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The hiking and outdoor community woke up to some whacko news this week: a Strava vs Garmin lawsuit where Strava demands Garmin stop selling virtually all their fitness devices.
Yep. Strava has filed a lawsuit claiming Garmin infringed on two patents: one covering segments (those competitive route sections we all love to race on) and another covering heatmaps and popularity routing. They’re asking the court to force Garmin to stop selling devices with these features—which means essentially all Garmin watches and cycling computers.
Sounds pretty bonkers, right? But here’s where it gets interesting: the tech blog DC Rainmaker did a deep dive into the case and uncovered some damning facts that Strava conveniently left out.
The Problem with Strava’s Patents
The Heatmap Patent: Strava filed for this patent in December 2014. Sounds reasonable, right? Except Garmin launched heatmaps in their platform in early 2013—more than 18 months earlier. Other companies like RunKeeper also had similar features before Strava’s patent filing. In patent law, this is called “prior art,” and it typically invalidates a patent. Strava is claiming ownership of something that already existed when they filed.
The Segments Patent: This one is less clear-cut. Strava did pioneer the concept of digital segments with leaderboards. However, Garmin introduced their own segments feature back in 2014, and then in 2015, the two companies signed a partnership agreement to bring Strava Live Segments to Garmin devices. That was 10 years ago. Strava apparently had no problem with any of this until… last summer.
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The Real Reason for the Strava vs Garmin Lawsuit
This isn’t really about patents. It’s about attribution and advertising.
In July 2025, Garmin announced new API guidelines requiring all partner apps (including Strava) to display the Garmin logo on activities recorded with Garmin devices. This is standard practice across the tech industry—YouTube shows “Filmed with iPhone,” Google Maps displays its branding, and ironically, Strava itself requires similar attribution from apps that use Strava data.
Strava’s Chief Product Officer went on Reddit to defend the lawsuit, claiming Garmin’s requirement amounts to “blatant advertising” that degrades user experience. But users aren’t buying it. Other apps like Runna already display the Garmin logo without any issues.
As one Redditor put it: “It acknowledges the device and IMO it’s nice to know which device is used if you’re using multiple. It’s not offensive and doesn’t degrade the user experience at all.”
How I Use Strava (and why it matters)
Like many hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, here’s my typical workflow:
- I record my hike on my Garmin watch
- It automatically syncs to Garmin Connect
- It automatically uploads to Strava
- I share it socially, see what friends have been up to, give kudos, and get inspired by new routes
Strava’s value to me is entirely dependent on that seamless Garmin integration. I don’t open the Strava app to start recording—my Garmin takes care of the tracking. And, as a free user, I don’t analyze my data primarily on Strava. What I use Strava for is the social aspect: seeing where my hiking buddies explored over the weekend, discovering popular trails through others’ activities, and being part of a community that celebrates outdoor achievement.
And here’s the crucial point: the moment that integration breaks is the moment I stop using Strava entirely.
I’m not alone in this.
One premium Strava subscriber put it perfectly on Reddit: “As a premium (paid) Strava member I want to be clear that Strava’s only of use to me if it works with Garmin. The moment Strava no longer syncs with Garmin connect is the last time I open Strava.”
Strava’s Existential Risk
Here’s what makes the Strava vs Garmin lawsuit so baffling from a business perspective:
Garmin users are Strava’s business. According to industry analysis, Garmin users have historically made up the majority of paid Strava subscribers. Serious hikers, runners, and cyclists use dedicated GPS devices, not smartphones. Garmin dominates this market.
The leverage is backwards. Strava seems to think they have the upper hand, but consider what happens if Garmin simply cuts off API access:
- Paid Strava subscribers cancel immediately (why pay for a service that doesn’t work with your device?)
- Free users like me stop logging in (no new activities to share or view)
- The social network collapses—fewer activities mean less engagement, which means more people leave
- Strava loses its core value proposition as a cross-platform social network
Meanwhile, Garmin would be… mostly fine. They have their own social features on Garmin Connect. They have their own segments. Are they as good as Strava’s? No, for sure. But Garmin’s business is selling hardware, and people will keep buying Garmin watches regardless of Strava integration. Garmin DGAF about Strava.
The Strava vs Garmin Double Standard
What makes Strava’s position even harder to defend is their own history:
- In 2024, Strava made aggressive API changes that forced partners like TrailForks to delete 60 million activities
- Strava required API partners to provide clear attribution showing data came from Strava
- Yet Strava never provided similar attribution for data coming from Garmin Connect
- Now they’re fighting against giving Garmin the same attribution they demand for themselves
This isn’t about principles or user experience. (Big insight: it never is.) This is about wanting to have it both ways: benefiting from Garmin’s hardware and data while refusing to acknowledge the source. It’s so stupid, it boggles the mind.
What it all Means for the Hiking Community
If Strava and Garmin can’t resolve this, we get a situation where:
- The best hardware (Garmin watches) won’t work with the best social platform (Strava)
- Hiking communities on Strava will see participation plummet
- Trail discovery through shared routes becomes harder
- The motivation and inspiration from seeing friends’ adventures disappears
Strava built its success by being the universal platform where people with different devices could connect and share. By picking this fight, they’re threatening to destroy the very thing that made them valuable. I repeat: it’s so stupid, it boggles the mind.
Strava vs Garmin Lawsuit: The Bottom Line
I want Strava to succeed. Garmin + Strava is a pretty decent combo. I want to keep sharing my mountain adventures with my friends, and I want to keep discovering new trails through the community’s collective experience. But Strava’s current path threatens all of that.
Patents that shouldn’t have been granted in the first place. Litigation over features that have existed for a decade. Refusing reasonable attribution requirements that every other developer has accepted. None of this seems like it’s really about protecting innovation or defending users. It’s just corporate stubbornness or greed that will destroy the platform we’ve all come to rely on.
Strava, my dude, please swallow your pride, add the dang the logo, and drop the lawsuit. Get back to building features that actually matter to users. You’re heading into a fight you can’t win, and we’re all going to lose if you keep pushing forward.
What are your thoughts on this Strava vs. Garmin suit? How do you use these platforms, and what would you do if they stopped working together?
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