Garmin Tempe

Excellent weather instrument for all users of wireless-capable Garmin units.

I've been using this sensor since its appearance in 2012 with my Garmin GPSMap 62s and now I continue using it with GPSMap 64s (see my review). I remember that in 2012 it was like a dream come true—wireless temperature sensor with log recording and making the graphs in Garmin Basecamp on PC! My temperature-equipped bike computer was very nice, but ability to record the data to track and review it later was amazing.

Here are its official specs from Garmin support:

• The unit is water resistant to 32.9 ft (10 meters).
• The battery type is a CR2032/3 volts.
• The battery life is up to 1 year.
• The operating temperature range is From -4 degrees F to 140 degrees F (-20 degrees C to 60 degrees C).
• The radio frequency is 2.4 GHx ANT plus wireless communications protocol.
• The weight of the unit is 10 g including battery

Since that time I've been using this device in all my outdoor activities. It's securely snapped onto such objects as straps, cords and mesh pockets. The data transmission range (several meters) is good enough to check the outside temperature from inside the tent while the sensor is attached to my bicycle.

When I write a review of my trip it's very useful to open the track and look at temperature graph of that day.

A usual day in summer Iceland trip. While climbing on hill, the temperature dropped to +2 °C (35 °F), also there were heavy rain and strong head wind of 17 m/s (38 mph)

In comparison to embedded sensors in various devices, here you measure the temperature in the desired point, not the temperature of your device, which may get hot from your body or during operation. For example, in hiking trips I attach the sensor to the rearmost part of my backpack, where the influence from my body is minimal. On bicycle I choose the most sun-shielded place on the bottom tube.

Another use case is measuring the temperature inside the child bicycle trailer. I attach the sensor inside the stroller and I always know if I need to open the ventilation or close it. It's especially useful in summer, when sometimes it's really hot inside the stroller.

Also in winter trips I can use both of my Tempe sensor and temperature-equipped bike computer head for simultaneous monitoring the temperature inside and outside the tent.

The Tempe is attached to guyline for outside temperature monitoring

Interestingly, this sensor works even below the official limit of -20 °C (-4 °F). I tried it in bicycle trip with temperatures as low as -24 °C (-11 °F). The measured values were displayed on my Garmin as usual. But unfortunately the temperatures below official range are recorded to track as "+70 °C". No doubt it's a software limitation, such a pity.

I tried to use this sensor with my ANT+ equipped Sony smartphone. Formally it's possible to get the temperature from this sensor, but in really awkward way (low-level software is required), so I tried and stopped my attempts.

In gereral, this is a "must have" device for all users of wireless-equipped Garmin units.

I've been using the Tempe for walks with my dog. It takes about 8-10 minutes to go from 68 degrees to 30 degrees.

I don't like the mounting options that Garmin recommends—clothing and shoes. Walking around town on roads I feel it is secure, but if you're going running, hiking, hunting, it is not secure in my opinion.

I bought mine for winter hiking in the mountains. I will be putting the Tempe in the brain of my backpack, mounted to the key holder strap.

Update 1/19/2017:

Hiked Owl's Head with some friends, one of the hikers had the same Tempe and GPS.

My Tempe showed 11 degrees where the other her Tempe showed 9 degrees, mine was in the brain and hers was mounted outside on the pack.