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Reviews > Environmental Monitoring Gear > Weather Recorder > Kestrel 3500 > Gail Staisil > Test Report by Gail StaisilKestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter Test Series by: Gail Staisil, Marquette, Michigan Page Contents: Top of page Initial Report: Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter October 28, 2006 Name: Gail Staisil Age: 54 Gender: Female Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m) Weight: 140 lb (64 kg) Location: Marquette, Michigan USA Email: woodswoman2001@yahoo.com Product Description
The Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter is a portable weather instrument that measures every common environmental condition. It is one in the line of many different wind meters produced by the company of Nielsen-Kellerman. The wind meter is not only both waterproof and features a real-time clock, but it also includes a backlight, a protective cover, a lanyard with cordlock, a battery and a two-year warranty. The wind meter can measure the following:
 In addition to the manual and certificate, the wind meter was sent with a matching case, an attached lanyard with cordlock, and a pre-installed battery. Since I doubt I would ever take the wind meter on any my trips without the case, I immediately took off the cordlock on the lanyard, and threaded the lanyard through the large oval slot on the bottom of the case. I inserted the wind meter into the large opening in the top of the case and then reattached the cordlock. The cover slides over the meter providing protection so that the exposed wind impeller and temperature sensor will be protected from other objects in my pack. The wind meter is already waterproof so the cover only protects the front and back of the unit from sharp  objects. The wind meter looks exactly like I expected it to after I initially viewed it on the website. It is both small in size and very lightweight. In fact, the unit by itself without the case, was measured by myself to be only 2.2 oz (62 g). I'm still not sure why it is called a wind meter when it measures so much more than wind. However, the wind meter does belong to NK's larger group of products classified as weather meters. The front side of the meter looks very simple. The wind-measuring impeller is inserted into the top of the unit. It is circular in shape with a diameter of 1 in (2.54 cm) and it pivots on sapphire bearings. It looks like the blades of a household fan. It moves quite freely even when gently handling the unit. To the left and beneath the wind impeller is an opening that was molded into the unit. It contains the temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is outside the case unlike many other temperature devices. This helps to ensure that the sensor is actually measuring the temperature and not being affected by body heat from my hands or even the case itself. This sensor actually looks like a curled double-strand wire. Humidity is measured by the patented dual temperature sensor configuration. In the center of the front of the unit is the viewing screen and below that are located the three sealed tactile rubber operational buttons. The viewing screen has an Aviation Green backlight that can be activated when needed and the display has easy-to-read digits that are 0.36 in (9mm) in  height.The back of the unit is similar in that I can see both the wind impeller and temperature sensor. There is an inserted "cheat sheet" that tells me what the function of each of the three buttons on the front are used for and also which button turns on the backlight. Beneath the center on the meter's back, the plastic is ergonomically molded to provide a place for my index finger to rest while my thumb rests on the lower half of the front of the unit. The lower half of the backside of the unit contains the battery case that is about 1.125 in (2.86 cm) in diameter. On the outside of the battery cover, it is scripted with the name of the battery required for the unit (CR2032 battery). That is very cool as I dislike having to take any gadget apart to find out what kind of battery I need to buy. The cover also is grooved so that the cover can be rotated and removed. A battery was already pre-installed in the meter so I only need to obtain a back-up one for the future. My instinct was to follow the ten quick steps to operate the unit. The meter itself has only three buttons. I like that. I also had to familiarize myself with the icons for the different functions that are indicated in the manual. In brief, the following 10 steps are suggested (I simplified them a bit and added comments):
Shortly after I finished setting up the wind meter with my preferred units of measurement, I took it out on a hike near Lake Superior. It was quite a windy day and it was loads of fun to scroll through all the different measurements. Most of the measurements update every second but I could lock in the values by using the hold mode. I stopped at different places along the coast to take the wind speed and temperature reading specifically. It was a very cold late October day in the high 30 F (-1 C) to low 40 F (4 C) range so the wind chill measurement was logically much lower than the actual temperature. I have never canceled a trip due to bad weather, but I'm already wondering how I ever got along without having such ready access to valuable weather data. I have always been interested in monitoring the weather since I took a college course years ago, but I had never used a technical meter. I can hardly wait to take it on a backpacking trip. Pros
Cons
Small thumbnail photo courtesy of: Nielsen-Kellerman Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter January 2, 2007 Locations and Conditions During the last two months, I've had the opportunity to test the Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter on many types of outings. They included a three-day winter backpacking trip to the Pigeon River State Forest in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, numerous day hikes in my local area and it has been utilized to monitor snow conditions for waxing cross country skis. In addition, I have taken it with me when I have traveled long distances by car so that I could take spur-of-the-moment readings. Locations ranged from and included conifer and deciduous forest communities with many rock outcroppings to bottom lands and swamps to lakeshores. Elevation ranged from 600 ft (183 m) to over 1200 ft (366 m). Conditions for the backpacking trip included approximately a foot (12 in/30 cm) of freshly fallen snow, mostly cloudy, with temps varying from 18 F (-8 C) to 37 F (3 C). However, the average temperature for all three days of this trip hovered around 25 F (-4 C). High humidity ranged from 85 percent upward to 100 percent. The conditions for day treks and ski outings were similar. Average temperatures for the entire field period were above average with temperatures rarely reaching below 0 F(-18 C) at night and often reaching above 32 F (0 C) during the day. Overall, it has been very cool, and damp with very little sun and below average snowfall (54 in/137 cm so far this season). Field Usage Ease of Use/Design During the last two months, I have found that the Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter has been remarkably easy to use. After the initial set up for preferred units, it has been ready to go for most outings. I did re-set the time again for the Daylight Savings Time adjustment in late October. In addition, the reference altitude and reference barometric pressure had to be changed for many of my outings where altitude readings were important. This was simply done by getting the current barometric pressure from the local weather channel. Altitude was taken from a topo map of the area. While the latter is easy to do in the field, the former cannot be done on a multi-day trip without access to that information. However, the unit reads the current barometric pressure so it is not really an issue. The digits on the meter are easy to read and I haven't needed to wear reading glasses or use the backlight button in daytime hours. I have used the backlight button in the night hours to check temperature and humidity readings. The Kestrel has also served nicely as a clock during my backpacking and day trips when I often forget or don't wish to wear a watch. Switching or changing modes is the easiest process. Once I turn on the unit with the center button, I can quickly toggle through all the other modes using the button on the right side of the meter. The Kestrel Meter can hold onto or store data for a short period of time by pressing the hold function (center button and left button together). This allows me to check what all the readings are at a certain locked-in time. I then have to record them manually on a piece of paper as this particular model does not store information for multiple readings in the long term (Kestrel does make models with that feature). As soon as I unlock the hold feature (pressing center button and left button), the meter goes back to recording the readings of the present moment. Although I do like the hold feature, it would be much easier if all the information could be saved and looked at later. The hold feature will store the information for 45 minutes before it automatically shuts off and loses the data however, the unit cannot be used for current readings in the duration of that time. Most of the time I found that I can operate the unit one handed by holding it in my right hand while using my right thumb to push the keys. The unit is just the right size for my hand to hold it easily, even when I am wearing gloves. I do need to use my thumb on my other hand when two buttons have to be pressed at once such as when starting the hold function.  The Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter has been easy to stow on all of my outings. During my backpacking trip, I stowed it in an accessory pocket that was mounted on the harness of my backpack. It allowed me to take it out at will to obtain a reading as I had previously secured the lengthy lanyard through a D-ring on the harness. During rest breaks in the forest, I found it best to remove it and locate the meter on top of my pack that was lying on the ground. I also hung the meter from a tree branch at different times so that it could take temperature and wind readings independently. On most of my day excursions, I simply put the unit around my neck with the lanyard and used it from that position. Because the unit is so light (3.5 oz/99 g), I occasionally checked to make sure it was still there. When taking snow temperatures on my ski trips, I stowed the Kestrel in my waist pack and took it out as needed. I have been using the case to protect the unit so it normally takes a few seconds to remove the case by depressing the indented areas. Most of the time it slides off quite easily. I have also worn gloves that have dot-like grips while removing the case and they don't interfere with the process. Performance For most of my outings, I have randomly flipped though all of the modes. The current temperature and humidity are probably the two features that I find the most useful but I like noting the other measurements as well. During an outing when it was heavily snowing big wet snowflakes in warm temps (over 32 F/0 C) the humidity registered at 100 percent. That couldn't have been more accurate in my opinion. I have noticed that when it is stored inside my parka or another protected place that I have to wait a few minutes to get an accurate temperature reading. I usually wave the unit through the air several times and watch the temperature go down degree by degree until it levels out. I will certainly have to do the same when it is stored in my sleeping bag on future trips in the long term period.  The pocket meter has been very handy for checking actual snow temperature for ski waxing needs. It is important to check the temperature in a shaded area as it gives a more accurate reading. However, I still like to guess what the snow temperature might be by the way my skis are gliding versus what the temperature actually is. Because I live in an area of high humidity and the snow is rarely of the powder form, I generally have to go with a wax that is keyed much warmer than the actual snow temperature. However, this is something that I have long been accustomed to guessing and the Kestrel has made it easier to confirm the snow's actual temperature. One morning I got over anxious as the air temperatures were climbing rapidly so I hurriedly chose a pair of skis with a warm wax and drove to the trailhead without first checking the snow temperature here. When I got to the trailhead and tested the snow temperature it was way lower and my skis were slow. I should of known better but to bring only one pair of skis with me (they were skating skis so the wax has to be ironed on at home versus classic skis where the kick wax can be applied or fixed on the trail). The altitude or elevation reading is something that I didn't quite have a feel for until I used the Kestrel a couple of times on the same trail running route with the same barometric pressure set. Although I live at relatively low elevation (700 ft/213 m), many of the trails that I utilize multi-times a week have over 500 ft (152 m) of elevation difference. I took readings at the lowest point in the route and at the highest point. Even though both sets of numbers had a difference of 536 ft (163 m), the actual recorded numbers for elevation were way different. As soon as I got home I checked the local barometric pressure and found that it was consistent with the Kestrel current reading for pressure that I obtained during the run. However, I had not used that number to configure the unit so the actual barometric pressure was 29.68 inHg and falling compared to 30.32 inHg that had previously been entered on the first trip. This made a world of difference in the numbers I was seeing for actual altitude. Many of the other measurements that I had obtained by pressing the hold button and recorded later were very accurate compared to the weather station data. For example, the weather station temp was 34 F/1 C and the Kestrel measured 33.8 F(1 C), the dewpoint was 32 F (0 C) and the Kestrel measured 29.7 F (-1 C). There was more of a difference in the readings for humidity that measured 93 percent compared to 84.6 on the Kestrel. However, the weather station is more than 10 miles further way from the trail near Lake Superior where I had obtained my readings. There was also a timing issue as the measurements I put on hold were compared to measurements that I obtained from the weather station approximately a half hour later. Holding the impeller to the wind results in different readings depending on how I hold the unit. I try to face into the direction from which the wind is blowing but some times if I tilt the unit a few degrees on the horizontal axis it really affects the recorded wind speed. For example, I stood in a heavy snowstorm with the wind coming straight off of Lake Michigan at the Mackinac Bridge and the snow didn't appear to impede the impeller although the wind felt much stronger than 15 mph (24 km/h). Maintenance/Durability I have used the Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter in cold, windy, snowy and wet weather without any problems. I have not protected it from the cold, however the low temperature experienced on my backpacking trip was only 18 F (-8 C). I hung the Kestrel from my tarp pole during the nights so that it would be easy to obtain a few measurements. However, with the probability of colder weather emerging in the coming months, I plan to store the Kestrel at night in my sleeping bag along with my camera to protect it from bitter cold. The user manual suggests that the crystal and battery will not work below 14 F (-10 C) but it will still record temperatures down to -22 F (-30 C). I most likely will have to expose the unit to the outside environment and wait a bit for a correct reading after it leaves the warm environment of the sleeping bag. So far, durability or maintenance of the unit hasn't been an issue. The battery is working fine and the impeller and thermistor seem to be accurate. I have checked my local weather station and my own indoor/outdoor thermometer to see how the readings compare. The measurements have been very close all of the time. So Far, So Good... Overall, I am quite happy with the performance of the Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter. It has been both remarkably easy and fun to use. I've enjoyed collecting weather data and I plan to use it more in the long term period to monitor the weather on several long winter sledge trips where it will be my only source of technical weather information. These trips will last anywhere from three to five days. Top of page Long Term Report: Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter February 26, 2007 Locations and Conditions During the long-term test period, I have continued to use the Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter during many multi-day field excursions. They included a five-day winter sledge trip to the Kingston Plains and the Fox River Pathway, and a three-day sledge trip to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In addition, I used it on a three-day snowshoeing trip to a rustic cabin in the Hiawatha National Forest. I have also continued its use for taking snow temps for cross country ski waxing and generally for checking and monitoring weather in my immediate area. Locations ranged from and included conifer and deciduous forest communities with many rock outcroppings to plains, frozen lakes and lakeshore. Elevation ranged from 600 ft (183 m) to almost 2000 ft (610 m). Conditions for the first sledge trip during five days included approximate snow depths ranging from 8 in (20 cm) to 18 in (46 cm). Precipitation in the form of snow fell daily during the trip. It was mostly cloudy with brief intervals of sun. The winds were mostly northwest with speeds up to 25 mph (40 km/h). Temperatures ranged from a high of 20 F (-4 C) to a low of 9 F (-13 C). Humidity levels recorded with the Kestrel Meter ranged from 70 percent to 92 percent. Conditions for the second sledge trip lasting three days were cold, cloudy, blustery and extremely windy. High temperature was 18 F (-8 C) and the low temperature was -4 F (-20 C). A brutal northwest wind with gusts up to 45 mph (72 km/h) were experienced with average wind speed being 30 mph (48 km/h). Snow depth ranged from about 16 in (41 cm) near the lakeshore to well over 24 in (61 cm) to 30 in (76 cm) inland. There was also significant drifting of snow making travel harsh. The sled-in trip to the Hiawatha National Forest cabin took place in moderate winter temperatures. The highs were in the 18 F (-8 C) to 25 F (-4 C) range and the lows were in the 9 F (-13 C) to 15 F (-9 C) range. Snow depth was several feet (0.75 m) plus more than 12 in (30.5 cm) of new snow fell during the trip. Winds were easterly and varied from 20 mph (32 km/h) to 30 (48) km/h. Cloudy skies were the norm. The conditions for day treks and ski outings mostly hovered in the 10 F (-12 C) to 20 F (-4 C) range with the actual lowest temperature being -5 F (-21 C ). Performance in the Field The Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter has continued to perform well during the long-term testing period. Even though I used the meter on several multi-day trips, I have also found that its fun to take along on many kinds of outings besides winter camping. They included snowshoe and cross country ski trips. I especially like to use the meter to take snow temperatures and compare them to the air temperatures. That has become real important for ski waxing along with the humidity readings. This became especially critical for a half marathon ski race that I did recently. Although the predicted highs were supposed to be around 21 F (-6 C) with high humidity, I woke up and found that the morning temperature was already 26 F (-3 C) and rising plus heavy snow was now predicted. It was one of those "what to do moments". Since I had prepped a few skis with different waxes, I wanted to see what the actual snow temp was. Because the race started shortly after 12 PM, I had plenty of time to play around with snow testing. Based on the snow temps and the fact that it was snowing (sharp snow crystals), I actually went with the colder wax that suited it fine. I didn't do well in the race but it was no fault of my skis. In addition, the unit has created a bit of interest among other cross country ski enthusiasts who have seen me use the Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter. This could be a new marketing field for the manufacturer, as accurate humidity and snow temperatures are very important for correct waxing. The Altitude readings have continued to be erratic. Since they are based on barometric pressure that is constantly changing, they don't have much value for me as most of my travel is in areas where elevation traveled is not significant. Normally the difference is less than 1400 ft (427 m) on the extreme side with most differences being only about 500 to 600 ft (152 to 183 m). The higher the barometer reading, the lower the altitude reading. If I compare it to high points on my topographical maps, they can be quite different based on the pressure reading. I've tried to gauge a feel for the difference by recording the barometer and altitude at the same location repeatedly (outside my dwelling). Here are some of the readings:
Since I live near the crest of a hill about a 100 ft (30.5 m) above Lake Superior which lies at 600 ft (183 m) above sea level, I question what altitude I really reside at. My USGS (United States Geological Survey) topo map relates that I reside at approximately a bit more than 700 ft (213 m). However, the Kestrel Meter records the altitude at several distinctly different elevations readings with differences amounting to 665 ft (203 m) just in the sample statistics in the chart above. The only time the altitude reading has any significant meaning for me is when I've taken a day hike and the pressure doesn't change much during the few hours that I am hiking. I can then compare the difference in altitude readings from the lowest spot to the highest and compare it to my topo information to see if the difference is relevant. However, I can see that the altitude readings may be more significant in areas of severe elevation gain or loss. The unit could then be reset at known points on a topo map to correlate with the correct elevation. Adjustments to the reference altitude could be made quickly. I do like correlating the barometric pressure reading with what is happening with the weather. Usually at this time of year a drop in pressure and a change in wind direction means that some snow squalls are on their way. Although the pressure is interesting to follow, it doesn't alter my game plan for my outings as I'm prepared for whatever the weather becomes. However, this would be more important if I were to kayak on Lake Superior or when I do get another chance to travel in a higher elevation this summer. I will surely monitor approaching storms to keep safe. During my Kingston Plains/Fox River Trip, some of the nighttime lows were in the single digits. I moved onward each day with different camps each night as is normal for me. As an experiment, on the last night I left the Kestrel hanging from the outside edge of my tarp to see if it would work without being protected from frigid temps. I woke up around 2 AM and I was able to get a current reading of 9 F (-13 C). I didn't check it again until daylight so I can only assume the temperature lowered during that time period. In the morning I checked the Kestrel for the current temp but the unit didn't display any readings. I went for a short walk with the unit in my jacket, pulled it out and it had sufficiently warmed up enough to give me a reading. The manual does say that the crystal and battery won't work below 14 F (-10 C) so I guess they weren't kidding. On my second sledge trip, wind chills were a significant factor. Wind gusts were in the 30 mph (48 km/h) to 45 mph (72 km/h) range and the temperatures varied from 18 F (-8 C) to -4 F(-20 C) creating a significant wind chill factor. For the most part I traveled in the forest rather than being on the trail right next to Lake Superior. It was just too bitterly cold with the winds coming off the lake while I was hiking on cliffs above the lake. At various times wind chills recorded on the Kestrel were -5 F (-21 C) to -29 F (-34 C). While wind chills have been easily noted during the entire testing period that occurred primarily in winter conditions, the heat stress measurement was obviously not applicable. When the wet bulb reading is close to the actual temperature it indicates high humidity. This is often the case where I live and play as humidity is mostly high year round so the outdoor wet bulb readings have been high. The only area right now that I did check if the wet bulb reading was low was inside my dwelling where the humidity is low in the winter. Truly a definite plus, there haven't been any maintenance issues and the battery is still working fine. I'm surprised at the latter as the unit was exposed to frigid conditions and the use of the backlight repeatedly. I have carried an extra battery in one of my gear sacks. The unit cover has become slightly dirty as the case has soft permeable plastic on the grip areas presumably to make opening it easier. The plastic of the unit and the case is not cracked or broken from frigid temps. I have not dropped the unit and I allude this partly to the fact that the meter has a lanyard built right into it. I usually place the lanyard around my neck or loop it through my pack. This makes dropping it not very likely. The latter was addressed in the instruction sheet as the unit was drop tested to 6 ft (1.83 m) so hopefully if it is ever dropped accidentally it will still perform fine. The impeller, the thermistor, the humidity sensor and the pressure sensor have continued to function without issues. Final Thoughts After four months of use, I've come to the conclusion that I really love using the Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter on both multi-day adventures and day trips. It hasn't only been fun to use, but it's also very informative for technical weather data. I surely will continue to use it during future trips. It has already become an integral part of my "mental list" of equipment to pack for outings. It's not only lightweight but very easy to stow due to its small size. This concludes my test series for the Kestrel 3500 Pocket Wind Meter. Thank You to Nielsen-Kellerman and BackpackGearTest for allowing me this excellent opportunity to experience using a very neat product. Top of Page Read more reviews of Kestrel Meters gear Read more gear reviews by Gail Staisil Reviews > Environmental Monitoring Gear > Weather Recorder > Kestrel 3500 > Gail Staisil > Test Report by Gail Staisil | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
