Kestrel 2000
By Jeff Porcaro

The Kestrel is a precision tool for measuring wind speed, temperature and wind chill that fits into the palm of your hand. This tool is useful for all outdoor enthusiasts who must have an accurate accounting for windspeed and wind-chill. The Kestrel is manufactured by Nielsen Kellerman known worldwide for their waterproof speed measurement, timing, and audio systems for competitive rowers.

The Kestrel 2000 is pocket sized at 4.8 (h) x 1.7 (w) x 0.6 (d) inches and weighs only 1.5 oz. It comes with a protective case, which is waterproof to 1 meter, and floats. With its precision impeller the Kestrel 2000 is accurate to 3% of the wind speed. It uses the US National Weather Service Official tables for wind chill measurement. With the CR2032 watch battery the Kestrel 2000 will give you up to 400 hours of measurements. It has a 1-yr. warranty.

The Kestrel will provide windspeed measurements in KT, M/S, KM/H, MPH, FPM, and Beaufort. Temperature is shown in Celsius and Fahrenheit measurements. The display updates every second for real-time measurements. We found the display to be easy to read. We found the icons very useful to determine the mode you are in. Our testers found the Kestrel 2000 was quick to give a temperature measurement because the temperature sensor is exposed. Other anemometers do not expose the sensor and will pick up warmth from the case.

As with other anemometers we have tested, we would like to see a multifunction display. It would be nice to see the temperature and windspeed on the same screen. A backlight feature would also be useful for those winter camps where the sun goes down before you do. We also were searching for a peak and average temperature. We are disappointed the unit has no memory. When you turn it off the peak windspeed and average windspeed are gone.

I have used the Kestrel 2000 in temperatures ranging from -2 to 75. It quickly responds to temperature changes when going from your pocket to your hand. The case is very solid, it took a 5-foot fall and was unaffected. We like the replaceable impeller because it is a piece that takes a lot of punishment. Another feature we liked is the 30-min auto shut off.

Summary: With the quick temperature reads, large easy to read numbers and a simple button operation we found this to be a very good instrument. I prefer the ease of use as well as the more precise measurement of the Kestrel 2000 over the WindWatch. If you are in the market for an anemometer look no further, this is the one for you.

The suggested retail price is $119.

Jeff Porcaro is a Contributing Editor at GearReview.com, and co-founder. He specializes in stoves, GPS navigation, mountaineering, and trips to Utah's remote backcountry.

For more information, contact:
Nielsen - Kellerman
104 West 15th Street
Chester, PA 19013
(610)447-1555
kestrel@nkelectronics.com