Apologies for a long post, but it looks like it may be important if this is not limited to one watch or one account, and I see no reason how it could be: If you assume like I did that Garmin's methodology for distance is sound, please read on. This is not a problem with the GPS or waypoints themselves. To be fair I don't know whether this affects anything other than Hiking or Walking, which are important, but possibly why this hasn't had a lot of developer attention as yet. The issue is that Garmin's own waypoints when run through Google Maps, Basecamp, and Strava are all the same within a fraction of a percent, but widely off when viewed either on the Garmin watch, Garmin Connect (browser) or the Garmin app (ios). All the hikes and walks that I have checked from yesterday back to 2017 are off by 5 - 20%. These are not small variances as percentages or yards, and again are not due to different devices or GPS accuracy which seems to be fine. Is Garmin doing something odd on the backend vs their own basecamp, Google maps, and Strava? One way to check any of your own activities, if you don't already know, is to login to connect.garmin.com, go to your activities, choose any (walk or hike certainly on mine, and perhaps others), click the gear near top-right, and export the GPX. Go to google maps, your "places", and create a new map, then tap import; select the GPX. Tap the path and distance and other stats will be displayed. For me it is the same every time -- they display significantly short on the watch, browser, and app vs all of the other apps using the same Garmin file. I have raised this with Garmin support and they do not as yet have an answer. Examples: Hike in 2017 of 9.1 actual miles (using Garmin's data in Google) appears as 8.29 miles in Garmin's apps and on the watch at the time. That's 8.9% short, or 1426 yards. Oct 27 2019 Walk 6.4 miles actual per Garmin's waypoints in google, but same flat path appears as 6.08 in Garmin. That's 563 yards short on a short walk and Strava put it at 6.42 using Garmin's own data, closely matching google maps. I never noticed until I exported one of the GPX files to have a look. The Garmin support rep found that his basecamp app matched the mileage I found on Strava and Google maps, not Garmin's app on the phone, or the watch. I cannot imagine that this affects only my account, and the differences are large when there should not be any difference at all given it's all Garmin's data from the same device at the same time. Anyone else notice this or have time to have a look at one of your activities? Many thanks.
