I’m a gadget guy, I admit it. I have several GPS receivers, traction cleats for my boots, ground blinds, hand warmers, and all sorts of other outdoors gadgets. Then add all the photography gear and the gadgets that go along with that, and sometimes I find myself carrying probably way too much junk with me on my outdoors adventures.
But one thing I don’t ever leave behind, especially in the winter, is the Brunton ADC I got as a gift from my parents way back in 2004. And it still works great.
I confess I take this thing along so I’ll have some bragging rights. When people start moaning about the cold, it’s kind of fun to be able to tell them, with confidence, that I spent six hours out in the wilderness in twenty-below-zero temperatures, with 30-mile-per-hour winds. With the wind chill, my ADC tells me that’s -53 degrees Fahrenheit.
This gadget is for more than just bragging about the cold, though. Mine is the Summit model, but they also make a Wind model and a Pro model. The Wind version tells you wind speed or water current speed if you put it in the stream; the temperature; wind chill; and the low and high temperatures, as well as the maximum wind gusts. The Summit and Pro add the barometric pressure and altitude, allowing you to know about upcoming changes in the weather. The Pro also tells you what the relative humidity is, as well as some other advanced info.
If you spend significant amounts of time outdoors, a gadget like this can be a great help to staying safe. The Wind retails for $80, the Summit is $150, and the Pro is $200. That’s a fair price for peace of mind.
