Customer Reviews

Brunton ADC Ridge Mechanical Altimeter

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I bought this a week ago and used it on a grueling day hike on the north side of Mt. Hood. I had pre-plotted waypoints with elevations on a 1:24,000 USGS topo map and also carried my Garmin Etrex Legend GPS. I had oreviously gotten off the trail in some steep, confusing terrain and not knowing how far down the ridge I was made it difficult to know how far from the trail or river I was. I wanted a good, tough altimeter to complement my compass for better location identification against the topo map and as backup to my GPS.

At home I tried to calibrate it via the county survey info for my property and the weather station's barometric pressure (given for sea level). Set for the given altitude of 180 ft. The barometer was always about 0.2 inches of Mercury too high. So, I don't think the factory correctly set the fixed barometric scale. It would still be useful to get changes in barometric pressure, or if you mentally make adjustments for the known variance. Anyway, I did not buy it as a barometer but for checking elevations.

The altimeter is very sturdily built inside a tough plastic case (ABS plastic?). It has a subtle no-slip texture. The altitude setting dial moves precisely and stays in place. It did move when I stuffed it in a tight belt pouch, but not in my pants pocket or normal use. I looped the strap around my pack belt and had the altimeter hanging inside my hiking shorts pocket. The scale also is very precise and marked in 100 ft. increments. I used it to estimated to the nearest 25 ft. If the needle was half way between 100 ft. lines I called it 50 ft. and if between the midpoint and the indicator line I called it 25 ft or 75 ft. This is the most you can expect from any mechanical altimeter. To get more precise you have to spend at least $150 for an electronic instrument. I wanted something without batteries and absolutely reliable in the harshest conditions. I think this Brunton altimeter meets all my expectations.

On the hike I set the altitude for 4,000 ft at the trail head as indicated by the USGS map and guidebook. GPS read 3975 ft. but GPS itself cannot be much more accurate then about 100 ft. due to the geometry of satellites (less accurate vertically than horizontal coordinates). Over a 12 mile day hike ascending to 5,800 ft and varying up and down, I checked it against the map topo lines and the GPS unit. It was always within about 25 ft or sometimes exactly the same as both. Since the topo map has elevation lines every 40 ft. this was plenty accurate.

I am in my fifties with contacts intended for long distance vision so I am challenged to see fine detail up close but had no problem at all with the Brunton altitude scale marks. I think anyone could use it for getting elevations to the nearest 50 ft. and if you look closely you could likely get within 25 ft. I carried a Fresnel magnifier just in case, but never needed it in the bright sunlight and shade. Because it was on a strap it did get bumped around several times against logs and rocks or the ground as I was crashing for a lunch or water break, or getting up and strapped in again. The rim of the case is slightly raised above the lens so it helps protect it from impacts without getting in the way.

I did not find the need to keep calibrating the altitude against known elevations trail intersections, viewpoints, etc.). The weather was clear and not changing so it gave consistently accurate readings the whole day.

I don't like buying instruments over the Web because I can't feel or see the detail. But the Brunton ADC Ridge Altimeter met my every expectation:
- Easy to read scale
- Consistent
- Accurate to at least 50 ft.
- Inexpensive compared to electronic altimeters
- Tough
- Simple to use, no batteries

This is a keeper and I expect it will see a lot of miles whenever I go into steep terrain. I may someday get an electronic altimeter, like the ones built into watches, but I will keep this one as a backup even then. A GPS is pretty good all around position locator and navigation aid, but sometimes while hiking I am in deep forest where the GPS doesn't work or it could get broken. A good compass, topo map and altimeter can do much of the same position fixing and navigation.

I needed an altimeter so I could climb some mountain passes safely after diving. When I saw this one I put it on my wish list and shopped the local hiking stores. Everything I looked at was double the price, and I didn't need a GPS so I ordered it.

Just picking this device up it feels well made with a nice heft to it, and looks much nicer than the units I saw for half the price. Also, the bezel that adjusts the altitude and air pressure is tight enough so it won't move on it's own or accidently, but feels very smooth when adjusted. And, it's very easy to read.

I wasn't able to give it a full work out, but I live in the mountains and took it for a brief ride and it worked fine. Again, a large gauge that's extremely easy to read, and it's in feet, not meters like some other altimeters.

So, if it's so nice why only 4 stars? Well, the lanyard that comes with it is about 14" long and is only adjustable for size, not length. In other words, you can put it around your neck and then tighten it up so it doesn't fall off. The lanyard is removable using a small plastic clip, which makes me wonder why it didn't come with a short belt clip or some other attachment that would enable you to easily attach it your pants or a backpack. Maybe you can find something at your local hiking shop.

Also, as with most altimeters, you can use the unit as a barometer and predict the weather with it. While I don't plan on doing this, the instructions were hard for me to figure out and I consider myself to be fairly bright.

So, this unit should serve me well, and I like it, but a belt clip would have easily earned this altimeter 5 stars.

When I went to Tibet,this altimeter was in my back pack 24/7. It was incredibly reliable and a great deal of fun to see how high, or how low, we were going. I strongly recommend it.

This is an old-school barometric altimeter. No electronics. No batteries. Knowing the Brunton company, it's going to be reliable - forever.
You actually need NO directions. Mine will suffice: 1) take the altimeter to a place of known altitude 2) rotate outer ring until the altimeter reads correctly. When doing this ignore the direct barometric pressure reading (in inches of mercury, about thirty inches at sea level)! This calibration should be repeated at least once a day.
And if you want to use it as a barometer, do not change altitude. Use the old old trick: gently flick the altimeter with your index finger, while watching carefully. If the needle jumps up a little bit, the pressure is rising. And vice versa.
Amaze your friends! You can actually understand that altitude is related to barometric pressure: NOT a linear proportion though.

UPDATE to below review
I took this altimeter on a multi-day early summer trek through Grand Teton National Park where altitudes varied from about 6500 to upwards of 10,000 feet. The needle got stuck somewhere around 7500 feet (it was rubbing up against the face on the inside of the altimeter) and would not move further. I gave the side of the unit a sharp "rap" which moved the unit closer to the true altitude, but it continued to rub against the inside. Subsequent "raps" kept the needle close to the true altitude, but not in a precise fashion and as the needle was not free-moving, it could not track altitude changes. When returning to NH and lower elevations, it regained function in a manner similar to described below, but knowing its limitations I got rid of it. I have downgraded it to one star (zero not available) because it failed to fulfill its single purpose, and it did so in a dangerous way (appearing to function at low altitude but completely failing at my destination; fortunately I had another altimeter to use for navigation).
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I purchased this altimeter as a battery-independent backup for navigation while backpacking. I also use a Highgear Altis altimeter watch, and occasionally carry a Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx which has a built-in barometric altimeter, so I am familiar with altimeter use.

To clarify some other reviewers' misunderstandings, this is indeed an altimeter/barometer; it functions on the principle that air, like water, exerts a greater pressure the deeper you are. The only difference between a barometer and altimeter is the scale used to read the pressure. This device is primarily meant to be used as an altimeter, rather than a barometer. The altitude dial can be set or calibrated, while the barometer dial is fixed (and in my example, consistently reads almost 0.30" off from what I know to be the true pressure). The barometer dial is meant to give absolute pressure readings, rather than the familiar MSL (mean sea level) readings reported from weather stations and airports, although the instructions describe how to achieve this reading if you know your altitude.

I have used this altimeter locally in New Hampshire including in the White Mountains, at ranges from about 500 feet to 5000 feet, and it is accurate thoughout that range when calibrated properly. The hash marks on the altitude scale are every 100 feet, and in theory it should be possible to interpolate to 50 or even 25 feet, but I have noticed that giving the altimeter a bit of a bump (similar to when it is hanging from your neck and hits your stomach or arm) is enough to move the needle to the left or right causing the reading to be off as much as +/- 50 feet, so the precision is really just around 100 feet. That's good enough for the hiking that I do, where the contour lines are usually pretty close together, but this lack of precision really has me concerned about the overall build quality of the unit; otherwise, the unit really seems quite sturdy with a nice feel to the altitude adjustment ring, a clear display, and an appealing (but not overly weighty) heft. The lanyard is meant to be worn round the neck, but it detaches from the unit with a clip. A belt clip or carabiner to also attach to the clip would have been nice, but unfortunately this wasn't provided.

The barometer does not claim to be water resistant or waterproof. While the scale goes up to 16,400 feet, the instructions state that the altimeter can be safely taken to 49,000 feet without being damaged; it will simply not read altitudes that high.

PROS:
- no battery needed
- sturdy construction yet fairly lightweight
- easy to adjust altitude scale and read altitude from needle
- covers altitude needs for the lower 48
- price seems very reasonable when compared to electronic (start around $100) or high-end mechanical ($300 up) options

CONS:
- "play" in needle reduces precision of device to about 100ft, raises concerns about reliability of internal mechanism
- no way to calibrate barometric pressure, and it is poorly calibrated from factory
- method of reading "mean sea level" pressure somewhat tedious

I keep it in the vehicle when exploring back-country National Forests and 4x4 remote camping. Knowing your altitude is key to finding a nice remote camping place where it will be cool in the evenings and helps with confirming with a map and compass your location. Well worth the money and a must have item for people who like to take back-country road trips out west. The best feature is it is simple, no batteries, complicated GPS stuff, etc.-- just old fashion mechanical that works without having to take a "technology course" to use.

I am an avid day hiker hiking at elevations from 2,000' to 7,000' two or three times weekly during the hiking season.

The Brunton analog altimeter fully meets my need of having an accurate, easy to use and cost effective means to measure my altitude for the purpose of backcountry navigation.

I like the fact that it does not have a lot of redundant functionality (I already own a wrist watch and compass).

I've used it for three months now and find it to be rugged, light and easy to read.

Recently bought this altimeter.
It's very easy and simple to use, don't have to worry about batteries.
Tested resently on mt.Washington, NH. Indicates elevation with accuracy... Plannig to use it on our next trip to much higher elevation.
Barometer is usefull too-specially if you stay on mountain for a few days.
I would recommend this product.
Price is nice as well... compare to digital ones...

Works well for the casual user - seems to match the elevation signs when we are headed up to the mountains from the desert valley. Gives us an idea of the elevation of our camp site and what weather we can expect based on that.

I was really excited to be getting a mechanical altimeter and the the price was right and it is very lightweight. However, I was very disappointed with the accuracy of the product. It was consistently 200- 400 feet off. I would set it a known elevation and travel to another known elevation and it was always off. I would let it sit for several hours to make sure it was reading correctly, no help. I did this over a 10 day period to make sure. I do not recommend this product unless the accuracy of elevation does not matter.