View Full Version : Scales
charlottebronte
04-22-2004, 18:36
I just bought a scale from Office Depot, and it's already saved its cost! It's a Pelouze and scales to 0.1 oz. It's digital and not too expensive ($29.95). It goes to 5 lbs. Heck, I found out that my trail running shorts weigh less than new hiking shorts, so guess what's going on the Thru? And my 20 year-old rain jacket is lighter than anything comparable I could buy today (go figure). As for my 20 year-old, upside down swoosh of a tent (Moss), it too is lighter than anything comparable--by a couple of pounds, he, he--though about 5 times the bulk.. :banana
SGT Rock
04-22-2004, 18:53
Scales are a great way to save money and actually think about what you are doing to your back.
Tn Bandit
04-22-2004, 21:08
That is a great price, I've been using deli/produce scales from some of my customers and try buying one of those scales!
Tn Bandit
Ramble~On
04-23-2004, 05:57
I'm sold. I'm heading to Office Depot today.
And when I return home with the scale I'm gonna dig out every piece of gear I own and have a party.
VAMTNHIKER
04-23-2004, 06:51
Wal-Mart has an inexpensive scale in the kitchen area... digital.
SGT Rock
04-23-2004, 08:13
Yes, Wal-Mart carries the Royal EX series. The Royal Ex3 has a 3 pound max weight, the Royal Ex5 has a five pound, etc. I use a Royal Ex3. They have tare and hold functions, and can weigh in either pounds/ounces, ounces, or grams. I think I paid about $29 for mine a few years back. You will find them in the office supply area with the paper shredders, postal supplies, and other related junk. Even when they have them in, which isn't often, they are often hidden in the clutter.
illininagel
04-23-2004, 09:00
I bought my 25# scale on eBay. There are many reputable sellers that specialize in scales. I am very pleased with it. Here's one example of an auction that's currently running...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1290&item=4164220618&rd=1
SGT Rock
04-23-2004, 09:07
If you could get that scale at a good price it would be excellent.
for all of us that pay close attention to pack weight...scales are a neccessary evil.
i have an old (weight watchers) scales that weigh smaller items up to 2lbs.
my bathroom digital scales are quite accurate...so i use them for larger items.
this keeps me between my 25-30lb pack goal. :D
I just bought a scale from Office Depot, and it's already saved its cost! It's a Pelouze and scales to 0.1 oz. It's digital and not too expensive ($29.95). It goes to 5 lbs. Heck, I found out that my trail running shorts weigh less than new hiking shorts, so guess what's going on the Thru? And my 20 year-old rain jacket is lighter than anything comparable I could buy today (go figure). As for my 20 year-old, upside down swoosh of a tent (Moss), it too is lighter than anything comparable--by a couple of pounds, he, he--though about 5 times the bulk.. :banana
I went to Home Depot today looking for he scales that you meantioned. But they told me they do not carry any scales like that. They said that it may be carried at some of the bigger Home Depot's. What section were they in at Home Depot?
Streamweaver
05-01-2004, 01:14
office depot (http://www.officedepot.com/)
Attroll its Office Depot not Home Depot ,Its an office supply ,stationary type store . If you dont have one near you ,Staples prolly sells em. Streamweaver
Streamweaver
05-01-2004, 01:23
Digital scale (http://www.officedepot.com/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=digital+scales&x=9&y=6) <<3rd one down is 30 bucks,looks like a good one.
gravityman
05-03-2004, 11:12
Yes, Wal-Mart carries the Royal EX series. The Royal Ex3 has a 3 pound max weight, the Royal Ex5 has a five pound, etc. I use a Royal Ex3. They have tare and hold functions, and can weigh in either pounds/ounces, ounces, or grams. I think I paid about $29 for mine a few years back. You will find them in the office supply area with the paper shredders, postal supplies, and other related junk. Even when they have them in, which isn't often, they are often hidden in the clutter.
Just a note - the EX5 actually does up to 10 lbs. No idea why, but I got one off of ebay, and it really does....
gravity man
SGT Rock
05-03-2004, 11:19
Cool. I guess I was wrong (again). Don't tell my wife :o
I just went to eBay and bid on a 30 lb model that only had 16 minuters left for bidding and I won the bid for $18. I can not wait to get it.
It goes to 5 lbs.
I have a winter tent that weighs over five pounds I wanted to weigh.
On my scale I find that it zeroes itself when turned on. Being an engineer I had to know. I put a quart nalgene with water on the scale before turning it on, and sure enough, the scale read zero. Then I took the nalgene off and put my tent on. Three and a half pounds. Add two pounds five ounce for the nalgene and water (previosuly measured( of water and Bingo: my tent weighs 5 pounds, 13 ounces.
I haven't tested it limits yet - how much it will take and still zero itself. I thought of standing on it before turning it on, but then thought better of it. Non-destructive test methods are better.
Frosty
ps This zeroing feature is great trying to weight things like parkas that are all floppy. Put a box on the scale before turning it on. The scale and box zero out. Put the parka in the box and there you have it's weight!
SGT Rock
05-03-2004, 16:38
Frosty, break it into it's components and weigh it. You know, poles, then stakes, then bag, then tent, then tarp, etc. you get the idea.
charlottebronte
05-03-2004, 20:59
Frosty, that's pretty ingenious. I was going to get around the 5 lb limit by not carrying anything over! Now you've given me an excuse to break my rule!
Photofanatic
05-03-2004, 21:20
..........
Since I am also in the market for new scales, I've done some research on scales that I found on Ebay, not encouraging. The two most common brands are not accurate and can not be calibrated. They are the Escali and Digiweigh. I have found a site that reviews scales with their recommendation going to a scale called My Weigh model Ultra-ship. Below you will find the two web sites that I found. Hope you find them informative.
My Weigh
http://www.myweigh.com/mediumscales_ultraship.html
And the comparison site.
http://www.digitalscale.com/SHIPPING%20SCALES%20COMPARED.htm
I have settled on the Ultra for a very few dollars more.
Ebay has the My Weigh selling in the $30.00 range
Good luck
Mike
peter_pan
05-04-2004, 07:41
Scales rule...Nuthin like knowing the truth. Manufactures can claim light weight with the stroke of a key board. Ha......Knowing the weight of every piece is the only path of informed decisions and trade offs for the unltralighter. Less is more.
gravityman
05-04-2004, 10:31
Ultimately, for a scale at home to weigh things, accuracy to 1/10 of an ounce isn't as important to me as repeatability. I just want to be able to compare two things...
Gravity man
eyahiker
05-09-2004, 15:30
:clap I like that gravity, man.
Pencil Pusher
06-15-2004, 22:06
Here's an eBay link for all sorts of scales:
http://stores.ebay.com/OLDWILLKNOTT-com_W0QQsspagenameZl2QQtZkm
Ramble~On
06-17-2004, 05:15
I saw a post on here a while ago...might even be this one cause I didn't go back very far...Anyway the whole scale idea caught my attention and I picked up a
"Good Cook" digital scale at Wal-Mart for ?19.95? weighs in grams, pounds or ounces and runs on a 9v battery. It will weigh up to 5 1/4 pounds.
It is pretty amazing that once you start weighing everything there's a lot of stuff that comes out of your pack and stays out...
I have cut a lot of weight out of my pack because of this scale.:banana
Kerosene
06-17-2004, 09:24
My gear list lives and dies by my little postal scale. My wife gives me a hard time about being so detail-oriented, but hey, I'm only carrying 25 pounds with food for a spring/fall hike now, versus the 40 pounds I carried in Fall 2000.
I'm thinking about trying out a pair of trail runners for a 20-miler I'll be doing in north Jersey next week.