SEGLY
When it comes to hiking or trail running, elevation gain is often the most daunting factor. However, understanding it well allows you to better prepare for your outings and avoid unpleasant surprises.
What is elevation gain (D+)?
Elevation gain is the sum of all the ascents on a route. If you climb 300 meters, descend 100 meters, and then climb another 200 meters, your D+ is 500 meters—not 400 meters. Every meter of ascent counts, even on slight inclines.
What is elevation loss (D-)?
Conversely, negative elevation gain adds up all the descents. On a loop route, D+ and D- are generally equal. On a point-to-point route (e.g., a high-altitude mountain hut), they can be very different.
How does Segly calculate elevation gain?
Segly reads the elevation data recorded in your GPX file and applies intelligent smoothing to eliminate GPS noise. This prevents micro-variations from being counted, which would skew the result.
This gives you reliable elevation gain and loss, segment by segment, as well as an overall summary.
Why is this important for your preparation?
- Estimating your travel time (allow ~1 hour for every 300m of elevation gain while hiking)
- Adjust your nutrition and hydration
- Choose the right gear based on the actual difficulty
Upload your track to Segly to get a complete analysis of your elevation gain in just a few seconds.