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.

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.

"Fishing outlooks" crack me up.   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.

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!

Ok, I confess to being a gadget freak.

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


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.