The best app to track rollerblading is Map My Run.
I was a professional aggressive inline skater in the late 90s, but have given up my competitive ways. These days I rollerblade for fitness, which makes it important for me to know how well I’m doing on a daily basis. This is why I decided to test out various apps to determine which one is most useful.
There aren’t too many apps specifically designed to track rollerblading. Instead, you have activity or workout tracker apps. I have discovered that I often have to find workouts that are similar to rollerblading and track my movements this way. It isn’t an exact science but it does the trick.
I selected the Map My Ride app as the best because it ticked all the boxes. It tracked distance, time, and overall performance. It is also highly compatible with a variety of devices. The app contains social features and helps you to map out routes.
Now, each person has their own idea of what makes a good rollerblading tracking app. Due to this, I have included several options so that you find the set of features that is most compatible with your performance requirements.
Keep reading to uncover the top items on the list!
The Top Apps for Rollerblading
Here are the apps that you can download to keep track of your rollerblading performance:
Map My Run – Best Overall
Specs:
- Inline Skating Specific Features: No
- Fitness Device Required: No
- Compatibility: Android and iOS Smartphones
Good Activity Analysis
Sure, this app may not have a rollerblading-specific function, but it certainly makes up for it. This is because the app tracks your distance as well as the time that it takes to cover that area in real time. This means that at any moment you can check your current performance to see how well you are doing.
The app is really good for mapping your performance over a period of time as well. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to burn calories or are trying to boost your speed or fitness, the Map My Run app will show you precisely how well you are doing.
Highly Compatible
The app is compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones. Therefore, it doesn’t matter what kind of smartphone you are using, you will have no trouble downloading and using the app. Not to mention, you will be able to use it without needing a fancy activity tracker either.
The only downside here is that the app can drain your battery. This means that it will need to be fully charged before covering longer distances.
Maps Out Routes
Do you want to keep changing up your routes? This is possible with this app. It will outline all the different spots that you can check out and provide a detailed guide on how to move around that area.
Social Features
If you would like to share your roller skating performance with a group of friends to compare or keep up with others, then you can. You just have to make sure that each person in the group has the app and then you can share the relevant stats.
- Great performance tracking
- Highly compatible
- Maps out routes
- Social features
- Can drain battery
Inline Skating+
Specs:
- Inline Skating Specific Features: Yes
- Fitness Device Required: Yes
- Compatibility: Garmin Devices
Specific to Rollerblading
If you don’t want to specifically track your rollerblading movements, then this is the app for you. As a result, you can check your stride rate, strides per second, the average length of your stride, and more. This also works well for skateboarding and hockey if you partake in these sports.
Detailed Performance Stats
Are you incredibly stats-oriented? Do you want to track every possible element of your rollerblading trek?
If so, then this is definitely the app for you. You can track everything from your heart rate to your energy expenditure. If you are training for speed, it will also show you lap distance, time, and other information related to your laps.
The main issue with this app, though, is that it can be quite complex to use. It has to be calibrated perfectly and then you have to have the know-how to read the results. Therefore, if you are only rollerblading for regular fitness, this can be just too much trouble to use.
Map Details
You will also be able to map out your laps as well as your route on your maps. This is ideal for when you are in a new location but still want to ensure that your distance and performance match up to previous routes.
- Specific to rollerblading
- Detailed performance stats
- Map details
- Complex to use
Strava
Specs:
- Inline Skating Specific Features: No
- Fitness Device Required: No
- Compatibility: iOS, Android, and Fitness Trackers
Excellent Tracking Features
Strava really does work to track and analyze all of your movements while you are rollerblading. This includes the distance you have covered and how fast you are moving. The app is also excellent for tracking elevation and will even show how many attempts have been made at a particular site.
Due to this, it is an excellent option if you want to stay on top of just how well you are performing. It works well if you want to compete and are looking to continuously build up your performance.
Good Social Function
Strava is great for linking people together. You can share your rollerblading activities with friends, family members, and even followers. It is also possible for you to keep track of how others are doing and receive and give comments.
Your family or friends can also keep track of you in real-time. This ensures that they know your location at every moment, which makes rollerblading in any place a whole lot safer for you.
Good Compatibility
You don’t need a fitness tracker to use this app and can instead turn any iOS or Android smartphone into an excellent activity tracker. You will discover that the app works seamlessly with your phone, completely foregoing the need for any other device.
It should be noted that this app doesn’t work as well with fitness trackers. Therefore, it is actually better for you to use it with your phone.
Easy to Map Out Routes
Unlike other apps, Strava doesn’t just show you routes that have been mapped out by your local government. This app also shows you routes that have been taken by other athletes. Therefore, you have the opportunity to explore more challenging or new routes each and every time.
- Great tracking
- Social features
- Good compatibility
- Maps out routes
- Poor function with fitness trackers
Fitbit App
Specs:
- Inline Skating Specific Features: No
- Fitness Device Required: Yes
- Compatibility: iOS, Android, and Fitness Trackers
Complete Tracking Capabilities
This is a good app if you want to track every minute of your movements, diet, and sleeping patterns. While there isn’t a specific function for inline skating, you do have the option of tracking this movement as either biking or running.
This way, you can determine whether you track the number of steps taken, distance covered, calories burned, etc. You will be able to view daily performances and see just how well you are doing over a period of time. The app is great for recreational rollerbladers.
Highly Compatible
What’s great about this app is that it is compatible with a variety of fitness trackers. And, you can download the app onto your iOS or Android smartphone or even desktop. This means that you can stay abreast of your performance regardless of where you are.
The only issue here is that the app does suffer from syncing issues at times. During these periods, you may find it difficult to have all your data across all your devices.
Good Social Network
The Fitbit app is used by a large number of people. This makes it an excellent way for you to keep your rollerblading activities social. It is easy for you to share information with other people and for them to share their performance with you in return.
- Complete tracking capabilities
- Highly compatible
- Good social network
- Some syncing issues
Apple Watch Workout App
Specs:
- Inline Skating Specific Features: No
- Fitness Device Required: Yes
- Compatibility: iOS
Excellent Tracking
The app can’t track rollerblading specifically, but you can track a similar activity to that.
In addition to seeing how far you are rollerblading and how quickly you are covering the distance, you will also be able to track various biological systems. This includes heart rate, blood oxygen, and more.
Therefore, if you want to see precisely how rollerblading is impacting your health and your fitness, you can keep track of this without any issue. Not to mention, the watch will be tracking your movements and habits for as long as you are wearing it.
Good Syncing Features
The watch can easily sync up with your smartphone. This means that you can easily determine your performance over several rollerblading expeditions. Not to mention, you can guarantee that this information will be backed up as well.
It should be noted that the app is only compatible with the Apple watch and smartphone. Due to this, you have to have both of these devices for it to function properly.
Easy to Use
It is incredibly easy for you to set up your workout features so that it tracks all of your movements as needed. You can start, stop, pause, and do various other functions during your workout. There is a very slight learning curve which means that anyone can pick up the process easily.
Instant Access to Information
With just a glance at the app on the watch you will be able to see all the information that you need. Therefore, it is a breeze to keep track of your workout and how your body is functioning at any given point. In turn, you can check to see if your performance matches your goals.
It should be noted that the watch can drain your phone battery quite a bit. Due to this, you will need to begin your trek with a fully charged phone for the best results.
- Can drain battery
How to Choose the Best App to Track Rollerblading
Want to look for your own app for rollerblading? Or, perhaps you want some idea of how these apps were selected for the list. If so, check out this post to determine how you can find the app that is most suitable for your rollerblading activities.
FAQs
Here are some of the more frequently asked questions about apps for rollerblading:
Does Fitbit Track Rollerblading?
Fitbit doesn’t specifically track rollerblading. However, you will be able to track your distance and speed on the app. As such, you can get an idea of your overall performance.
You will also be able to see various other biological functions via the app, depending on which fitness tracker you are using.
Can You Track Rollerblading on Apple Watch?
Yes, you can track your rollerblading performance on Apple Watch.
That being said, it will not register the activity as rollerblading specifically. You should be able to get an overall idea of speed, distance moved, calories burned, etc.
What Workout to Use on Apple Watch for Rollerblading?
You can set your workout to running or the activity that is most similar to rollerblading. You can also choose to save it under ‘Other’ workouts in the app.
The Final Verdict on The Best App to Track Rollerblading
It is clear that Map My Run is the best of the bunch. The app allows you to track your performance in great detail, while still being easy to use. You can also map out various routes and add a social component to your rollerblading.
Last, but not least, the app is highly compatible with different devices.
It is a good idea to check out all the apps on the list, though, as you can’t be certain which one is the right one for you. So, go ahead and find your perfect app today!
I appreciate your general comparison of the apps above and the straightforward presentation of key considerations for a widely variable population of skaters in search of apps that harness the capabilities of their smartphones and trackers to enhance the health, fitness, and community fun available w inline skating. I do also want to add my 2¢ re: your statements about tracking / battery performance w apple devices. Specifically, this would apply to apple watch w/ GPS only, connected to iPhone (via bluetooth), NOT apple watches with GPS+cellular connectivity — i.e. those that connect directly to cell network; not dependent on iPhone connection (never used this kind, so no info to compare). I have been skating (and later, inline skating) for over 40 years, so I love getting a fresh perspective on some stale skate with each new layer of tech insight, but I am not a competitor and do not demand an array of precision metrics as feedback to inform performance training. When I purchased my Apple watch se at the end of 2020(?) all I had heard/read pointed to battery life as a major drawback for the devices, especially for athletes who wanted to use the technology to track all available metrics for more than a couple of hrs. While I’ve never had any plans to train for any ironman events, I was certainly feeling the frustration from consequences encountered due to the lacklustre and plummeting battery life I got with my iPhone SE2, so I started out very conservatively when using my watch’s features, closely monitoring the effects on the watch battery as well as the already awful battery of my iPhone. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that charging the watch 1x /day was – and still is – sufficient when using apple watch workout app or Nike Run Club to track avg 1-2 hrs of workout metrics (including mapping route, heart rate, distance, etc, while simultaneously streaming music from an app on phone to bluetooth earbuds – music (not Apple) app and earbuds connected to and controlled by both watch and phone; primarily using watch for basic music controls when active). I also can say that my SE2’s dismal battery life was not discernibly impacted by the connected watch – neither during these heavier usage periods, nor in overall performance with the added demand of nearly constant connection to the watch. I would not recommend taking off to somewhere remote, tracking your activity, AND streaming videos or using the camera, for example, on either device if you will need to prolong the lives of device batteries long enough to get you safely home again. I would not count on an SE 2 in that situation, period, but newer phones are significantly better in that regard. I suppose I might as well just state the obvious, as well: please make sure you have a backup plan to keep yourself safe that does not rely on battery or ac powered tech when you are heading out adventuring.
Thanks alot for your comment – I really enjoyed reading about your experience and tips!