Anyone had experiences using a barometer on a trip? Was it helpful for weather forecasting or not? What make and brand? Thinking of adding to my equipment weight.

I considered that once Lune.  But never got one.  I figur'd a weather VHF was same size, weight, and heck...a voice even comes out of it and tells me the weather.

There's a couple a "dead spots" in the Q...but I've managed to scare up a report out of it in the most remote places up there.  I'd be interested to hear from the barometer crowd....I've always wondered....other than seeing a shift in pressure....how does it help?  How far will the pressure drop....can't you see it coming anyway?  Maybe it'll be mild, will I get wet...etc?  How do you take the "apparant guesswork" out of it for a newb like me?

Lune-I have belayed to the wind in the summer BW for years. East winds I equate to rain/storms-esp. if they are following a day or two of south and southeast winds. Think about the rotation of Lows and Highs. For me the barometer is more attached to the immediate-with weather and esp. fishing. Also clouds-IE mares tails are a good indicator of coming moisture....I have not tried the radio thing yet maybe someday. I wish I had some good links for you for forcasting weather through cloud formations and wind direction-I received this info from vet. guides. Hope it helps.

The GPS I carry has a built-in barometer.  I've checked the barometer a time or two on backpacking trips, but have yet to consult it on a canoe trip.  Come to think of it, the GPS unit has a "fishing outlook" feature ... which I've also never used.

dd

"Fishing outlooks" crack me up. :D  Just let me get my lure in the water and I'll know the "outlook" in an hour or less.  More than that and the outlook is "poor"!  :'(

I've never taken a barometer simply because I'll be fishing anyway regardless of the reading...but then I'm kind of a diehard.

The weather is what it is...fish on!!!

Radio? yea and duh, thought never crossed my mind. Good solution for predicting weather, but gets into the miniscule of druthers. Part of the reason I love to trip is I'm independent and no one is telling me anything. Radio seems to defeat that purpose, so I leave at home, as with all electronics except my watch.

Yes, predicting the weather from signs in the sky and wind is a developed art that I don't have - my hats off to you. But I can tell its raining when its raining. There is a really good page on this site with wind directions and cloud pictures and all kinds of good info.

I guess the weather is going to do what it is going to do and we will have to deal with it. So far no barometer addicts!

Barometer readings are valuable when you note the trend.  Is the pressure rising or falling, and at what rate.  If the reading is dropping fast, you will notice the change visually (building overcast).  Sharp rises and drops will also be accompanied with wind - think barometric charts with the isobars very closely spaced.   If you'd enjoy this type of thing, it adds to the fun just as any other gadget.  Note the measurement and trends on the days you have exceptional fishing and I'd bet you would see a pattern.

-YB

Ok, I confess to being a gadget freak.

Lune wrote on Mar 24^th, 2009 at 5:54pm:

Ok, I confess to being a gadget freak.

Hi Lune! Now repeat after me, "I'm a man, I can change if I have to, I guess."  ::)

;D

I have one of these gadgets. It is great.

When it is raining I look at it and it shows how the barometer dropped.

When it is cold I look at it and can see just how cold.

When it is windy I can look at it and measure the wind speed.

However, when it rains I still don rain gear, when it is cold I still bundle up and when it is windy I am still stuck on shore.

Cool gadget, I wanted so much, but a bit of uselessness.

DentonDoc wrote on Mar 24^th, 2009 at 2:06am:

The GPS I carry has a built-in barometer.  I've checked the barometer a time or two on backpacking trips, but have yet to consult it on a canoe trip.  Come to think of it, the GPS unit has a "fishing outlook" feature ... which I've also never used. dd

Pressure, moon phase, water temp and many other factors influnce fish/living things.  When I go fishing/hunting I like to keep a journal of the conditions which include pressure and temps.  I too have a GPS with a built in barometer, and record the pressure 3 times a day and the temps at different parts of lakes.  That is just me I like gagets ect and take a more scientific approach to fishing than some.  But you cannot catch em if you do not have a line in.  I have not really changed 'if' I will fish because of of pressure changes but I do look for warmer water temps in the spring if I want to get into the smallies.  And I do like to know if a low pressure is on it's way although I always try and remember rain gear.  As with any tool it is all in how you use it and if you think it is worth the weight.