Kestrel 5500 Weather Meter with Link and Vane Mount, Tan

Excellent produit

I am a weather geek, I like tracking weather patterns and the Kestrel 5500 give me all of the data I would ever need in a small compact package. The included vane and travel pouch is perfect for backpacking and mobile applications. I did set up the Kestrel iPhone software and the software is terrible, the GUI is a joke and pretty much unusable on the iPhone, on the iPad the vertical orientation requires me to remove the iPad from my keyboard / stand. The bluetooth connection eats batteries (lithium) and consistently disconnects from the iPhone. If I were to buy again I would not but the Link version and save myself the aggravation and money. Overall this is a good solid product that is well made and looks to be capable of field use. I am impressed with the device operation and features as well as battery life after turning off bluetooth. Disappointed in the remote display ability and app which is why I deducted one star. As an added note if you buy the kit with the vane there is no reason to buy the worthless clamp that Kestrel sells for tripod mounting. The clamp dose not hold the 5500 securely, the cradle portion of the vane can be mounted on a tripod with no modifications.

Got this to use when in the field for Search and Rescue missions and when we need to call in helicopters for the rescue. The meter has a wealth of features above and beyond what would be needed in these situations, but all worthwhile because you never know what you'll need the next time around. It seems to pair quickly with my Note 7 and the Kestrel app that you can download for free. The app seems a little anemic, but I'm not sure how useful it would really be if you're actively using the meter. The meter comes with a little weather vane attachment that lets you mount the contraption to a 1/4-20 thread, like on a camera tripod. This is actually a nice addition for "longer term" use like if you are stationed at a check point and have to relay weather information on a regular basis. You could set up a tripod, mount the meter to it, link it to your phone, and the run the app and record the weather information as needed. Also, it will then give you a true wind direction and speed and not be affected by your body as you hold the meter. I'm glad I purchased it!

The lanyard broke on day 2. I contacted the manufacturer directly, and they sent me the wrong part. I contacted them again, and got ghosted. Otherwise, it is a decent device, but a bit over priced IMHO. After having used the wireless option, I can say that I can do without it personally. If you want it calibrated with NIST certs, it'll cost you a few hundred extra dollars, but is doable.

The unit seems well built and has a lot of features, it has so many features and they're not very well documented, which makes it very hard to get the maximum capability out of the unit. For instance, the save current conditions button seems like a great idea except I can't find any info on how to retrieve that information. In today's world it's easy to make some tutorial videos on how to operate complicated menu's. Step up to the plate kestrel!