17 Gifts for Women Who Trail Run

Everyone with a feminine figure knows the woes of trying to find the right fitting pants. You wear a size six in one, four in a second brand, and an eight in another. No fun at all!

Fortunately, shopping for trail running gear isn’t quite so frustrating, thanks to gear that is specifically designed for female bodies; it’s 2022, no longer the era of “pink it and shrink it,” thank goodness. From shoes to clothing, from running sunglasses to running packs, we bring you some of the best gear to gift women who like to trail run.

Be sure to check out our other gift guides, too:

• Trail Running gift guide
• Ultrarunning gift guide
• Fastpacking and Adventure Running gift guide
• Car Camping gift guide

Salomon Adv Skin 5 Unisex Running Vest and Salomon Adv Skin 5 Women’s Running Vest ($140)

The Salomon Adv Skin 5 hydration pack was ranked among our favorites in our Best Hydration Packs for Running guide.

It comes in two different fit options — women’s specific and unisex. Our female testers loved having extra fit options, although many actually preferred the unisex model. One key difference is that the flasks on the women’s specific model sit lower down, with long drinking straws. This can be more comfortable for larger chested ladies than the unisex model, where the bottles sit right on the chest.

The stretchy material in the rear compartment can expand to a surprising capacity and there are an array of intuitively placed pockets and zippered compartments at the front and sides. For a pack that looks so neat, it can expand to carry a surprising amount — enough to get you through a long run in all weathers or a well supported ultramarathon — but still fits snug to the body and doesn’t bounce around when all you’ve got in it is your phone and keys.

The pack has a highly customizable fit, with an elastic sternum strap that has multiple attachment points, making it an ideal gift for the female trail runner in your life.

Shop the Salomon Adv Skin 5 Unisex Running VestShop the Salomon Adv Skin 5 Women’s Running Vest

UltrAspire Astral 4.0 Race Vest ($147)

UltrAspire makes some really interesting vests, innovating and designing in ways other brands might not think of — check out the Nucleus, Basham, and Momentum 2.0 Race Vests to see what we mean. While the UltrAspire Astral 4.0 Race Vest is a bit more traditionally shaped, the company’s thoughtfulness and innovation are still very present.

The vest is designed around what UltrAspire calls the “HerFit Harness,” with a pack and strap shape taking women’s shoulders, chests, and rib cages into account, ensuring your lady-crusher friend’s lungs are not crushed from compression where it’s unwanted.

Designed to hold a bladder for longer days in the back or either soft flasks or hard bottles in the front, the Astral has a huge amount of storage in the back for jackets, maps, and whatever else you might need. However, you can also cinch it down tight in multiple areas to prevent bounce.

iRunFar’s women can attest to the comfort of the lightweight shoulder material UltrAspire use: we have never chafed, even on our longest runs. This is a great gift for someone who likes innovative designs and needs a bit more storage.

For even more hydration pack options, check out our Best Hydration Packs for Running guide.

UltrAspire Fitted Race Belt 2.0 ($33)

Sometimes a run is short enough, or a race has enough aid stations to allow you to forgo a vest altogether. While the UltrAspire Fitted Race Belt 2.0 isn’t women’s specific, we’ve found that its curved-bottom back edge fits the shape of women’s hips much better than any other tube-style waistbelt on the market today.

The belt is nice and stretchy, made of quick-drying material so you won’t be carrying sweat around your hips.

As you may know, you can store all kinds of goodies in these kinds of waistbelts, and this one offers plenty of room for your phone, a soft flask, a couple of bars, and a wind jacket and gloves. One of the pockets zips for secure storage. There are also low-profile loops on the back to which you can attach running poles.

We named this running belt one of our favorites in our best running belts guide.

Merrell Antora 2 Trail Running Shoes ($120)

Last year, iRunFar’s Kristin Zosel reviewed the Merrell Antora 2. She found it to be an excellent out-of-the-box shoe, meaning that you put them on and just go, with very little break-in period required. It is a female-fit-specific shoe — the men’s version is called the Merrell Nova 2 — and comes in both standard and Gore-Tex versions, so you can switch out your trail running shoes for wet and snowy conditions if need be.

What’s different in a women’s-specific shoe? In the case of the Antora 2, it means that the last is shaped to match the female foot, the midsole is updated to support women’s weights specifically, and the upper is designed to better fit women’s foot volumes.

We’ve found this to be an excellent multifunctional shoe, great for trail running on most terrain, but normal enough to wear for other activities: hiking, disc golfing, mountain biking, and more. Another bonus feature is that Merrell makes this shoe in both standard and wide versions, so if you have wide feet, or struggle with things like bunions, these could be a great option.

“Mental Training for Ultrarunning” Book by Addie Bracy ($20.50)

Many have said that ultrarunning is 80% mental. While we have no scientific way of proving this, harnessing the mind to push through difficult times and overcome physical pain is a huge element in being successful in races beyond marathon distance.

Addie Bracy, who is a three-time USATF national champion and a mental performance consultant, wrote “Mental Training for Ultrarunning: Your Psychological Skills Guidebook for Ultra Success“ to help guide runners in mental training.

Being in shape is important, of course, to avoid injury and run to the best of your ability. But more often than not, we see at least one case in each major ultramarathon of a runner who has the physical ability, but breaks down mentally for one reason or another. Bracy gives examples of ultrarunners who seem to be masters of their mental capacity, and offers 35 practical exercises to help you improve your mental toughness to match your grit.

For women in particular, who are often socialized with negative self-talk and not as encouraged to think of themselves as amazing, this book is a great resource. And yeah, buying this book supports Bracy, one of our sport’s top women both on the trails and as a professional consultant.

“A Beautiful Work in Progress” Book by Mirna Valerio ($13.50)

At first glance, one wouldn’t think Mirna Valerio is an ultrarunner, largely in part because we are socialized to believe all runners have a certain body type. Valerio is not only an ultrarunner, but also a motivational speaker, former teacher, and author of “A Beautiful Work in Progress.”

In her first book, Valerio — also known as The Mirnivator — details what got her into running, chasing a DNQ (or Did Not Quit), and proves that no matter your body type or background, you can be a successful ultrarunner, especially if you’re the one who defines your own success. Throughout the book, Valerio busts through stereotypes and shows that you can, too.

Through this book, we learn that everyone is a work in progress, and your life is what you make of it.

Grayson Murphy’s 2023 Training Log and Planner ($30)

“Racin’ Grayson” Murphy has put out an extremely popular training log and planner for a few years now. In the age of recording every detail of our lives electronically and online, from our resting heart rate to our daily training and the food we eat, it is refreshing to return to good old pen and paper.

But this book isn’t any old training log. The “Grayson Murphy 2023 Training Log and Planner” has a calendar that leaves space for training and life, has weekly inspirational quotes and mental health prompts, monthly and yearly habit trackers, and more.
It’s a pretty book, too — spiral bound for easy access, and printed on Forest Stewardship Council paper using 100% recycled materials.

Buff Pack Merino Fleece Cap ($39)

It’s hard to find a hat that fits if you’re sporting a ponytail, and even harder to find one that fits a ponytail and keeps you warm for your chilly winter runs. Well, the Buff Pack Merino Fleece Cap does both.

This multifunctional cap acts as both a warmer — made with merino wool to keep you cozy, built-in ear warmers, and a perfectly formed brim upfront like a traditional running hat — and has a hole in the back to slide your ponytail, braid, or small bun right through.

This is a great gift for the long-haired runner in your life.

In our Best Cold Weather Running Gear guide, we named this the top brimmed hat for winter running.

Patagonia Capilene Air Hoody ($159)

This has got to be one of the coziest, most form-flattering, and warmest long sleeves out there. The Patagonia Capilene Air Hoody is nearly seamless — the only perceptible ones being the raglan sleeves and edge seams — which makes it an extremely comfortable pick to use either as a daily midlayer.

Its usefulness is amplified by the hood, which fits like a balaclava over the face if you need it to. The Capilene material is a mix of merino wool and recycled polyester that’s knit in a pattern that traps air around the fibers. For its weight and thickness, it offers an incredible amount of warmth. Do take note for packing purposes that it has a bit more volume due to that knit than other midlayers.

The Capilene material is also made to wick moisture and dry fast for those days where you’re changing speed and altitude on the trail.

The women’s specific fit has a slim, but not tight-fitting silhouette, and it comes in a really wide variety of sizes, so it will fit a variety of wearers. Whether for an uphill ski day, mountain run, or just chilling around the fireplace, this hoodie is a great pick for anyone looking to stay warm. We love it so much for post-runs that we named it as a top pick in our Best Pre-Run and Post-Run Relaxation Apparel guide.

One last thought — we understand this is a pretty high price tag, but if you launder this hoodie correctly, it’ll give you years of joy. The iRunFar team is going on seven years with its original version now.

Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt ($49)

Listed as our number-one pick in the Best Running Shirts for Women guide, the Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt is simply the best in almost every imaginable situation.

After running in it through a variety of weather, we all agree: this is the most comfortable shirt imaginable. Smooth as butter, it keeps you warm when it’s a bit chilly, but also wicks away any sweat and dries very rapidly.

It’s modestly priced, technical enough for running, and stylish enough to wear around town. It is a bit delicate, so be careful if you wear it with a hydration pack, and be sure to follow the instructions for laundering. It is a loose-fitting shirt, so if you like your shirts skin-tight, size down. From hot-and-humid races to high-and-dry mountain adventures, this is the perfect women’s shirt for just about everything.

rabbit High Country Tank Top ($52)

The rabbit High Country tank top is by far one of our favorite shirts. Not only does it scream, “Welcome to the rodeo!” but the material is soft, lightweight, wicking, and good for running or wearing out and about.

rabbit’s clothes trend toward California-casual style, and we like that this shirt is a little bit more country sleek. The snap buttons can be an upside or downside: they’re snaps, so they are easy to fasten quickly, and they are really tight. But like, really tight, and sometimes hard to unsnap. So don’t try and rip this shirt off from the bottom like a beach bro — take the time to unsnap the buttons individually.

It comes in a choice of plaid colorways, and it’s flattering on so many body types. While this is a loose-fitting shirt, if you’re bigger chested or have broad shoulders, size up, as this shirt does have traditional seams that don’t necessarily stretch to your lat size.

Oiselle Featherweight Roga Shorts ($56)

Listed as the best overall shorts in our Best Running Shorts for Women guide, the Oiselle Featherweight Roga Shorts are heavenly to run in, and have a number of thoughtful details that make these a perfect gift for any woman of any body shape or running persuasion.

They’re stretchy but don’t stretch out, have a wide waistband to avoid a muffin top, and keep items solidly packed away. They have an interesting v-shaped inseam that we haven’t seen in any other shorts, but it’s nice: the shorts ride higher on the outside of the leg to encourage movement, but the inseam runs longer to prevent inner-thigh chafing. Genius!

These shorts are great because they’re light enough to wear on hot runs, but somehow also durable enough to slide down a patch of snow or fall on scree without becoming damaged. Finally, Oiselle is a female-founded company that does a ton for women and girls in sport, so you’ll be broadly supporting women runners by buying these shorts.

rabbit Smashems 4″ Shorts ($75)

Named after Amanda “Smashem” Basham, the rabbit Smashems 4″  Shorts are amazing for the trail if you’re someone who likes waistband storage.

These shorts are not cheap. However, they’re an investment worth making, considering how functional they are. With a four-inch inseam, these trail-specific shorts have an amazing amount of storage, and even the ability to carry poles in the back.
They’re made of a super-lightweight polyester/nylon blend that dries quickly and feels oh-so-soft. Do take care to launder according to the instructions for years of good use of these and all rabbit products.

Brooks Dare Sports Bra Collection ($60-75)

The Brooks Dare Sports Bra Collection is extensive, with nine different styles designed to fit every body type, from flat up top to blessed-with-chest. We’ve previously reviewed three of our favorites in this collection.

All of them are nearly seamless, so very soft, and many have innovative and thoughtful designs. There’s one that zips up the front, one that has a high neck so it looks more like a racing crop, a thin-strapped racerback, and even one with underwire.

Some of us women on the iRunFar team are utilitarian, like Target sports bras, and tear out the padding. We like to smush the ladies down as much as possible but have room to breathe, so it’s hard for us to find a bra that’s small on the chest but loose on the ribcage. But these Brooks bras control all the right areas.

Depending on the design, they either come in XS to XXL, or band size/cup size, from 30 to 40 and AB to DDE, respectively.

For a ton of other great sports bra options, take a look at our Best Sports Bras for Running buyer’s guide.

Coros Apex 42mm ($300)

Listed as the Best Budget watch in our Best GPS Running Watch guide, the Coros Apex 42mm does almost everything its competitors do, without a super expensive price tag.

Even more, out of all the watches we’ve tested in the last few years, this is the smallest, and that’s great news for many women whose smaller wrists are often dwarfed by enormous GPS running watches. Its low profile and more simple style trend closer to a track watch. And since we like to wear our watches everywhere, it’s nice to have a watch that looks as good in regular clothes as it does on the trail.

But what about its features? It has excellent battery life — 25 hours while using GPS and 24 days in regular use, and you can sync a number of third-party apps for health tracking as well. The single dial is a bit of a learning curve, but convenient once you get the hang of it.

Julbo Spark Sunglasses (starting at $130)

The Julbo Spark sunglasses are marketed as being for “elegance and performance,” and we would have to agree. Coming in colors like deep purple, white with blue lenses, and brown with black lenses, these sunnies look and function great on and off the trail.

While they’re expensive for performance sunglasses, the polycarbonate glass, reactive photochromic technology, and/or polarized lens options make the glasses worth the price. We particularly love the versions with the photochromatic lenses so you can keep the glasses on even in the shade while being completely protected in full sun. In fact, they’re good enough to be named one of our favorite photochromatic options in our Best Running Sunglasses guide.

Note that the Julbo Spark sunglasses are smaller framed, making them ideal for many women’s faces. Not only do they have curved temples and grip on the nose to ensure they’ll stay put, but the Julbo Spark also looks good for going out after a run, too.

MyBevi Napa 12-Ounce Tumblers ($30 for a 2-pack)

The MyBevi Napa Tumblers are cute, 12-ounce cups that are made of stainless steel and a BPA-free lid. Their overall size and eight-panel design not only look great but make them easy to handle, especially for those of us with smaller hands — no trying to grasp an extra-wide cup like a football.

We’ve found they do great for keeping hot things hot and cold things cold, and thus we appreciate them for morning coffee at the trailheads and the post-run après on the back porch.

Though MyBevi says the lids aren’t spillproof, we have found them to be splashproof. You can briefly knock them over and hardly lose a drop of that precious cocktail. Also, they sit fine in your car’s cupholder and won’t splash coffee everywhere, even when you’re bumping down a dirt road to the trailhead.

They come in both neutral black and white colors, as well as nice soft baby pink and baby blue as well.

Call for Comments

• What gifts would you give to the trail running women in your life?
• For the ladies, are there any types of gear that you prefer to buy unisex rather than gender-specific?