Drawing on data from Strava’s international community of over 135 million users and a survey of 5,000 people around the world, the latest Strava Year In Sport report identifies trends that have shaped active lives globally in 2024.
The report reveals some of the latest routines, shifts in habits, trending gear as well as insights from a global survey of over 5,000 active people both on and off the Strava platform.
Some of the trends identified include:
- Runner’s choice: The top running shoe overall was the Nike Pegasus. But for races it was the Nike Vaporfly Next% (5k, 10k, half marathon). The Nike Alphafly was the most popular choice for marathons.
- Democratisation of the super shoe: This year saw a 14% year-on-year increase in races completed in carbon shoes across all distances, as high-performance footwear grew in popularity. Nearly half (44%) of marathons in 2024 were uploaded with a carbon-plated shoe listed as the gear type.
- Upload preferences: 72% of Strava users upload using the mobile app directly. Many don’t use the app exclusively, swapping it in for some activities while using a GPS watch or bike computer for others. 47% of users use a separate device to upload at least some activities – although those numbers reverse in races, especially as the distances get longer.
- Device tracking: 5k runners tended to opt for an Apple Watch, while the Garmin Forerunner was more popular for longer distances. Overall, the top three running devices globally were: 1. Apple Watch Series; 2. Apple Watch SE; 3. Garmin Forerunner 245. The top three devices for rides were: 1. Garmin Edge 530; 2. Garmin Edge 830; 3. Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT V1.
- Tech’s role in exploration: Among those surveyed, men and Gen X were more likely to say technology like Strava helps them connect and explore.
