Kestrel 4500 Weather Meter

My biking and hiking weekend with the Kestrel 4500 Weather Meter

By Christopher N.

Kestrel Weather Meter

I’m training for a century ride (100+ miles) as a part of a fundraising effort for the MS Society. And I never turn down an opportunity to give the hiking legs a workout on vertical terrain. This past weekend, I decided to combine the two activities while trying out the Kestrel 4500 Weather Meter.

This Kestrel unit is an amazingly powerful device that can be used for many purposes in a variety of environments. It has enough features to satisfy the needs of many military professionals and bush pilots, but can be helpful for hunters, fishers, climbers, hikers, or really anyone who wishes to record environmental data for immediate readings or to study data trends. Besides being a self-admitted data nerd who loves to record and analyze data, I am looking forward to using this device for recording environmental data while I’m out testing other outdoor gear. For both my sake and those who read my reviews, I’d like to be able to definitively say, for example, that a tent withstood 50 mph winds (with gusts up to 65 mph), or that I slept warmly in a sleeping bag down to -40 degrees, without having to guess.

While it is a complex piece of equipment, I have found it to be relatively easy to set up and start using. However, I do recommend taking a few minutes to read the set-up guide. One of the key steps in starting up is to insert a shim between the batteries that reduces the magnetic interference of the batteries on the built-in compass. If planning to use the device to measure barometric pressure and altitude, I also recommend reading the information about these two measurements and how they are measuring the same thing, expressed in different units.

Now back to my weekend! On Saturday, I biked over 35 miles. It was fun to see how the elevation changed over the course of my route as the unit recorded data points every couple minutes. (There is a variable setting that can be used to record all data at intervals appropriate for the activity.) Looking at the elevation graph after the ride, I remembered distinctly the huffing and puffing up some of those hills that showed up on the graph! I stopped a couple times to measure the windspeed and the cross winds. While these measurements are not critical for pedaling a bike, it was reassuring to realize that I wasn’t slowing down just because I was getting tired while riding across Lake Washington on the I-90 bridge. I was bucking an 8 mph headwind!

On Sunday, I knew that a local trail that I like to hike would have a packed parking lot. So, I parked a few miles away and biked to the trailhead before heading up. The biking must have taken more out of me than I realized, because both my legs and the altitude graph on the Kestrel showed that I slowed down my vertical progress as I neared the top of my objective. Once I reached the top, I used the device to record the temperature, humidity, and windspeed while testing another product.

I am looking forward to continuing to use this product in the coming weeks and months to see how many practical uses I can find, but also to determine whether it has some practical limitations.

Trailhead in Colorado

Life has gotten a bit crazy for me recently, as it often does for many of us. Between increased responsibilities at work, an upcoming move, and a baby on the way, I have had to work hard to create opportunities to get out and test the Kestrel Pocket Weather Tracker 4500. As much as I look forward to the challenges that life brings, it’s nice to have an excuse to get outside and leave the hectic pace behind for an afternoon: “Sorry, honey, we’ll have to pick out colors for the baby’s room tomorrow. I have to go for a hike to test this cool piece of gear today!”

Between biking, hiking, and skiing outings, I’ve used the device roughly a dozen times in the field. While I am having fun playing with it in various settings and activities, the most practical application for me is recording accurate environmental data for the purpose of testing other gear. Don’t get me wrong… this piece of equipment is capable of measuring more than I’ll likely ever need to measure in a day (altitude, density altitude, barometric pressure, temperature, wind chill, relative humidity, dew point, wind speed, wind direction, crosswind, headwind, tailwind and more), but it excels at what is important to me: accurate measurements in a format that is simple to read and record.

This serious piece of equipment retails for $409, though several other Kestrel models are available from the manufacturer (Nielsen-Kellerman) that perform many of the same basic functions for a lower price. What sets the 4500 model apart from others in theKestrel line is the built-in digital compass to track wind direction. The 4000 and 4500 also have the ability to record data over time and upload it to a computer for analysis. This functionality requires the purchase of a computer interface accessory for $89, but for the serious data hounds, it would be well worth the cost. (I’m tempted to pick one up for myself!)

Though small and lightweight for the punch it packs (5? x 2? x 1? and < 4 oz), it is still bigger and bulkier than my altimeter watch. I have found that for quick reference while on the move, I prefer to glance at a watch on my wrist rather than have the Kestreldevice on a cord around my neck or have to pull it out of a pocket. However, when accuracy or more sophisticated measurements are important — the Kestrel is my go-to tool!

Even after a dozen uses in the field and more than that many again while “playing” with the device on airplanes and around the house over the past few months, the two AAA batteries still have 78% capacity remaining, according to the reading on the screen of the device. An adjustable setting allows the user to determine how long the screen should remain on before automatically turning off. I have mine set for 10 minutes, because when using it, I tend to check it frequently. I’m impressed at the battery life so far!

Field Use
I have not yet had the opportunity to test the limits of the device (other than while holding it out the window of my car while traveling at freeway speeds and hearing the high-pitched “whir” of the impeller). (Which was fun, by the way!) Each year, I typically take at least one extreme cold weather camping trip to the Boundary Waters of northern Minnesota. I am looking forward to testing the temperature limits of the device up there!

In the meantime, below are a few snapshots of the device in use: