Lange Skinfold Caliper Review

December 23, 2020 Joe Richards

About the Lange Skinfold Caliper

The Lange skinfold caliper is a professional quality caliper; in fact, it is the most popular professional caliper in the USA. It has been manufactured since 1962 with the same basic design. It is a tried and true product that can last for decades. It sells for about $210-250 USD new in the USA.

Lange skinfold caliper specifications

Range: 60 mm
Accuracy: 0.5 mm
Graduation: 1 mm
Weight (case and caliper together): about 2 pounds
Size (case): 6" x 9"

See Lange Skinfold Caliper

Lange Caliper Pros and Cons (review)

Pros	Cons
Extremely durable; can last for decades Attractive and compact design It has an excellent reputation in the professional and academic community	Limited range may not work with extremely obese persons; some other professional models have 90-100 mm range Similar accuracy can be achieved with less expensive (but bigger, less durable) plastic calipers Dial graduation is less precise than some other advanced scientific models

Lange Skinfold Caliper Reviews

On Amazon.com, the Lange caliper has a 5/5 star rating based on 8 reviews (July 2018). Some comments:

"The calipers stand above the rest in terms of accuracy in measurement... I would recommend them to anyone who is serious about getting accurate results for their clients when it comes to body fat measures."

"I strongly suggest investing in a pair like this if you plan on keeping track of your body fat for a long amount of time and want something reliable and long lasting."

"I used this same brand of caliper while at university. They are very accurate. This was money well spent."

"As a certified trainer, I can now hold credible fitness assessments with this caliper."

Conclusion

The Lange skinfold caliper should be at the top of the list for any fitness professional or individual who is serious about measuring body fat. If you just want to try out body fat measurement, consider starting with a less expensive plastic caliper, especially the Slim Guide skinfold caliper.

History of the Lange Skinfold Caliper

The Lange skinfold caliper is mostly unchanged from the original design over 50 years ago! The device was developed in the Aeronautical Research Laboratory at the Univeristy of Kentucky ( Department of Mechanical Engineering). Dr. Karl O. Lange was appointed laboratory director in 1953 and the caliper was developed as part of Dr. Lange’s research interest. See the original patent below.

Lange skinfold caliper patent