Skinfold calipers are used in the measurement of skinfold thickness and the estimation of total body fat. There are a range of skinfold calipers available, including the following.
Skyndex Body Fat Calipers
There are two models of skinfold calipers available from Skyndex, the Skyndex I & II, which are essentially the same except for the presence of a built in computer for calculating body fat percentage.
The Skyndex I Body Fat Caliper is unique with a built in computer that calculates and displays percentage body fat directly on its digital readout, eliminating the necessity to add the readings and compute the percentage bodyfat from formulas or tables. This is Ideal for those who need to measure a lot of people quickly, and it also reduces the chance of transcription errors.
The formula used to calculate percentage body fat is set in the caliper, there is only one and the specific one needs to be specified when ordering. The three formulas available are the Durnin, Jackson-Pollock and Slaughter-Lohman formulas, and are appropriate to specific populations.
- Durnin formula: biceps, triceps, subscapula, and supra-iliac. Recommended for the general adult population.
- Jackson/Pollack formula: (Men) - thigh, abdomen and pectoral. (Women) - thigh, supra-iliac, and triceps. Recommended for young, lean, athletic adults.
- Slaughter/Lohman formula: triceps and calf. Recommended for children ages 8-18 years.
The Skyndex II Body Fat Caliper is basically the same caliper as the Skyndex I, except it does not have the built-in computer. The Skyndex II caliper has an easy-to-read digital readout and a "hold" feature. When the user is satisfied with the reading, the hold button can be pushed and this will lock the reading on the digital display until it can be written down. A second push on the hold button returns the caliper to "0".
This product is available from Amazon: Skyndex Skinfold Caliper. These and other skinfold calipers are available in the Fitness Testing Store.
Related Pages
- Skinfold Caliper Store
- Guide to Skinfold Calipers
- Take the poll about what caliper do you use, and see which one is more popular?
- Caliper Calibration
- Description of standard skinfold sites
- Skinfold measurement procedure
- About body composition tests
- Anthropometry Measurements
- Videos of Anthropometric Tests including Skinfold Testing.