Ryka was founded in 1987 by Sheri Poe, who’s mission was to create the perfect sports shoe for women.

Since then, the unique athletic brand has developed a range of different shoes to fit every woman – from running and walking trainers to training shoes.

How it works

The male and female foot may appear similar, but actually, they’re more different than you may think. For starters, a woman’s foot has a five to seven degree larger quadricep angle than a man does.

This means that we could potentially have greater chance of injury as the additional weight is often moved to the outside of our feet- causing ‘instability at foot strike’, according to Ryka’s website.

In order to achieve a shoe that ‘fits the shape of a woman’s foot perfectly’, the sports company say that their footwear features a spacious forefoot, secure footbed, a slimmer heel and the instep volume is increased.

Ryka’s explanation of the Q-Angle

Running shoes

As seen in the March issue of Women’s Health magazine, The Ultimate is currently Ryka’s one and only running shoe.

Rykas’s goal is to provide a ‘women-specific’ fit, which is proved in this design. There is an option to pick between two different widths, which are ‘medium’ and ‘wide’, for a more personal fit to you.

The EVA midsole on the trainer will supply flexibility, whilst the ‘cushioning’ insole will bear comfort for the female foot.

The shoe also has a rubber outsole, Precise-Return footbed, TPU midfoot shank and a dual density heel crash pad.

There are two colours available to choose from – grey/black/mint and grey/rose/silver – which are retailed at $59.99 at Zappos

Training shoes

Ryka currently has 54 different training shoes for women to choose from, with a price range of $39.99 to $84.99.

The ‘award winning’ Devotion XT Training Shoe is fully equipped with the RE-ZORB LITE midsole and Pivot Point. These features will provide ‘responsive cushioning and shock absorption’ for the female foot, as well as ‘traction and increased control’ according to the website.

Ryka’s latest edition is the Grafik Flow Training shoe, which is available in three different colors; blue/pink, black/pink/meteor and grey/yellow/blue for $74.99.

The shoe also has the Pivot Point with a Anattomical Precise-Return footbed and ‘breathable’ KPU midfoot structure – which the brand claims to give extra support to women.

Walking shoes

The Catalyst III, available for $59.99, is Ryka’s new walking shoe which includes a suede and mesh upper. The rubber outsole also delivers control for women.

Rated 4.6 out of 5 on the website, the Sky Walk has a rubber outsole for traction and a memory foam footbed, which is designed to mould to the shape of the foot. Ryka says that it ‘provides unique comfort’ and is priced at $49.99.

The ‘Tribe’

The Rykä FIT Program and the brand’s association with fitness groups, such as Curves, is aimed to help women ‘build and strengthen’ their self-esteem.

Ryka can be found on social media platforms such as Instagram (@Ryka) and by using the hashtag #RykaTribe.

The Ryka ‘Tribe’

To find out more, go to: www.ryka.com