About

About inclinepace

A free, open calculator that turns an incline — or loaded — walk into its flat-pace equivalent.

If you walk on a treadmill incline, or train with a weighted vest or a ruck, "how hard is this really?" is hard to answer, because the popular grade-adjusted-pace tools were built for running and reuse running formulas for everything. Walking has a different energy-cost curve, and carrying load changes it again.

inclinepace converts an incline walk — and, uniquely, a weighted-vest or rucking walk — into the flat, unloaded pace that costs the same energy. It uses the ACSM walking equation for unloaded walks (not the running formulas most "grade adjusted pace" tools misapply to walks) and the Pandolf load-carriage equation for carried weight, then reports METs, calories, and the equivalent flat pace, labelling it a walk or a jog honestly. The models are population averages on firm ground; results are estimates for planning, not lab measurements or medical advice, and everything runs in your browser.

So inclinepace uses the right tools for the job: the ACSM walking equation for unloaded walks, the ACSM running equation only when the input is actually a run, and the Pandolf, Givoni & Goldman (1977) equation for carried load. It then reports the energy cost in METs and calories and solves for the flat, unloaded pace with the same cost — telling you honestly when that lands in jogging territory. Because it is a static page, your numbers stay in your browser.

Informational only — not medical or training advice. Build up gradually, especially with added load, and consult a qualified professional about your own health and training. Open the calculator →