kestrel vs weatherflow meter

[DaveinCO]

I have been using Trasol on my phone and getting enviro data from local stations. It was working ok until the last update but now it won't even open for me. Sucks cause i really liked the app. Now I got ballistics arc and it seems to work but I want to get local data on weather conditions. I tried to use the galaxy sensors but I have a hard time trusting the accuracy of whatever sensors are in the phone, maybe good enough for some things but probably not the best for the type of precision required for an accurate firing solution.
How many of you are using the weatherflow device? is it a waste of time and $? I like the price but if it doesn't work it will be useless to me.
If money was no object i would be running a top of the line Kestrel but funds are tight for hobby stuff and i would rather spend it shooting if i can.
Who has run both, and what am i giving up between the two? Having a kestrel with a solver sounds great but if the weatherflow works i can get it now and go shoot...
I appreciate any input you guys have.

DaveinCO

 

[spife7980]

The weather flow is plenty capable of getting you decent inputs. I have never found myself wanting for more

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

What you are giving up is onboard ballistics.

WeatherFlow outputs:

• Wind Speed and Direction
• Barometric Pressure
• Temperature, Wind Chill, Heat Index, and Dew Point
• Humidity
• Density Altitude: displays as ft or meters

Kestrel Outputs:

• Altitude
• Crosswind
• Barometric Pressure
• Density Altitude
• Dew Point Temperature
• Direction (Wind Direction and Orientation)
• Headwind/Tailwind
• Heat Stress Index
• Relative Humidity
• Station Pressure (Absolute Pressure)
• Temperature
• Wet Bulb Temperature (Psychrometric)
• Wind Chill
• Wind Speed

You are also giving up on onboard ballistics. Its an all in one unit, vs using two devices. Keep in mind, you can also buy the 5700 Sportsman, and upgrade it later to an Elite.

 

[.30kal]

I had a weatherflow and found the readings to be off when compared to two Kestrels, as well as not adjust very fast when taking out of my pack or going from a inside a car to outside. Plus, if you have an iPhone 7, you can't pop it on since there is no headphone jack. So you have to fumble with two devices. I ended up selling it and getting a Kestrel Sportsman and haven't looked back. The AB software has been pretty spot on, give or take a .1 of mil. It's too bad that Ballistic Arc doesn't support Kestrel as I like the GPS features on the app.

 

[6AYoteHunter]

Kestrel's are very good! Don't even bother with other ones.

 

[Sniper1*]

Like the others have said, Kestrel will do everything in one device.... Buy once, cry once and then be very happy you did...

 

[proximo]

I've been very pleased with the BallisticsARC/WeatherMeter combo on an iPhone 6s. Hold the phone in the left hand and the meter up in the air in the right. Turn the meter to the direction the wind is coming from and press "Sample" on the iPhone screen. Then confirm using the sample and it recalculates the drop chart using that data. So far, I've only used it in precision rimfire matches out to 200yd but with Lapua Midas+ and a 50yd zero its been accurate going from the 50yd to the 75, 100, 150 and 200 stages. Occasionally, I have to correct BA due to what I assume are temperature induced velocity variations in the ammo but I'm pretty sure most, if not all, ballistic solvers are subject to that. Once corrected, the solutions are solid until there is a significant change in ammo temperature.

I'm sure there are good reasons for the price difference between BallisticsARC/WeatherMeter and the Kestrel Sportsman with Applied Ballistics but the former works very well and you can pay for a lot of ammo with the money saved.

 

[Saf3sh00t3r]

Now...I own a Kestrel Elite and really like it. The compass blows and cant trust it to calibrate well every time...so I always enter my DOF in degrees.

That said there is a PRS shooter Paul Reid that has won PRS and money matches using BallisticsARC and the weather flow meter.

There is plus and minus to both. I prefer the Kestrel due to convenience of an all in one and Litz's custom curves.

The BallisticsARC has a lot of nice features and you can print range cards. It also has a competition feature where you can enter all your distance values for each stage.

The Kestrel has target settings that seem to be similar, but you can't print it and if you want something like that you need to buy the desktop program from AB. So AB as good as it is, it can be a drip, drip, and drip in terms of money...books, apps, upgrades, etc.

Again preference and the value YOU as the shooter is hoping to get.

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

Now...I own a Kestrel Elite and really like it. The compass blows and cant trust it to calibrate well every time...so I always enter my DOF in degrees.

That said there is a PRS shooter Paul Reid that has won PRS and money matches using BallisticsARC and the weather flow meter.

There is plus and minus to both. I prefer the Kestrel due to convenience of an all in one and Litz's custom curves.

The BallisticsARC has a lot of nice features and you can print range cards. It also has a competition feature where you can enter all your distance values for each stage.

The Kestrel has target settings that seem to be similar, but you can't print it and if you want something like that you need to buy the desktop program from AB. So AB as good as it is, it can be a drip, drip, and drip in terms of money...books, apps, upgrades, etc.

Again preference and the value YOU as the shooter is hoping to get.

I think it is also important to remember, AB is like the Intel inside of your laptop. It is a service provided to a manufacturer, with the specs requested by that developer.

 

[Saf3sh00t3r]

I think it is also important to remember, AB is like the Intel inside of your laptop. It is a service provided to a manufacturer, with the specs requested by that developer.

Doc, it's been said that it is mutually beneficial collaboration project with the manufacturer in PA. I opine that you have more influence that you're leading onto here. It's matter of priority to revenue, which isn't bad, as a software product development company business owner I invest on the product set that will provide the most revenue and profit, especially if I can break up products with different cost models (i.e. licensed features.) It's not personal it's business (yes, god father reference).

There is a lot of value on your AB products, since you're one of the few doing this type of work, but the good thing is we as shooters have alternatives as the shooting industry continues to get larger.