What does elevation gain mean?

[jeannetalk]

I walk in the hallways of a building for my step count. (30 to 90 minutes) 

Exercise Details notes an elevation gain of 7 feet  or sometimes 36 feet.

What does Elevation Gain measure? I doubt that I'm climbing any mounds in the hallways.

[LZeeW · Accepted solution]

@jeannetalk  The Charge 2 has an altimeter in it -- it measures changes in barometric pressure.  This is the technology that is used to count floors.  Any time you go "up" 10 feet in a continuous movement, you are supposed to get one floor.

This measurement does have some error.  Breezy air, opening a door with a tight fit, and other things can fool the sensor.  It somehow thinks you are going uphill.  Sometimes I get several extra floors at work going through a fire door.

A while ago, I user posted that he got several thousand floor in his sleep -- because of an oscillating fan!  Good technology, but not perfect.

Does this help?

[jeannetalk]

Thanks @LZeeW for the reply.

My husbands Fitbit occasionally counts too many floors.  

And he too goes through several fire doors each day. He couldn't understand it and now he does.

So you helped two persons with your reply.

[rca13]

I dont believe you are tabulating the sums of all elevation gains. By that I mean that if ie. you start your hike at 900feet and climb 100' to an altitude of a 1000feet; then go down to an altitude of 500feet and clim back to an altitude of the same 1000feet, the total elevation gain should be: the first 100' plus 500' = 600' not the highest point minus the starting elevation point which would give you 1000' minus 900' = 100'.

The Wikipedia definition is given as:"In running, cycling, and mountaineering, cumulative elevation gain refers to the sum of every gain in elevation throughout an entire trip. It is sometimes also known as cumulative gain or elevation gain, or often in the context of mountain travel, simply gain. Elevation losses are not counted in this measure."