Slim Guide Skin Fold Caliper with Booklet

Manufacturer : Slim Guide In Stock : 2 List Price: $26.99 Price: $23.99 You Save: $3.00 (11%) Quantity : 1 2

Features

• Set of springs ensures consistent measurements.
• Instruction manual included.

Product Description

This skinfold caliper has a set of springs that apply tension to the testing area, making the results very consistent from test to test. The slim guide has the capacity to measure up to 85 mm. It also comes with an instruction manual detailing how to use the skinfold calipers to measure % body fat. "A skinfold caliper is a device which measures the thickness of a fold of skin with its underlying layer of fat. By doing this at key locations, shown by research to be representative of the total amount of fat on the body, it is possible to estimate the total percent bodyfat of a person. This skinfold caliper has springs which exert a certain pressure on the skinfold, generally 10 gm./sq. mm., and an accurate scale which measures the thickness in millimeters." Includes How to measure your body fat% booklet.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating of 3.50 out of 5 reviews

Rating :
No can do, Sir! - AngryCoder, Mar 23, 2008

The best item is useless for me if it doesn't ship outside the U.S. I'm getting pretty annoyed the fact that some items cannot be shipped abroad without any apparent reason.


Rating :
Good Calipers for Low Budget - M. Wolf, Nov 20, 2007

The Slim Guide calipers are a decent alternative to the Lange or other, higher end calipers. While not quite as accurate, you will get a similar reading on this $20 version as you do on the $150-$300 calipers, as long as you are a reliable, experienced tester.

While I recommend spending the extra money for the best calipers that produce the most accurate results, these aren't bad for someone just starting out.


Rating :
Great low priced item - Shae Warnick, Nov 19, 2007

Even though this item is not as high quality as calipers that cost in the hundreds, it is definitely a reliable little mechanism that works surprisingly well for how little it costs. I would recommend it to anybody.


Rating :
Good product, timely delivery - Dave123, Aug 26, 2007

This arrived very fast and was just what I expected. I still have not mastered the skill of obtaining consistent readings, but I imagine that will come in time.


Rating :
Measure Lean Body Mass and Body Fat - danmirage, Oct 16, 2005

This is a very accurate method of tracking body composition changes and the Slim Guide Skin fold Caliper with the Booklet is a GREAT tool for doing this. I have used a few tools over the decades and for the price...this is a great tool!

The booklet DOES give you answers for 1, 2 and 4 location tests instantly without any complex math. (see P.S. at bottom.)

This is best used by taking measurements over a period of time and tracking changes. If your interest is simply to monitor your body composition over time for general health, once every one to three months is a good interval. If, on the other hand, you have a specific goal or are in an intensive nutrition/training cycle, you may wish to track once a week.

If you are looking to lose weight (by losing excess fat) ...measuring Lean Body Mass and Body Fat is the only way to insure you are not losing muscle and water.

Many diets cause massive losses of water and muscle (very low calorie and low carbohydrate diets for example)...leading to a quick regain of pounds at some point. If you are on a diet program, and nobody is measuring your Lean Body Mass and Body Fat, you simply do not know what your body is doing.

So you know my credentials, I have been involved in health and fitness for over 20 years as a Body Builder, Body Sculptor, Trainer, Consultant, Coach and many other positions in the field. I am currently the Director of Personal Success Now.

For the best accuracy with this...

You should have the same person take the measurements at the same time of day. You should take your body weight (needed to determine Lean Body Mass and Body Fat) on THE SAME SCALE at the same time of day every time. The first time, you should measure how far down the Biceps and Triceps you take the measure and make a note. Make a picture diagram of where you take the other two measurements (below the shoulder blade and the side of the waist.) There are directions and diagrams to help you in the book, so don't worry about a thing.

Also, note what cloths you were wearing when you weigh yourself on the scale...always wear them for the weigh-in. Take a photograph of yourself now!! It is very helpful to see images of yourself at 30% bodyfat, then at 25%, then at 20%, then at 18%! If you feel shy, take them yourself in front of a mirror!

You will be glad you did. Just trust me on that.

If the program you are following is not giving you results in three weeks, something is not right. Get some help from a knowledgeable and qualified trainer. They can help you shorten the time it takes to reach your goals and be Your Personal Best.

Always ask potential program managers/trainers how they will help you achieve your goals. If they will not be using these components to help you...consider finding someone else:

1) Food and Nutrient intake monitoring
2) Cardiorespiratory Training
3) Resistance Training
4) Personal Assistance including Body composition monitoring

Additionally, if you are looking to lose body fat, you should consider removing foods with flavorings, colorings, additives, and preservatives from your diet at this time, as clinical tests have demonstrated that some of these can adversely effect bodyfat mobilization (i.e. fat burning) and some even enhance fat storage and stimulate the appetite.

Wishing you Personal Success Now!

P.S.
It is important to know up front that you will need another person to help you if you wish to get the most accurate results using this method of body composition monitoring. To more accurately determine your Lean Body Mass and Body Fat, you take caliper measurements from 1, 2, 3, 4, or 7 (or even 9) locations on the body. 2 of these are from behind: Just below your shoulder blade and the back of your arm (which you can reasonably do alone.) There is an option to use a measurement from only one location (front of the arm) to determine bodyfat, however this is not as accurate as taking it from multiple (3+)locations.

There are on-line calculators that will allow you to use a 3-site measurement that 1 person can do alone. Here is one such: linear-software.com/online.html. Since this is based on a mathematical calculation, you can do it yourself if you are interested...here is the information:

The 3 Skin fold sites required for Men are:
Chest, Abdomen, Thigh;

The 3 Skin fold sites required for Women are:
Triceps, Suprailiac, Thigh.
There are illustrations on the website given above.

You must determine body density:
Body Density for Men:
1.1093800-(0.0008267*(sum 3 skinfolds))+(0.0000016*(sum 3 skinfolds)^2)-(0.000257*age)

Body Density for Women:
1.0994921-(0.0009929*(sum 3 skinfolds))+(0.0000023*(sum 3 skinfolds)^2)-(0.0001392*age)

To Calculate Body Fat %:
(457/Body Density)-414.2

Return to Body Fat Calculator Guide
Return to Recommended Products