Kestrel 4000 Pocket Weather Tracker REVIEW

[Benjamin Smith]

Companion forum thread to:

Kestrel 4000 Pocket Weather Tracker REVIEW

[Roleigh Martin]

I just got done researching the various pocket weather devices and for multiple reasons went with the Brunton ADC Pro which basegear.com now sells for $140. It is 2 oz and has a very super loud alarm clock, watch with backlight, storm alarm, forecast, etc. Much more easier to understand. The Kestrel 4500 or 4500T seems to be better for a professional weather forecaster who can make sense of raw data, but the ADC Pro is better for a layperson like me, who wants the bottom line forecast and also a storm alarm. It is also cheaper and lighter too and serves as a watch, alarm clock, and weather forecaster.

[Roleigh Martin]

Benjamin, I presume there was a typo in this sentence — the word "not" should be ignored, correct?

"Charts and min-max-avg are not available for the user screens."

[Will Rietveld]

Hi Roleigh. Thanks for your comments. I am not personally familiar with the Brunton ADC Pro, but it sounds like a very useful instrument at a reasonable price.

The statement about the user screens is correct. They simply allow you to view 3 parameters at once to save a few steps, but do not provide access to expanded information. You have to go to an individual parameter (eg Temperature or Relative Humidity) to look at the expanded information (min-max-average, graphs).

You mention that the Kestrel is more for techie types, implying that it is more complex, but I disagree – its very simple and straightforward to operate and use. It provides most of the same information as a multi-function watch, and some information more relevant to backpackers, and is much easier to use.

Best,
Will

[Michael Davis]

Great review Will,

I have the Kestrel 3500 which esentially does the same measurements but does not have the memory/computer hook-up so data must be journaled by hand if that is desired. Of course it costs less and is lighter but otherwise looks similar. Here is the web page:
http://www.nkhome.com/ww/wwindex.html

Some would say, "Why pack that! It's not essential." True, but it is fun and a little fun in the woods, to me, is worth a couple of ounces. I do take notes about the weather in my journal, based on the facts from the Kestrel, not my misjudged impressions. From a practical standpoint, I observe the dew point vs. temperature and humidity and can predict what kind of condensation problems I will encounter.

But mostly, it's just a fun something of interest to play with on the trail. After all, backpacking is about keeping in touch with our environment and the Kestrel simply takes that concept to the next level. Of course, I got mine on ebay for a sweet price that allowed me to justify it. (Thank God for ebay)!

[Mitchell Keil]

Unless I missed something when I went to the Brunton Site to look at the ADC Pro, it appears not to be capable of keeping track of temperature changes in the same way as the Kestral does. It appears to be able to only provide the current temperature and does not appear to record temperature data points over time. Have I missed something here?

[Roleigh Martin]

Will, I had downloaded the user manuals for the Kestrel 4500 and 3500 and was thinking of getting the 3500 but then I found out about the ADC Pro. The home page for it is here: http://www.brunton.com/product.php?id=262 — check out the lengthy user manual. What sold me on the ADC Pro was having a very loud alarm clock, the predictive weather forecast icons on the time page, and best of all a customizable storm alarm which (I have not spent the time to figure it all out yet) appears to be able to forecast a storm in a 3 hour window. As one hikes a mountain pass, one does not want to find out near the top one is in the midst of a lightening storm. I hike SEKI every summer and last year we had storms 8 out of 9 days and they came around early to late afternoon, knowing a 3 hour forecast and having an alarm sound off is something I prefer over something like the Kestrel that requires me to do my own forecasting. I just did not see much forecasting features in the units, only trend tracking up to the present (in the 3500 over 12 hours) or in the 4000/45000 over many days if so desired.

Can BPL ask Brunton for a review unit of the ADC Pro, it would be great to get a comparison review. The ADC Pro is also only 2 ounces (without the lanyard). That makes it very light too, and the ability to be a loud alarm clock and a watch with backlight is great too.

[Roleigh Martin]

Mitchell, download the user manual. Here are some excerpts from the ADC Pro user manual:

Pressure History Graph

The ADC is equipped with a barometric
pressure memory function. It records the last
24 hours barometric pressure readings, and
it can display them by bar-graph.
In Barometer Mode, press the [set] button to
select the Pressure History Graph Display.
While in the Temperature History Graph
Display, the right most bar will start flashing.
The right most bar represents the current
temperature (0 hour), while the other bars
represent the pressure records of the last 24
hours. Each pressure record is taken at the
hour (i.e 12:00, 1:00 and 2:00 … ).
To browse the pressure record at different
times, press the [set] button to scroll the
record backward (from the current record to
the -24 hour record) or press the [reset]
button to scroll the record forward (from the
-24 hour record to the current record).

Temperature History Graph

The ADC is equipped with a temperature
memory function. It records the last 24-hour
temperature and displays them by bar-graph.
In Temperature Mode, press the [set] button
to select the Temperature History Graph
Display.
While in the Temperature History Graph
Display setting, the right most bar will start
flashing.
The right most bar represents the current
temperature (0 hour). While the other bars
represent the temperature records of the last
24 hours. Each temperature record is taken
at the hour (i.e. 12:00, 1:00, 2:00 …)
To browse the temperature record at
different times, press the [set] button to
select the record by backward scrolling or
[reset] button to select time by forward
scrolling (hold down the button to scroll the
setting at a faster pace).

Temperature History Graph

The ADC is equipped with a temperature
memory function. It records the last 24-hour
temperature and displays them by bar-graph.
In Temperature Mode, press the [set] button
to select the Temperature History Graph
Display.
While in the Temperature History Graph
Display setting, the right most bar will start
flashing.
The right most bar represents the current
temperature (0 hour). While the other bars
represent the temperature records of the last
24 hours. Each temperature record is taken
at the hour (i.e. 12:00, 1:00, 2:00 …)
To browse the temperature record at
different times, press the [set] button to
select the record by backward scrolling or
[reset] button to select time by forward
scrolling (hold down the button to scroll the
setting at a faster pace).

Data Log Function

The ADC is equipped with a function to log
the sensor functional mode data. These
data are the current wind speed, ambient
temperature, barometric pressure, relative
humidity and the altitude at the current
location.
This data also includes the time and date
that the logging was taken.
The ADC can log data automatically (log a
data at a preset interval) or manually.
For logging data automatically, check the
'Automatic Data Log' section below. For
logging data manually, check the previous
'Manual Data Log'.
1) The log memory can log up to 256 records
and 1980 data.

Weather Forecast Symbol
What Does the Weather Forecast Symbol
indicate

The ADC includes a weather forecast function
that predicts the weather for the next 12 hours.
The ADC will display the forecasted weather
by the weather forecast symbol. There are five
kind of weather forecast symbols, they are the
Sunny, Partial Cloudy, Cloudy, Rainy and
Stormy.
A 'Sunny' symbol generally indicates
improving weather or sunny weather ahead.
A 'Partial Cloudy' symbol generally indicates
slightly cloudy weather ahead.
A 'Cloudy' symbol generally indicates
deteriorating weather or cloudy weather
ahead.
A 'Rainy' symbol generally indicates adverse
weather or rainy weather ahead.
A 'Stormy' symbol generally indicates stormy
weather ahead.

About Stormy Alarm
Storm Alarm Sound

If the 'stormy' weather forecast symbol
appears, the ADC starts beeping for about 30
seconds.
The ADC will NOT beep again unless another
'stormy' condition is predicted.

[Woubeir (from Europe)]

I bought an ADC Pro last year or 2 years ago. I chose it over one of the Kestrel models because of the alarm clock because I don't wear a seperate watch. Nice tool with a lot of functions but not always to operate (lots of functions and only 3 buttons).

[Mark Verber]

I also have the Burton Pro. As others have noted, it is a quite capable unit. There are only two things that I don't like about it. The first is with the minimal number of buttons, getting to the right function can be somewhat tricky. Normally I don't need to read a manual, but I did with the Burton. The second issue is that when logging is turned on, the unit gives a tiny "beep" when recording data. I haven't found a way to turn this off. I sleep very lightly, the beep sometimes wakes me up.

Random questions for Burton users. In theory it's waterproof and you can measure water flow. Has anyone done this?

[Mitchell Keil]

Thanks Roliegh, I did not read the manual which as you indicate is on the site as a pdf file. The Pro appears to be a very capable unit and at a better price compared to the Kestral.I guess this or the Kestral is the next gear gadget I "need" to look at purchasing. I always wonder about overnight temperatures and weather conditions as I approach High Sierra passes.
Thanks Again!

[Roleigh Martin]

I'm going on a 17 day hike with a brand new Brunton ADC Pro pocket weather meter. How long does the Brunton ADC Pro operate on 1 CR2032 Battery? I'm wondering how many if any spare batteries I need to bring along. Thanks!

[Mark Verber]

I am sure that I have change the batteries twice since I got the unit in 2004. I do think it has been more than than, but it is possible that I have changed the batteries up to four times. Some somewhere between 6 months a 1.5 years / battery.

[Woubeir (from Europe)]

That should be about right.
I purchased one in 2005, had to change to a new battery after a couple of months and the new battery ran till may 2007.

[Roleigh Martin]

In those couple of months, would you say it would be more than using it daily for 17 days?

[Woubeir (from Europe)]

If you mean the couple of months between purchase and battery change, I would call this irrelevant since I bought the unit with the battery already installed. Who knows how long it had been lying there? Since the battery change, I've been on at least two 10-day trips, several 2 to 5 day trips and numerous daytrips and I had no problem with the battery.

[Doug Evans]

I have both the Brunton and the Kestrel – Kestrel wins, hands down. Better interface, more accurate, better battery life, easier to use. I've been able to test side by side. JMO –

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