Body fat calipers take a different approach to measuring than do body fat scales. Calipers are hand-held devices that calculate the percentage of body fat, but they do not deal with body mass index (BMI).
These devices allow you to
determine your percentage in privacy with a simple skin fold test in several
areas that is used to compute the percentage of fat.
The usual recommendation--especially for beginners--is to test in three areas: upper and lower body, and midsection.
The best calipers take measurements down to one mm, and do not require you to consult charts and tables.
They
automatically calculate body fat and often several other factors, such as
fitness level, without putting the user through any extra steps. Most body fat
calipers are not simply "pinchers," but have many features that
assist you in getting accurate measurements with these exercise accessories.
Some calipers are self-calibrating to ensure accuracy over a period of time so readings give an indication of progress.
A convenient feature is a beep that
signals that you are using the proper amount of pressure. For each of the
measuring spots, the caliper provides the minimum and maximum readings so the
user can develop measuring skills.
User manuals are always helpful, and some calipers go farther by including instructions on how to better your measuring ability.
If you want a lot of
features, they are available in many good body fat calipers. Some even store
three personal profiles, and offer fitness ratings using gender, age, and body
fat percentage.