Packable Min/Max Thermometer

[Delmar O’Donnell]

If I could find a reasonably small min/max thermometer, I'd carry it. I'm very interested in matching gear to temperatures, but often sleep through the cold part of the night, so don't know how cold it got. Is there such a thing as a "small" min/max thermometer?

Alternately, is this a function on a high-tec watch?

Smallest I could find, but they appear to be designed for immersion of the probe:

http://www.gemplers.com/product/G74800/Water-Resistant-Lollipop-min-max-Thermometer

http://www.grainger.com/product/COOPER-ATKINS-Digital-Pocket-Thermometer-4DKK1?s_pp=false

[d k]

They may still work if the probe is not immersed; I know my instant read kitchen thermometer, which looks a little like those, seems to read the room temperature before I stick it into whatever I'm measuring the temperature of.

[Jay L]

Here is the one I use. 1.16 oz (32g) and "weather resistant" so I hang on my pack.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Accurite-Thermometer-with-Suction-Cup/16888909

[Jerry Adams]

Good question – nice to see all the thermometers people mention

I find that 90%+ of the time, it's coldest when I get up in the morning. Or a little after. When the sun rises, and depending on how much I'm in the sun, that's when the temperature will start increasing.

[Bob Bankhead]

There are some times waking up in the mountains, you really don't want to know. Just get your tail out of bed, pack up, and hit the trail.

There are similar times in the desert (anywhere between 11 am and 6 pm) while lying on your insulated pad under a jury-rigged sun shield when the same is true.

Ignorance can be bliss!

[Jerry Adams]

"There are some times waking up in the mountains, you really don't want to know."

Just put your head back in your cocoon and wait for the sun to come up : )

[Trace Richardson]

This is a great idea … I would love to know this info as well … might grab the one Jay linked to … also found this one but it's 2.32 ounces (per a reviewer) and don't really need the other features it has …

http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Quality-Portable-Outdoor-Exercise/dp/B00478M1MG/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1393031287&sr=8-11&keywords=minimum+maximum+thermometer

The one Jay mentioned is on Amazon if you have Prime and don't want to drive to Walmart:

[Delmar O’Donnell]

Thanks for the lead. Reading through the Amazon reviews of the Acu-Rite, it sounds like you either get a good one, or you don't.

Also saw a mention they're sold at Home Depot, too. Aha, http://tinyurl.com/m67mleg

The price and weight is right! Guess I'll be wading through all the RV campers in the WalMart parking lot to find one…

[Travis Higdon]

To answer your second question, my Suunto Ambit does this. I last used it to graph overnight temps for an igloo trip. Not the cheapest option, but since you asked about watches.

[Window walker]

You could try a digital hygrometer made for cigar boxes. It has high low memory for humidity and temperature. I do not know if they can handle be jostled around in a pack, and they don't appear to be water resistant if that's a factor.

http://www.amazon.com/CALIBER-DIGITAL-HYGROMETER-CIGAR-HUMIDOR/dp/B00A9W41GI

You can see the size if you look on youtube. It may be too big for you but has a slim profile.

[Ian]

Rex wrote a nice article on the topic.

I've been using the Accurite since I read this at home and on my pack. So far so good.

[Jim Colten]

Be aware of the temperature range on electronic thermometers relative to temperatures you might encounter, especially on the low end

The acurite's low end is -4F, there are others with the low end of +14F.

The Cooper Atkins mentioned above reaches to -40F … but that probe makes it more than a bit less packable

[Delmar O’Donnell]

Do you think the probe has to remain intact, or could it be trimmed? On the Atkins it's stainless steel, but I've seen some probes that are just a bit of conductive aluminum.

Grainger has these too:

http://www.grainger.com/product/GENERAL-Digital-Pocket-Thermometer-3VAC8?s_pp=false

http://www.grainger.com/product/GENERAL-Digital-Pocket-Thermometer-WP51277/_/N-/Ntt-memory+thermometer?sst=subset&s_pp=false

[Kevin Burton]

Looks like an external temp sensor might be making it to phones in the future:

"The S4 is the phone that has brought a dedicated temperature sensor to the masses. While it is not the first phone to contain a thermometer, it is the the first internationally available device to do so. I’m not going to write much about the sensors in the S4 because we all know they’re awesome, but unfortunately not cheap."

http://opensignal.com/blog/2013/08/19/android-phones-with-ambient-air-temperature-sensors/

… I"m more curious of the full histography so I can graph the temperature over time.

[Delmar O’Donnell]

Hm, wouldn't you have to leave your phone on all night to accomplish low readings?

[Glenn S]

This thread has someone who stripped the whole shell off the Accuright and got it down to 17 grams.

[Mark Fowler]

If you carry a Garmin GPS that talks to ANT sensors (eTrex 30 and above)try the Garmin Tempe. Current temperature + 24 hour highest and lowest readout on the GPS and only 10 grams (1/3 oz). The temperature also gets recorded in your track log so you can set the GPS up to act as a data logger.

[William F]

I got this little alarm clock a few months ago, http://www.ebay.com/itm/Equity-31571-Battery-Operated-Digital-Stick-On-Alarm-Clock-Timer-/261187998060?ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

I weighed it at home and it came out to 32.5 g with the battery and magnet on the back. So if I remove the magnet maybe a few grams less. I think they have it listed at 2 oz or something, and other sites will have other inaccurate weights posted. There is a temperature readout on it. I have yet to try it at low temperatures, only down into the 40s. I'll test it out either outside (if it ever gets cold around here) or in the refrigerator in the next few days and report back. It was really cheap so I'm not expecting too much out of it.

[David White]

This is what I carry:
http://www.amazon.com/Extech-39240-Thermometer-Waterproof-Stem/dp/B0012W0FJ6

It's worked exceptionally well and weighs 0.9 ounces on my scale. You might be able to lighten it a bit but I haven't tried.

[Phillip Asby]

add me to the accurite camp – the one I have has worked reliably although I have replaced the battery …

It does the job and I really like having data around what I wore, slept in, etc… and how I felt relative to the actual temps. I took my 40 degree bag on a trip where temps were anticipated in the upper 40's. Had light base layers and a fleece just in case and was freezing… used the fleece and my upper was fine but lower not so much. Temps went into the mid 30's it turned out – to extend a lightweight 40 degree bag into those temps I had a pretty clear data point to let me know i'd need more clothing and a better hat to do so if I wanted to do that again.

I am a newbie, however, and am trying to climb up the curve as quickly as possible so data is invaluable to me to help figure out systems that work. If I had more nights under my belt with this equipment I probably would not be as fixated on knowing and recording what I took – actual temps and what worked than I am…!

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