NeverChill

Free tool

Turn any GPX into a navigable Garmin FIT course.

Convert a GPX route to a navigable Garmin FIT course in your browser. We detect turns, write course_point waypoints, preserve elevation, and hand back a .fit file that prompts you on every Edge, Fenix, or Forerunner. Free, no signup, your route never gets uploaded - the whole conversion runs locally on your device.

route.gpxbecomescourse.fit

Bearing change (degrees) to mark a course_point. Higher = fewer turns.

How it works

  1. 1

    Drop a .gpx track

    Routes from Komoot, Ride With GPS, Strava, or hand-built - any GPX with trackpoints works.

  2. 2

    We detect the turns

    Every bearing change above 60 degrees becomes a course_point waypoint so the head unit can prompt you.

  3. 3

    Download the .fit

    Course-typed FIT with a course header and every original trackpoint preserved.

What you get

  • Auto-detects turns by bearing delta with an adjustable threshold
  • Course-typed FIT with header, records, and course_point messages
  • Works on Garmin Edge, Fenix, and Forerunner turn-by-turn navigation
  • Elevation field carried through untouched - we never resample altitude
  • Built on the official Garmin FIT SDK for round-trip-safe encoding
  • Works offline - your GPX stays on your device, never uploaded

When to use this

Use this tool whenever you have a route from a planner (Komoot, Ride With GPS, Strava routes, Plotaroute, BRouter) and want it to navigate properly on a Garmin Edge or Fenix. Uploading the raw GPX onto a Garmin will let you follow the line on the map, but you will not get the audible turn prompts, the warning beep before each turn, or the on-screen arrow that tells you which way to go at a junction. For long routes or unfamiliar territory, the difference between a track and a navigable course is the difference between riding and stopping every 100 meters to squint at the map.

How it works under the hood

The tool decodes your GPX into a list of trackpoints in your browser, then walks the sequence computing the bearing between each pair of consecutive points. Wherever the bearing change across three consecutive points exceeds the threshold (60 degrees by default), it inserts a course_point message at that location with a generic turn type. It then writes a fresh FIT file with a course-typed file_id, a course message containing the route name and total distance, every trackpoint as a record, and every detected turn as a course_point. The encoding uses the official Garmin FIT SDK with proper CRC and header so the output is guaranteed to be accepted by Garmin Connect and every modern Edge/Fenix/Forerunner.

Common mistakes

Three things bite people. First, dropping a workout FIT in instead of a route GPX - this tool needs a route as input, not a recorded activity. Second, expecting turn prompts on a unit that does not support the Courses app (older Fenix and entry-level Forerunner watches will not prompt even with course_points present). Third, leaving the turn threshold at 60 degrees on a route with lots of gentle curves - you will get false-positive prompts every time the road bends. If you see prompts you do not want, raise the threshold; if you miss prompts at real junctions, lower it.

Frequently asked questions

Why not just upload the GPX to my head unit?
Garmin head units treat a GPX as a track without turn prompts. A FIT course carries explicit course_point messages, so you get the beep and the on-screen arrow at every turn. The difference is roughly the same as following a line on a map versus following a real navigation system that tells you what to do.
Will my Garmin show turn-by-turn directions?
For most Edge units (Edge 530/540/830/840/1030/1040/1050), yes - the course_points trigger the standard turn-by-turn UI with the on-screen arrow. Older Fenix watches may only beep without the directional arrow. If your unit supports the Courses app, this file will navigate it.
Does this preserve elevation?
Yes - every trackpoint's ele field carries through verbatim. We do not resample altitude, smooth it, or pull from a different DEM. If your GPX had garbage elevation to start, the FIT will too. To clean that up, run the file through our [FIT Elevation Setter](/tools/fit-elevation-setter) after converting.
What is the turn-detection threshold?
Bearing change greater than 60 degrees across three consecutive trackpoints by default. Adjustable on the tool page if your route is unusually twisty (drop to 45 degrees for tight switchbacks) or unusually open (raise to 75 degrees for highway routes where you only want major decision points marked).
Will this work with Komoot, RWGPS, and Strava GPX exports?
Yes - all three platforms export standard GPX 1.1. Drop the file straight in. The only thing to watch for is that some Komoot exports include turn instructions as waypoints; we ignore those and detect turns from the track geometry to keep the result consistent across sources.
How do I copy the .fit onto my Garmin?
Plug the unit into your computer via USB. Drop the .fit into the Garmin/NewFiles or Garmin/Courses folder (depends on the model). Eject, unplug, and the course shows up in the Courses app on your unit.
Can I batch convert many GPX files at once?
One file at a time today. If you need bulk conversion (commute routes, brevet packages, multi-day tour days), email hello@neverchill.com and we will prioritize a batch flow.
Why does my converted course distance differ slightly from the GPX?
GPX distance is usually summed from haversine deltas between adjacent points; FIT distance is computed during encoding from the same coordinates with a slightly different algorithm. Expect 0.1-0.5% drift, never anything that affects navigation.

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