seeking ridgeline time & temp

**MacEntyre** · 01-14-2009, 07:31

I don't wear a watch. It's not a problem until I wake up in the night and wonder if it's too early to get up. When I do get up, I always want to know how cold it got during the night.

I've been trying to find a little device to hang on the ridgeline that gives me the time and the temperature, small enough to stay in the snakeskins.

Anybody know where I can get such an instrument?

**GrizzlyAdams** · 01-14-2009, 07:41

Originally Posted by MacEntyre

I don't wear a watch. It's not a problem until I wake up in the night and wonder if it's too early to get up. When I do get up, I always want to know how cold it got during the night.

I've been trying to find a little device to hang on the ridgeline that gives me the time and the temperature, small enough to stay in the snakeskins.

Anybody know where I can get such an instrument?

I have one of these, that I like. May be more than what you need as it has pressure trends). When I was in the market for this I found that the tricky bit is finding a device that has temperature memory. I got mine for about $40, which is a bit pricey for clock and temperature only (but I don't recall seeing anything much less that included temperature max/min).

Grizz

**rock_rat** · 01-14-2009, 08:01

I've got one of the These. There cheap, they give you the current time/temp, and while they don't have a temperature log they do give you the low and the high for the past 24 hours. For 9.99 this does me well. It also has a built in alarm.

**TeeDee** · 01-14-2009, 20:04

Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams

I have one of these, that I like. May be more than what you need as it has pressure trends). When I was in the market for this I found that the tricky bit is finding a device that has temperature memory. I got mine for about $40, which is a bit pricey for clock and temperature only (but I don't recall seeing anything much less that included temperature max/min).

Grizz

Grizz - do you have any notion of the battery life??

Originally Posted by rock_rat

I've got one of the These. There cheap, they give you the current time/temp, and while they don't have a temperature log they do give you the low and the high for the past 24 hours. For 9.99 this does me well. It also has a built in alarm.

rock_rat - do you have any notion of the battery life??

Electronic sensors are useless for me in the field unless the device has a minimum 6 month battery life, constant on. I would like a min/max memory reading, but haven't found anything with the battery life yet.

Until then, I rely on the tried and true mechanical bi-metal instrument available in any store that sells cooking supplies. I know the current temperature, but not the history. I'll probably stick with the bi-metal even f I find an electronic sensor with adequate battery life - I need to know the water temperature sometimes when boiling the water.

**GrizzlyAdams** · 01-14-2009, 21:15

Originally Posted by TeeDee

Grizz - do you have any notion of the battery life??

I've had this for maybe 3-4 months. 2 watch batteries drive it. Always on. Still running. I'll keep an eye on it and if I'm sure I've exceeded 6 months I'll let you know.

Grizz

**rock_rat** · 01-15-2009, 07:09

Originally Posted by TeeDee

rock_rat - do you have any notion of the battery life??

I've had mine for a little over 10 months now and it's still going. Most of that was summer use with only two trips dipping into the mid thirties so I can't comment on how winter camping would affect it but I have to believe that it would last well past six months. It really shouldn't be using much more power than a digital watch so battery times should be equivalent.

**Youngblood** · 01-15-2009, 08:37

Originally Posted by rock_rat

I've got one of the These. There cheap, they give you the current time/temp, and while they don't have a temperature log they do give you the low and the high for the past 24 hours. For 9.99 this does me well. It also has a built in alarm.

A temperature range of 14F to 112F might be marginal for some folks backpacking.

**Cannibal** · 01-15-2009, 09:48

Originally Posted by Youngblood

A temperature range of 14F to 112F might be marginal for some folks backpacking.

Actually, it looks like it goes down to -4F. I need/want something that will go colder than that, which sucks because I like that one.

I know that many of the ones that run on AA or AAA batteries have a spec. low of around the same range. However, if you slap some lithium batteries in there you get about a 20 degree boost lower. Still looking for the 'right' one.

**Coffee** · 01-15-2009, 13:53

Originally Posted by Youngblood

A temperature range of 14F to 112F might be marginal for some folks backpacking.

I actually prefer that. The one on my watch only goes to 9F. Ignorance is bliss on temps lower than that!

**rock_rat** · 01-17-2009, 01:46

Originally Posted by Youngblood

A temperature range of 14F to 112F might be marginal for some folks backpacking.

That's true but if I'm out and it's less than 14F or more than 112F it means I've screwed up somewhere along the way and the temperature is the least of my concerns. I hike a good bit in the winter but I don't care for camping. Mainly because I hate those first few minutes in the morning when your trying to get dressed and equipped for the day. Honestly if the temp was below 30F I'm not sure I could pull myself out of my warm, cozy, nest... err I mean hammock long enough to put my boots on. At 35 it took all of my will power. Those of you who are more cold weather oriented than me may need a better device.