The 2022 Garmin Connect Fitness Report is here, and it shows that winter and off-road sports are booming. Snowboarding and skiing have proved particularly popular this year, with the number of tracked activities increasing 143% since 2021.
The 2022 report also shows Garmin owners starting to venture out on vacation again as lockdown restrictions were lifted and flying became easier. Holiday activities like scuba diving, sailing, surfing, and resort skiing all gained popularity in 2022 as holidaymakers hit the seas and the slopes after two years stuck close to home.
Meanwhile, the growth of indoor cycling and yoga, which exploded during lockdown, has levelled off. While existing practitioners aren't rolling up their mats, fewer are picking one up and stretching out for the first time.
Getting gritty
Gravel cycling, which was one of last year's fastest growing activities, has continued to gain pace, with 40% more activities logged in 2022. That's something also shown in Strava's 2022 Year in Sport report, which reveals that 52% of people logged at least one trail activity during the year. Strava's stats also showed that trail activities are much more likely to be enjoyed in groups than their road-based counterparts.
Strava suggests that this change reflects the increasing popularity of gravel bikes and electric mountain bikes. Electric gravel bikes such as the Ribble Gravel AL e are also taking off, and as Advnture's associate editor Pat Kinsella discovered earlier this year, are excellent for the burgeoning bikepacking scene.
Strava counted 26% more ebike users in 2022, with older cyclists the most likely to make the switch to battery-assisted bicycles.
Garmin's research suggests that more people may now be using their bikes to commute after returning to the office, resulting in a considerable increase in road cycling activities as well. To learn more, check out the full report online.
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