SEGLY
When talking about hiking or trail running, elevation gain is often the most daunting figure. Yet understanding it properly helps you prepare your outings better and avoid unpleasant surprises.
What is positive elevation gain (D+)?
Positive elevation gain represents the sum of all the climbs on a route. If you climb 300 m, descend 100 m, then climb 200 m again, your D+ is 500 m — not 400 m. Every metre of climbing counts, even gentle inclines.
What is negative elevation gain (D-)?
Conversely, negative elevation gain accumulates all the descents. On a loop route, D+ and D- are generally equal. On a point-to-point route (e.g. a mountain refuge), they can differ greatly.
How does Segly calculate elevation gain?
Segly reads the altitude data recorded in your GPX file and applies intelligent smoothing to remove GPS noise. This avoids counting micro-variations that would skew the result.
You therefore get reliable D+ and D- figures, segment by segment, as well as an overall summary.
Why does it matter for your preparation?
- Estimate your route time (allow ~1 hour for 300 m D+ when hiking)
- Adapt your nutrition and hydration
- Choose the right equipment based on the actual difficulty
Import your track on Segly to get a complete elevation analysis in seconds.