Calculator inputs
Paste elevation samples, set spacing, then calculate gain.
Example data table
Copy these values into the samples box to test the calculator.
| Point | Elevation (m) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 120 | Start |
| 2 | 121 | Small rise |
| 3 | 124 | Climb begins |
| 4 | 123 | Minor dip |
| 5 | 126 | Back uphill |
| 6 | 128 | Steady climb |
| 7 | 127 | Noise-like drop |
| 8 | 131 | Stronger rise |
| 9 | 129 | Short descent |
| 10 | 134 | Climb resumes |
Formula used
Let e[i] be the smoothed elevation series.
- Delta: Δ[i] = e[i] − e[i−1]
- Gain: if Δ[i] > T, then g[i]=Δ[i]
- Loss: if Δ[i] < −T, then l[i] = −Δ[i]
- Total gain: G = Σ g[i] • Total loss: L = Σ l[i]
- Total distance: D = (n−1) × step
- Net grade: 100 × (e[n] − e[1]) / D
Smoothing uses a centered moving average window to reduce spikes.
How to use this calculator
- Collect elevation samples from a watch, phone, or route file.
- Paste values into the samples box, one per line.
- Set the horizontal spacing between points.
- Choose a smoothing window to reduce sensor spikes.
- Set a noise threshold to ignore tiny bumps.
- Press calculate, then export CSV or PDF for logging.
Sampling density and accuracy
Elevation gain depends on how often you record points. With 50 m spacing on rolling terrain, short rises are captured, but sensor noise can inflate totals. With 200 m spacing, noise drops, yet small climbs disappear. Match spacing to the route: tighter for trails, wider for steady roads.
Smoothing window behavior
A moving average reduces spikes by blending nearby measurements. A window of 3 preserves sharp ramps; 5 to 9 stabilizes watch barometer drift; above 15 can flatten real climbs on switchbacks. If your chart looks jagged, increase the window by two and recalculate.
Threshold as a noise gate
Thresholding ignores tiny deltas between samples. A 1 m threshold filters sidewalk bumps and GPS scatter. A 3 m threshold suits noisy phone tracks. If you undercount steep micro climbs, lower the threshold. If totals look unrealistic for flat routes, raise it slightly.
Training load interpretation
Total gain is a strong predictor of muscular strain for uphill running and hiking. A practical heuristic is that 100 m of gain feels like 0.8–1.2 km of flat distance for many athletes. Use the summary to compare routes with similar duration but different climbing stress.
Comparing athletes and sessions
For fair comparisons, keep units and settings consistent. Use the same smoothing and threshold when comparing weekly totals. If two devices disagree, prefer the one with stable barometric readings. The profile plot helps spot discontinuities where a device briefly lost altitude lock.
Reporting and exports
Export CSV for spreadsheets, and PDF for coaching notes. CSV preserves segment-by-segment deltas, cumulative gain, and loss for audits. PDF is capped for readability, so use it for summaries, not long tracks. Save settings with the route name to stay consistent. Example: with 200 points at 50 m spacing, distance equals 9.95 km, so a 480 m gain implies 4.8% gain-per-distance. If your export shows frequent alternating gain and loss, your threshold is too low. For trail races, record settings that match your device, such as 5 m threshold for GPS-only tracks. Recalculate after any change, then keep the same profile rules for weekly summaries. Teams can standardize one preset and share it, improving comparability across routes, seasons, and devices for everyone.
FAQs
1) Why does my gain look too high?
High gain usually comes from noisy elevation spikes. Increase the smoothing window, raise the threshold, and ensure your point spacing matches how the data was recorded.
2) Should I use meters or feet?
Use whichever matches your device and training logs. The calculator converts internally, but consistent units prevent copy errors when exporting and comparing sessions.
3) What distance should I enter between points?
Enter the typical horizontal sampling interval of your data. Many watches record every 1–5 seconds; convert that to distance using your pace, or export distance-based samples.
4) Does smoothing change the route’s real elevation?
Smoothing does not change the route, it reduces measurement jitter. It can slightly reduce sharp peaks, which is why moderate window sizes are recommended for trail data.
5) Why include total descent?
Descent adds impact load and affects fatigue on technical trails. Tracking descent helps plan recovery, downhill pacing, and strength work, even when net elevation change is small.
6) Can I paste comma-separated values?
Yes. Paste values separated by new lines, commas, or semicolons. The parser ignores blank entries and removes thousands separators for cleaner imports.