How accurate are the calorie calculations that are synched to MFP from MapMyHike?

Rocknut53

I get an insane amount of calories when I hike. I looked on the website and this is their explanation of calorie burn:

"Typically calories are determined by age, height, weight, gender, intensity of the workout, distance travelled, and activity type. Heart rate does not currently factor into the equation, but will as the app grows. Our products calculate total burn, which includes caloric burn for both resting and active phases of activity. This means the calories you would normally burn simply by being alive are added to the amount of calories you would burn from whichever activity is chosen.

We have based our calorie count on established scientific research detailed in the Compendium of Physical Activities. This measures time spent at a specific exertion level and uses this as a multiplier (the corrected MET, see below) of your resting metabolic rate. Distance is not the sole factor of calories burned, you must also look at duration of activity as well. The resting metabolic rate is estimated from your height, weight, gender and general activity level through the Harris-Benedict equation."

I typically hike 3-5 miles round trip and gain roughly 1600 feet in elevation. And of course, now it's winter so I am not on a trail and typically breaking trail though snow (of course, the app doesn't know that). Today I hiked 4.25 miles (RT) for a gain of 1690 feet. MapMyHike said I burned 2600 calories (including calories for being alive for the duration). Is this even close to accurate?

robertw486

From my experience, the MapMy(Everything) apps tend to be on the high side of estimates compared to many other apps. But that being said, as long as you can figure out and adjust for what you eat back most apps will be fairly consistent.

Hiking is probably actually one of the tougher ones for any app to track. Though you could do some rough calculations based on a steady incline, hiking it rarely a set incline, difficulty, or muscle group even. There are just so many variables with the terrain involved.

Being that weight is a huge variable, it's hard to say. But also keep in mind that time is a huge variable as well, for any app that calculates gross calorie burn vs net.

The below calculator might give you a ballpark idea.

exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs.html

Rocknut53

Thanks @robertw486.

That calculator comes pretty close to what Mapmyhike tells me. I do not eat all those calories back, just because I've been skeptical. I honestly don't feel like eating much more than I do on off days. I am losing roughly a pound a week so it must be working.

robertw486

@Rocknut53

Interesting that the app was reasonably close to that calculator. I would think the elevation changes and such would have made it more likely to be off. I really never noticed the elevation accuracy in the MM(whatever) series though. I do know among the other apps I tested some are way off, some seem fairly accurate.

And I've also noticed that some apps are good or very good with certain activities, but seem to calculate high with others. Maybe MapMyHike is just good with the elevation changes and such.

For me, the big thing is consistency. If I know my app calculates certain activities wrong, I can adjust with my eating. But it's tricky if it does a good job with some things and is bad at others. So using the feedback loop of actual weight loss always comes into play anyway really.


I actually enjoy hiking, but we have no local terrain worth hiking. I'd enjoy some of that stuff you have in your profile photo, or some rolling mountain trails, or... anything other than the flat we have here!

Rocknut53

@robertw486 One of hiking days last week: