60mm Stainless Steel and Aluminum Body Fat Caliper with Case

A premium body fat skin fold caliper, made from stainless steel and aluminum, weighing 1.5kg and coming in a padded carry case.

It measures from 0-60mm, and the squeeze pressure can be calibrated using the included weight.

It comes with a smooth grip for added comfort.

• Two calibrations before first use. Zero the needle by spinning the silver ring around the dial. Then check that the spring pressure falls within the standard range, by hanging the included 200g weight from the frame with the caliper held perpendicular to the ground: it should read between 15 and 25, marked by red lines on the dial. A knob adjusts the pressure if it does not. Lowering it takes little effort and raising it takes more grip strength.
• Reading protocol. Make a pinch, then place the caliper 1 to 2cm away from your thumb and finger, perpendicular to the fold, halfway between the crest and the base. Read 1 to 2 seconds after releasing the lever, to the nearest 0.5mm. Rotate through the sites so the tissue recovers. If two readings at one site differ by more than 2mm, take a third.
• The Jackson and Pollock seven site method, in full. The manual shows where to take each fold, at the chest, axilla, triceps, subscapular, iliac crest, abdomen and thigh, and gives the separate male and female body fat percentage formulas.
• Dial resolution against reading protocol. The dial resolves to 1mm and the standard protocol reads to the nearest 0.5mm, so readings are interpolated between marks.

Who this suits

This is a caliper for someone taking skinfolds by hand, wanting to use a spring-release standard-pressure skinfold caliper. It reads in 1mm steps across 0 to 60mm with a stated accuracy of plus or minus 0.2mm, and the weight supplied lets you confirm that the jaw pressure is standard.

The manual carries two additional points: how to calibrate the caliper before use, and the full seven site body fat protocol.

Do I need to calibrate the caliper before using it?

Yes, in 2 ways. Zero the needle by spinning the silver ring around the dial, then check the spring pressure by hanging the supplied 200g weight from the frame with the caliper held perpendicular to the ground. It should read between 15 and 25, which is marked in red on the dial. If it does not, a knob adjusts the pressure. Lowering the pressure takes little effort and raising it takes more grip strength.

Which body fat protocol comes with it?

The manual includes the full Jackson and Pollock seven site method. It shows where to take each of the seven folds, at the chest, axilla, triceps, subscapular, iliac crest, abdomen and thigh, and gives the separate male and female percentage formulas. Read one to two seconds after releasing the lever, rotate through the sites so the tissue recovers, and take a third reading at any site where two differ by more than 2mm.