Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Running Shoes vs. Hiking Boots

Hello, I am planning on hiking Whitney in July. I am a serious runner and I have ran many comfortable miles in my running shoes... they are sooo comfy. Is it a bad idea to hike Whitney in my asics running shoes? I also bought some boots today that cover my ankle, but if its not necessary I'd prefer not to wear them since they are much heavier and I'm not used to them. If anybody has any advice or comments, I would love to hear for the good of my feet! Feet must be happy to hike 22 miles :-)

You should have no problem in your running shoes. The backside of Whitney, between Trail Crest and the summit has lots of broken rock to trample on. If that's no problem to you, go with your runners. Many do.

Wayne is right on.
I am also a runner (from SF Bay area), and I run Whitney (~5 hrs) every August in trail shoes, such as the Nike Pegasus. As Wayne wrote, some of the backside trail is very rocky and a bit tricky to run on. And you must also be mindful of the hikers and yield to them as necessary. If you arrive the backside in the early morning, you may also encounter icy conditions as I did last year; Not bad for hiking, but nasty for running.

Absolutely use running shoes.

Running shoes fine if you're not carrying too much weight. Light hikers or similar if carrying a pack (your feet will thank you). Whatever you choose, make sure the bottoms have decent tread. My $0.02

Another viewpoint - I’ve day-hiked Whitney five+ times and am the survivor of 5+ marathons. I’m sure Whitney can be done successfully in running shoes. However, I have always opted for above the ankle hiking boots - wanted to minimize the probability of twisting an ankle. I also welcomed the full sole steel shank, especially on the way down. Stepping on sharp edges of rocks caused no discomfort.

I will also weigh in on the boot side, if you don't trail run. As a runner, I would love to have the comfort of my Asics for the hike up Whitney, but in my three times up Whitney it's been boots everytime. Here's why. I can't tell you how many times on the trail I end up kicking a rock! Whether it is not picking your feet up enough at the trailside meadow steps, or being just plain tired on the way down, kicking a rock in a boot is a bit more comfortable than in a running shoe. I did the hike last year in just over 9 hours, and actually jogged a bit at the end, but would not have traded the protection of my toes for lighter shoes.

Good luck on your upcoming hike!

If you are just day hiking then running shoes will be fine. I have done Whitney 9 times from various sides and routes and seasons and besides the winter I have always used running shoes and once in Tevas. Have fun.

As a 30-year running and eight-year hiking veteran I would go with a pair of lightweight boots (no shank or short shank). Sure if you're only going hiking this one time the running shoes will be fine, perhaps even better off then trying to break-in a pair of new boots on the main trail. But, The boots will keep your feet drier, protect your ankles and toes, keep more pebbles out of your shoes and maybe provide a little better footing. Running shoes aren’t built to take the abuse they’ll receive on the trail and they will get beat-up on the trail.

The first time I did Whitney in 1996 I used my running shoes, but my feet got very wet. I still use my running shoes when I want to go lite and fast but the do get beat-up quick.

BJ