Zipper Temperature Gauge?

I'm looking for a quality temperature gauge to hike with. I've seen the $3 gauges that attach to a zipper, but I am looking for something more accurate and easy to read. A small digital version that I could attach to my pack would be perfect.

Any ideas?

A friend of mine used to hike with one of these. It seemed to work pretty well.

Not sure it's really something I'd agree is worth spending $150 on.

It looks like there are plenty of alternatives, though.

He is looking for a thermometer, not an altimeter.

REI lists a digital thermometer for $10: http://www.rei.com/product/745064/coghlans-time-and-temperature-digital-dangler However, digital is not necessarily more accurate than analog.

Doug

DougPaul said:

He is looking for a thermometer, not an altimeter.

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The altimeter I linked to also has a thermometer.

EDIT: I see you what mean... for some reason the link I posted is messed up. When I click on it in firefox, it gives me search results for thermometers... but when I click on it in internet explorer, it gives me search results for altimeters. I'll fix it.

The above post notwithstanding - check the reviews posted on the REI website. Some complain about the thermometer when it drops below 0F.

This is something that I also am interested in, especially for winter. I once invested $20 in a gadget from EMS that had a light, whistle, magnetic compass and a digital thermometer--time piece.

It worked great through the summer but as soon as it got cold -- somewhere below 20* the readout faded out. It would come back when I got my pack back inside. I left it home through the winter. But the next summer the readout disappeared altogether although the battery still worked for the light. The ability of a cheep digital thermometer to work in the deep cold of the winter is a major issue.

I've been looking around for one of those spring operated thermometers the type that you can find for cars, that would attach to a backpack not because they're more accurate, but because they tend to be more easily readable. I haven't yet found one and have been using the LLBean model you talk about.

I just said to my sister the other day, I wish I had a thermometer for my pack, I will follow this thread with interest, whatever thermometer I get must go below zero, brrrr.

I've had one of those cheap (I think it was free) zipper pull analog thermometers on my pack for years and it always conveyed enough accuracy for my ... curiosity ... and it requires no batteries. Lowest temp noted -15F in Baxter Park in January. Highest temp was maxed out at 120F on the way to Delicate Arch, Arches NP in July.

I to have a small analog and I would guess it is 10+ years old. I have been moving it to various areas of my home this am and it works beautifully. It hangs with my whistle so whatever pack I use it's there. The temp registers in 5 degree increments and it goes to -20. On the back is a wind speed, chill factor chart. I carry it, but don't utilize it much, occasionally on very cold days. It gets tons of abuse because I don't exactly place my packs on the ground with great care.
I was a bit surprised that is was still functional. AMC product.

I went through a period where I wanted to know the temperature and thought there should be a quick, inexpensive and easy fix. One problem was being able to read one of those tiny zipper thermometers. Couldn't do it.

My answer was to get one like those that you can apply to your house window with suction cups. http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3201451&cp=2568443.2568448.2626062.2627637
I didn't like the way it swang/swung when I walked. Probably I could have secured it, but then it didn't matter to me as much.

walker said:

Let not forget two things about the cold and electronics.

1) Batteries hate cold. The amount of amps being delivered to the circuit is greatly reduced as the ambient temperature is lowered. [graph deleted]

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The graph is for a lead-acid traction battery. (Not used in winter hiking.)

Different battery chemistries have different sensitivities to the cold. The graph in question should treated as a generic example in this context and not be applied to the battery types used in hiking--alkaline, NiMH (rechargeable), or Lithium Ion (rechargeable), lithium primary. (Listed in worst-to-best order for cold tolerance.)

Your graph is also for a 6hr discharge rate--some devices draw more current, some less. In general lower a current draw reduces the effects of cold on a battery.

2) LCD's hate cold. As the temperature goes down, the ability of the liquid crystal to change properties (that is to become displayed) slows to the point that no display will be produced. Ever notice your GPS displays slows in the winter time?

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LCDs come in a variety of operating temperature ratings--GPSes have outdoor-rated LCDs which have a greater temp range than the indoor-rated LCDs found on, for instance, phones and watches. My Garmin GPSes also have an internal temperature sensor--one of its uses is to temperature compensate the LCD.

I've never had any problems reading my GPS in the cold.

If you really need a thermometer for the winter, I'd stick with the good old analog. I have an old one hang on my pack also. Booth are almost always in agreement.

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I carry a small zipper-pull alcohol thermometer with a small compass in my pack. http://www.rei.com/product/408183/rei-therm-o-compass I rarely pull it out*--I can generally estimate the temperature closely enough for my needs.

* I also carry a better compass--this one is a backup.

I used to carry a good thermometer for measuring the snow temp for XC ski waxing, but again I can estimate the temperature adequately from the snow conditions.

Doug

I got this one from www.wintertrekking.com They were selling them to raise money for the site. Cost $8 and has both F and C, plus a windchill chart on the back. Made of plastic.

TomD said:

I got this one from www.wintertrekking.com They were selling them to raise money for the site. Cost $8 and has both F and C, plus a windchill chart on the back. Made of plastic.

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That looks just like the one I have but mine is white.
The thing is indestructible.

I keyed in on five criteria of yours: small, digital, accurate, quality, easy to read. My recommendation is Kestrel. Less than $100, includes anemometer, smaller than 5” x 2” x 1", under 3 oz, high quality, accurate to 1.8F. I can read mine without my reading glasses. I’ve had mine for over 10 years and it still has the original battery in it. I carry mine in a small pocket attached to my pack strap. It also has a lanyard if you want to hang it around your neck or attach it to your pack.

JohnL

I recently bought a Celestron TrekGuide Multifunction Weather Tool from REI for $35. It's about the size of a pack of cigarettes and dangles from a lanyard. The altimeter function seems fairly good. I'm not certain about the thermometer function, but it's way better than my old Timex wristwatch-altimeter-thermometer which always gave the temperature of my wrist.

I just found this gadget on line at Sunny Sports. I thought I'd give it a try. My guess is I'll have the same difficulty with the readout in the winter as I've experienced with other cheap LCD devices, but at the price I thought I'd try it. http://www.sunnysports.com/Catalog....ext=2200&Filter=flid_2320_2=2344&Page=1&Hit=1 Sometime after I receive it and can try it out I'll report back.

Maddy said:

That looks just like the one I have but mine is white.
The thing is indestructible.

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Hard to tell from the picture, but these are chrome silver with the wintertrekking logo on them. Look closely, you can see a guy in a parka pulling a sled.

TomD said:

Hard to tell from the picture, but these are chrome silver with the wintertrekking logo on them. Look closely, you can see a guy in a parka pulling a sled.

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Mine is an AMC Version with their logo. Wind chill chart on the back.

Ed'n Lauky said:

I just found this gadget on line at Sunny Sports. I thought I'd give it a try. My guess is I'll have the same difficulty with the readout in the winter as I've experienced with other cheap LCD devices, but at the price I thought I'd try it. http://www.sunnysports.com/Catalog....ext=2200&Filter=flid_2320_2=2344&Page=1&Hit=1 Sometime after I receive it and can try it out I'll report back.

Click to expand...

I ordered it and it's come already. I was hoping I would be able to toggle the the display between the time and the temp but that's not possible. It all reads out together. Nevertheless the temp readout is about 1/4 inch high and still more easily read than the small thermometers. I've compared it's accuracy with other thermometers and it is quite accurate. When coming from outdoors to indoors it is a little slower in picking up the new temperature than an alcohol thermometer but when it catches up it registers the same.

It has not been real cold out so I put it in the freezer and it read down to almost Zero without losing the display.

I also accidently dropped it from about four feet on to a concrete floor without any damage. The paper says it is water resistant. I can see that it might be a good idea not to fall in a stream with it.

All in all for a cheap thermometer it does seem to work well and is certainly worth the price.