Will 2025 see more of us picking up the pace, or slowing down and enjoying the view? How many new Garmin watches will be released? And will wearable tech take on a new direction to better meet the needs of those of us who like to spend time outdoors?
It’s that time of year when we’re looking back at the last 12 months to see what changed, and thinking ahead to what might be around the corner.
We don’t have a crystal ball, so we decided to ask the experts what they think will be the biggest outdoor fitness trends in 2025. Their answers were resounding – in 2025, we can expect to see better tech, more togetherness, some chilly plunges for the brave and a lot more rest and recovery. The future, in fact, is looking bright. Read on for the top seven outdoor fitness trends that will be everywhere in 2025.
1. Wearable tech will take the scenic route
There’s no denying how integral wearable tech like your GPS watch has become to outdoor activities, whether you’re checking to see how far you’ve run this month, trying to stay in Zone 2 or tracking your sleep. Coach and marathon runner Mimi Nguyen says she expects this trend to go even further next year.
“I anticipate these apps will become even more specialized for outdoor activities.”
Already this year, Garmin rolled out a software update that includes auto transition for multisport activities like triathlons, which detects when you’ve started a different stage and changes activity tracking modes for you, without the need to spend time pressing buttons. But Nguyen envisions wearable tech and sports platforms will get more refined in helping you to plan – or adapt – your adventures.
“How about an app that analyzes your natural environment to help you make adjustments? Or an app that can scan your terrain in real-time? The possibilities are exciting!”
If you haven’t yet jumped in on the smartwatch trend, Strava recently revealed that the Garmin Forerunner series is the most popular across the entire globe, and we recommend you start with our expert buying guides to the best Garmin watches and the best cheap GPS watches.
Best wearable tech for outdoors adventures
2. We’ll train our minds as well as our bodies
Tech might be in, but that doesn’t mean mental wellness is out. In fact, the two might even go hand-in-hand; earlier this month Garmin announced a new meditation mode that measures your breathing to help you relax and de-stress.
“I see people are showing interest in more mental health and mindfulness and I feel like not everyone wants to always go to the gym,” says Chloe Thomas, a PT, Nutrition and Mindset Coach at Chloe Inspires.
“I think there’ll be a rise in mindfulness walks. Walks that are about having a digital detox and seen as therapeutic because they give you time to think, reflect and connect with nature.”
Even though many traditional outdoor activities such as hiking and rock climbing have been proven to be beneficial for mental health in their own right, Nguyen says she thinks we’ll also see a rise in outdoor activities that focus less on exercise (think: soft hiking) and more on mental health such as forest bathing and walking meditation.
“With more and more people taking mental health seriously, I predict there’ll be more outdoor activities that combine physical and mental wellness,” says Nguyen.
“Personally I’d love more hiking activities that practice mindfulness (like the Japanese Kiyomeru), or more guided meditation sessions in nature. So you’ll be purifying your body and your mind as well.”
Exactly what you need for mindfulness-based outdoor activities all depends on what you’re doing, but we have a few ideas that may help you with your meditation practice, and stay more connected to nature when you’re outdoors.
Best gear for mindful adventures
3. Run club will rise
If there’s a run club near you – and let’s be honest, there probably is – you may have noticed it getting bigger by the day, and this is one trend that nearly everyone we spoke to identified as on the rise for 2025.
Global ticketing platform Eventbrite tells us it’s seen attendance at running and walking events in the UK grow by 125 percent last year, and fitness instructor and psychotherapist Eloise Skinner says she thinks this may be a continued response to the isolation many of us experienced during lockdown.
“I think this reflects a desire to reconnect with others after previous trends had shifted more towards isolated fitness activities – and it’s also great for our mental and emotional health to work out in a group.”
Though a solo trail run can be a fantastic way to unplug and de-stress, there are real, proven benefits to exercising with others, including living a longer and happier life.
“We know from research that one of the most important factors in living a long and healthy life is having a great community around us – and group fitness is a fantastic way to combine the physical and mental benefits of exercise with the social and emotional benefits of community,” says Skinner.
Strava’s 2024 data backs up this prediction, reporting a 59 percent increase in run club participation globally amongst its 135 million users this year. It also noted that runners prioritized stopping for coffee or a chat mid-workout, highlighting a shift in attitude away from speed and distance targets and toward improved quality of life.
“This year showed that people are taking control of their active lives and moving in a way that works for them. The rise of a more relaxed workout routine that’s rooted in social connection proves that working out is no longer about burning out,” says Zipporah Allen, Chief Business Officer at Strava.
Particularly if you want to get off-road and into the backcountry, we can’t recommend running with a group more, where a club can provide safety in numbers and help you grow your confidence on the trails.
Best gear for trail running club
4. Hikers will step out together too
Getting together for group exercise outdoors isn’t limited to those who want to move fast. Thomas predicts the group mentality is going to extend to those who prefer to take things at a slower pace in hiking boots.
“I personally think we’re going to see a rise in group walking activities like walking clubs or charity walks. I think that’s because a lot of people are looking for community and accountability and I think this is a good way to do it.”
Thomas also predicts that so-called “naked walks” – meaning walks without the use of tech – will gain popularity, while more people might download maps to their watches and keep their phones on airplane mode and out of reach when they’re on the trail.
For Nguyen, group walks and hikes may offer people a better opportunity to enjoy nature and socialize, because of the slower pace.
“It’ll do your body good, but also it’s a great opportunity to bond with your friends and family or get to know someone new. Hey, maybe your special someone is just waiting to go on a nature walk with you.”
Best gear for group hikes
5. Trail running shoes will be super (sized)
Running is a relatively low-maintenance sport in terms of gear, but if you’re thinking about joining a run club this year, you’ll need a pair of trail running shoes at a minimum. Choosing a pair of running shoes is a very personal decision, but the data from Strava suggests where you might want to start – super shoes.
Unlike the preference for barefoot running shoes which were all the rage 10 years ago, shoes with rocker soles, springy foam midsoles and carbon plates continued to sprint ahead in popularity this year, gaining 14 percent more sales in 2024.
After he smashed the decades-long record at the Leadville 100 this year, ultra runner David Roche said he thinks trail running shoes are going through a “seismic shift” towards the super-sized variety.
“Not only do the shoes cause big performance boosts (with variation in response rates based on the individual and shoe), they seem to expedite recovery,” says Roche.
Though he admits that research into trail running lags behind other styles of running, there is some early evidence published in Scientific Reports that suggests super shoes might reduce stress on the runner, which could in turn improve recovery times, so they might be the best choice for your next pair of trail shoes if you’re planning on signing up for any races in 2025.
Best super shoes
6. More of us will take the plunge
In the UK, Eventbrite saw a surge in ticket sales for cold water swimming events in 2025 – last year, the events marketplace listed more than five times as many cold water events than in 2019.
“Ice dips and cold water swimming aren’t new by any stretch of the imagination, but our data suggests that there’s a growing trend for people getting in together, mainly in mixed community or all-female groups, and often combined with mindful activities like breathwork, yoga and meditation,” says Callum Wild, Commercial Director UK and Ireland at Eventbrite.
Ryan Abbot, who facilitates cold water sessions with his partner Rebecca Wilson via Urban Ice Tribe in Wigan says their events have a community vibe they think is missing from society.
“We have people, from 18 to in their seventies, challenging themselves together and you can feel a communal buzz around the anxiety before they dip and the exhilaration after it. They are consciously together, breathing and dipping, sharing and listening. It’s a very beautiful
experience.”
Though the benefits of wild swimming, as it’s called in the UK, are still being researched, there’s no denying that this outdoor trend is gaining more followers by the day. Doing it with others isn’t just fun, it helps keep you safe and we recommend reading up on our safety information for wild swimming before you dive in.
Best gear for wild swimming
7. We’ll give peace a chance
According to Strava, 2024 didn’t just see people getting more active outdoors – it saw many of us balancing that activity with a lot more all-important rest days, and embracing the benefits of shorter workouts.
Over one-fifth of all workouts logged by Garmin users this year were under 20 minutes, and runners who were training for a marathon this year added more rest days into their schedule; in the 16 weeks before the race, just over half of days were rest days.
Whether you’re training for a race or just staying active and enjoying nature, scheduling regular rest days in 2025 might help you become a stronger runner and avoid injury, especially if you incude active recovery sessions like yoga and foam rolling or enjoy a sports massage.
Rest days can also improve your quality of life, since you’ll be able to spend more time with your loved ones. So go ahead and take a load off this year.
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