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If you're a person who wants to know the actual numbers:

  • What was the wind speed on top of that peak?
  • What is the wind chill right now (wind chill is the combined effect of the wind and temperature)?
  • Why does if feel so miserably hot right now (the heat index measures the combined effect of temperature and humidity)?
  • Why did we get so much condensation in the tent last night, but not the night before?
  • How cold did it get last night, and how much colder is it on the valley floor?
  • How much warmer is it in my tent compared to outside?

If you "need to know," then you are a good candidate to own a Kestrel Pocket Weather Tracker. Nielsen-Kellerman makes a full line of Kestrel weather instruments ranging from a minimal feature set (model 1000) to the "top dog" (now the 4500) that measures a wide range of environmental conditions. The 4000 series stores data and uploads it to a computer for later evaluation, even charting. The 4000 even measures barometric pressure and has a barometric altimeter that is easy to set and use. Future generations will probably include a GPS!

This remarkable hand-held gadget weighs only 3 ounces, is rugged and waterproof, and is well worth the weight if you're someone intrigued by the above questions and who wants to more fully document your trips. How useful is the Kestrel 4000, and what are the pros/cons of using it compared to a typical multi-function watch?

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