What to Look For in a Handheld Altimeter

Altimeters are great tools to provide outdoor enthusiasts with interesting, and sometimes essential, altitudinal information. A handheld altimeter can not only supply you with a reading of your present altitude for navigational purposes, but many models will also offer an array of additional, handy features.Altimeters are available as simple standalone units or can contain varied collections of digital devices in one unit. Although the basic function of an altimeter is to indicate your vertical position in digital altitude relation to sea level, some will give GPS, time, temperature and barometer readings as well as having data storage capacity. Most modern units are digital, although some analog products are also available for those who prefer them.

Regardless of what features you might desire in a handheld altimeter, there are certain basic characteristics you should definitely consider. If you are considering purchasing one, a good place to start is by listing the possible situations you may encounter and look for a system that will meet all of the requirements you may anticipate.A useful feature that can be found on some altimeters is temperature compensation. This will keep changes in temperature from affecting accurate readings and is a must have for harsh weather conditions. Less expensive units that do not have this attribute can be much less effective in many climates, or when simply transferred from a pocket to the open air.A good altimeter will also have a good range of measure. A quality device will measure from around -1,371 feet, which is the lowest land point on Earth, to around 29,000 feet, the height of Mount Everest. While you may never need these extremes, it never hurts to have the capability. More importantly, you want to have the smallest possible increments of measure. Some of the better ones have a resolution of less than 10 feet.

If strict accuracy is a major consideration, the best bet is to have one that will use a combination of barometric and GPS technology. These provide the most accurate readings under a wide variety of conditions.