Hikes in inclement weather drop V02 20%

jmoneygrip

As the title states. To provide more detail:
I’m an avid runner, hiker and climber.

I always use a chest strap except for walks around the neighborhood.

Almost every activity since I purchased the watch has increased my V02.

But now that the climate where I exercise has become more severe that is not true.

I live in an alpine climate and hike to the tundra almost every weekend. These are zone 1 workouts that always used to show an increase in V02.
However, since the season has turned there is now snow above 9k ft (3000m or so) and I regularly ascend to over 12,000 ft (4000m).

In conditions where there is driving snow, 40-60mph winds and I am navigating snow & ice of several inches
my watch is significantly dropping my V02. I can only assume it is due to pace. These same activities increased my V02 in warmer weather.

During the week I run 10-20k a day and every run or even walk increases my V02 only for my frosty weekend activities to crater my V02 all over again.

When the weather was nice this didn’t happen and it is not accurate. No offense to our older crowd but after a 14mile hike today in sub freezing temps and near blizzard conditions it says I have the fitness level of a 54 yr old. At this rate by spring it will say that I am 100, I can’t imagine what it will do when I start snowshoeing again or get on the cross country skis!

To put into perspective I summited Mt Rainier this summer, climbed technical routes on other 14ers, run all the time, etc etc.

I don’t get it. It makes me laugh but it also makes the feature useless for me.

DMytro

@jmoneygrip it’s because the feature is made for running primarily. If you’d also run at least as much as hike it would be fine. I don’t run and my v02 is at 28 XD.

Why this feature takes hikes into account is a good question. A workaround would be to use mountaineering profile, such activities do not get counted towards V02max.

Dimitrios Kanellopoulos

We are looking into an improvement over this

DMytro

@dimitrios-kanellopoulos that would be so great!

Djordje S

@dimitrios-kanellopoulos Improvement for all sport modes where VO2 is relevant or running will be primary? Thx.

Dimitrios Kanellopoulos

@djordje-s all relevant

jmoneygrip

That’s what I thought, thanks for the replies!

Brad_Olwin

@jmoneygrip exactly why I do not pay attention to VO2Max. Do a test if you need one, otherwise I would ignore the number.