Floor Climb + Footpod

Benda34 said:

the Activity doesn't report distance but if it had Footpod enabled or the footpod could be enabled during the activity could that be an additional data feed / use?

It could be done with the use of the accelerometer in the watch as well, but the accuracy of such method is doubtful (even if the footpod were used). Frankly told, multiplying the number of floors by some 5m (or whatever distance you find adequate for 1 floor), will be very likely still much closer to the reality, than trying to use the accelerometer for the calculation. So, just take the number of floors, multiply it by the estimated lenght of 1 floor (inc. the flat part between floors) and enter it manually into the activity notes (currently there is no field for distance in the Floor Climbing activity, AFAIK).

Another method would be calculating the distance from the total Ascent reported in the Floor Climbing activity. You could use the Pythagorean theorem, and simplifying the stairscale model to a right triangle with equal sides, you would get the distance as SQRT(2*Ascent²), and then just adding the total distance of the flat parts of the stairscale.

Lastly, you could perhaps try creating your own custom activity for the floor climb, basing it on the treadmill activity. That one allows you to calibrate the stride length during the first activity, and then calculates the disance automatically in the next ones. I did not test it, though, so am unsure how well it would work.

Thanks Trux. Interesting suggestions and might need to try them out.

Generally I've used the Floor Climb activity type and knowing the number of floors will manually edit it at the end to correct the actual floor count.

Benda34 said:

Generally I've used the Floor Climb activity type and knowing the number of floors will manually edit it at the end to correct the actual floor count.

I think the original question in the OP was about the distance, not about the floor count. As for the floor count, that should work automatically. If not, then the tips from the thread  What's the secret to tracking stairs accurately? could help. And, as you tell, you can edit the floor count manually, if it still does not help.

As for the chest strap - I do not think that the watch uses any of its metrics for the floor counting or distance at floor climbs. But since I do not use any, it is just my guess, and I may be wrong.

True. Sorry I remember that was my original ask....wanted to capture both floor climbs and the equivalent horizonal distance