014, we predicted 5 of the 7 shoes to make this year’s Top7 list.  We missed the mark on the Kinabalu v3 and the Salomon Sense Mantra 3.  The Mantra was a monumental bust–having failed to sell a single women’s pair by the summer, we sent them back to Salomon.

2016’s field of women’s shoes is wide open with lots of new contenders.  This list was a lot harder to pick than the men’s Top7 for next year!

#Top7 Trail Running Shoes Women 2016 (Predicted)

1. Altra Lone Peak 3.0 (July) – How can we bet against Altra at this point?  It has been crushing the men’s field for a couple years now and finally starting paying off for women’s feet in 2015.  I can only see a bright future for this brand regardless of gender or foot-shape or heel drop preference: they’re getting that good!
2. Merrell All Out Peak (now) – I dropped if off the men’s list because I feel some of the newer shoes (Montrail Trans Alps and Pearl Izumi Trail N3) will fit more men better.  I feel like the Peak from Merrell can compete with any 2016 women’s trail shoe in terms of fit.  It may have more competition from the Sportiva Akasha, and Salomon Wings Pro and Mission though–so it drops a spot to #2.
3. Altra Superior 2.16 (next week!) – Again, Altra can do no wrong…well they’re fixing the original Superior 2.0’s upper with this newer version we call the 2.16. So starting now, Altra can do no wrong!
4. Pearl Izumi Trail N3 (March) – It might be too heavy to compete for top honors, but it fits and feels so nice! I think it will take sales away from the other Pearl Izumi trail shoes causing only one Pearl shoe to make the list in 2016.  But that one shoe could very well be the Trail N2 v3 due out in July!
5. Topo MT2 (now) – Whenever someone wants an Altra Superior, we bring out the Topo MT as well.  It competes well against our top-selling brand and has stolen quite a few sales away from Altra in 2015.  That trend should continue in 2016.  This version launched in November and has been selling well since.
6. New Balance Gobi (July) – We sold the Women’s Zante way better for women than we did for men.  I think that trend will hold for the women’s Gobi compared to the men’s.  The colors are cool; it fits great and will function for a wide variety of activities: Ultra running, walking the neighborhood, bootcamp class, road running.
7. Saucony Peregrine 6 (Jan) – If this doesn’t make our best-selling list next year, I think we’ll give up on Saucony trail running shoes altogether! It feels so nice with their new EverRun cushioning.  If we can’t sell it, we simply have a Saucony jinx.

In the hunt:

• Hoka Challenger ATR 2– (Feb)It should actually fit most women better in 2016.  The only reason I left it off the Top7 list is because I’m mad REI already has them for sale.
• Hoka Speed Instinct – (July) The styling on these might hurt sales quite a bit.
• Pearl Izumi Trail N2 v3 – (March) Better Traction, but how will it compete with the Trail N3’s more cushion?!?
• Montrail Trans Alps (Feb)
• Altra Olympus 2.0 (now)
• Salomon Sense Pro 2 (Feb)
• Salomon Mission 3 (Feb)
• Salomon Wings Pro – (Feb) One of these 3 Salomon shoes should make our Top7 next year, but I couldn’t decide which it would be!
• LaSportiva Akasha – (March) I’m pretty sure these will sell well like I’m pretty sure I spelled it right.
• Scott Kinabalu v3 – (Jan) Like the Superior, the upper changes considerably but the name stays the same.  Supply should not be an issue this year: McCoubrey is back in charge!

Check back soon for out Top7 Brands of 2015 analysis as well as our Top7 road shoes of 2015.