Tiny digital scale

[Dale Wambaugh]

I have been using a Digiweigh 35 pound digital scale for most my UL gear and it has worked well. It will weigh within 0.1oz, but that is usually more like 0.2oz for general use. When comparing small items and choosing components, it is interesting to have finer results. I found a tiny pocket-sized scale that is just 3.3 x 3.3 x 0.8" and will weigh up to 10.58oz/300g and the advertised readability is 0.005oz/0.1g. It also reads in grains and pennyweight/dwt and runs on two AAA batteries. It is made by Equinox, model EX-300.

One caveat is the small platform. A wide item can hang up on the sides, so another small flat object can be used as a riser and the scale can be zeroed with that in place.

So now I can split hairs on whistles, mini-biners and razor blades :)

I found this in a thrift store, but there is a web site that shows this one and happens to have an enormous inventory of digital scales: http://www.okpocketscale.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=888. $11!

[Bob Gross]

The trouble with products like this is that the accuracy is seldom guaranteed.

–B.G.–

[Dale Wambaugh]

Yeah, $11 doesn't buy lab/engineering/industrial grade stuff. I have been surprised by how well the cheap digital scales do work.

[EndoftheTrail]

I agree with both of you:

1. Buy the cheapest — and indeed it will be more of a "hit or miss".

2. Like with Dale, my no-name digital scale has also been serving me well since 2004 (I paid $30 for it on Ebay).

[Rick Dreher]

For our lightweight tortured souls it's more important that the scale be consistent than provide a precise weight, because consistency allows us to compare weights with confidence.

Accuracy can be "ball-parked" by test-weighing items of known weight and then if you're truly tortured, you can make a conversion table. FWIW I've found today's consumer digital scales to vary less from reality than inexpensive purely mechanical scales. Affordable digiscales are a nice alternative to the very expensive calibrated ones, which never seem to get any cheaper.

Cheers,

Rick

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Dirt cheap ones on eBay are the way to go. We're talking $4-$8 including shipping. They can weigh from 0.1g to 2000g and I've used several and found them to extremely accurate. Do an eBay search for 'digital pocket scale 2000g' to grab one.

Here's a recent thread with more info and comments:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=40953&skip_to_post=351090#351090

[Aaron Reichow]

Indeed! I've had good luck with cheap scales from Deal Extreme as well, same price range.

Most of the cheap scales I've had can be calibrated. DX also sells small weights for calibrating. Most are surprisingly accurate, but die after a few years of use.

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