What's the best bang for your buck way to measure body fat?

http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/35/19/23211935.jpg

Or...

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/21AJTM2GBZL._AA160_.jpg

Or a combo of the above. Next would probably be calipers along with a scale (and not the BF readings the scale gives...those are next to worthless).

heh, heh. yeah, i guess I meant something along the lines of calipers. Something that gives you an actual number, unlike a mirror or camera.

Accu-measure plastic skinfold calipers. Check e-bay, I got mine for like $10.

Accu-measure plastic skinfold calipers. Check e-bay, I got mine for like $10.

I picked mine up at GNC for 20 bux0rs, if you dont want to deal with e-bay. They're fairly easy to use too. :tu:

Or you can go with a digital caliper like John has on his amazon mall... I want them, but I'm not willing to dole out 60 bucks lol.

A soft tape measure. They're like a buck.

You can combine it with a BF calculator formula if you must. It may not be super-accurate, but it's consistent with itself.

The problem with using the tape measures is finding a formula that works for you. They don't work for me. Even when I was carrying much more weight then now they underestimated my BF because the spots I carried weren't the spots the formula worried about. Even the calipers do this to some extent. Maybe if you do the seven site test it's better.

http://www.amazon.com/Accu-Measure-Body-Fat-Caliper/dp/B000G6VVO2/ref=sr_1_32/104-6173167-4347938?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1182967215&sr=8-32

It's like 5 bucks and $.50 shipping brinning you a grand total of $5.41 US. It's where I got mine and it works ok.

Not cheap but I like this: FatTrack PRO Digital Body Fat Management System with FREE Composition Tracker Body Fat Tracking Software (http://www.amazon.com/FatTrack-Management-Composition-Tracking-Software/dp/B000G82PH2/ref=sr_1_10/105-3799112-1479626?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1182968236&sr=1-10) in combo with this: MyoTape Body Tape Measure (http://www.amazon.com/AccuFitness-MT05-MyoTape-Body-Measure/dp/B000G7YW7Y/ref=pd_bxgy_hpc_text_b/105-3799112-1479626?ie=UTF8&qid=1182968236&sr=1-10)

But they are really good and very accurate up to your skill level, which you will catch on really fast. The body fat track software comes with multiple ways of measuring your body fat so you can get a better picture of what you body fat actually is.

However, don't do what I first did when I first started to learn -- I pinched around my belly for a measurement there so hard I exploded a subcutaneous cyst that took 2 months to go as much away as it could -- very painful and dermatologist recommended surgery... which I don;t feel a need for right now.
But that could happen with any set of calipers --- it was my pinching too hard with my fingers that caused the problem.

Justitia, when you use the digital caliper, how do you manage the triceps measurement? Do you get someone to help you with it? I've found it impossible to do on my own.

Justitia, when you use the digital caliper, how do you manage the triceps measurement? Do you get someone to help you with it? I've found it impossible to do on my own.

It is challenging but the one I recommend, I am able to do it. It comes with a book. But I am far from my goals BF; it might be more difficult when the BF gets low.