UV Hawk Q3I-UVHAWK2 Waterproof Ultraviolet Sunlight Meter

I had bought this for a science fair project. It's small and seems accurate and works perfectly to fit our needs. Interestingly, even though I bought it for school, we will probably use it again in the future to determine the need for sunscreen, especially when we are going out for the day. It is easy to use and carry.

I am a very fair-skinned blonde, and purchased this to help me prevent sunburn, as I am a bike rider and outside a great deal. The sensor does not seem to respond to changes in light intensity, and even when I would stop and reset it to a brighter light, it still allowed HOURS of sun exposure. Plus, if you leave it on and then put it in a dark place, eventually the alarm goes off. I did not see any evidence that the light sensor functioned at all after the initial setting. It did not alert me to excessive sun exposure--it allows far too much time in the sun.On another note, the belt clip is an inadequate attachment for any sport that involves riding over bumps, jostling, etc. It is convenient, but a more positive attachment is needed.Back to the disposable strips, I guess.

Pros- Unit works as described- i.e. measures UV etc etc.- Interface is intuitive.- Appears accurate.Cons- It is NOT waterproof. Far from it. If you immerse it in water it will get completely water logged shorting out the battery.If that happens to you, pull the battery out, drain off any excess water and put it in a bag of rice. Next day it will be dry as a bone and ready for use again.

We received this device in a very timely manner. It was easy to use right out of the box. It was purchased as part of a school Science Fair project. It gave accurate readings. The different functions were an added bonus for us. I have a daughter that is EXTREMELY light sensitive this will be a valuable tool for her! Thank you. The project has gone from the school level to Regionals and is now on to State Competition!!

We have a Chaney that we have used for years but it seems to be getting old and reading lower UV intensity than it used to. I thought I would try another brand (cheaper and prime), so I ordered the UV Hawk. The problem with the UV Hawk is that it only reads the UV intensity when you press the button, once, and that's it. For partly cloudy days when the sun comes and goes, the Hawk only counts down exposure time based on its original UV sample measurement. The Chaney samples UV intensity every few seconds and adjusts (totalizes) UV exposure through changing UV conditions. I am disappointed in the Hawk and intend to return it and get another Chaney.

My wife is convinced I'll die from sunlight after my bout with squamous cell carcinoma years ago. This device does a very simple job of estimating the time in the sun I can spend before I'm overdone. The count-down alarm is the neatest feature. Highly recommend it.

This UV reader is basically useless. You can't read the display in the bright sunlight, which is precisely where you need it most.

The device registers the UV level by long pressing one of the bottons then facing the sensor to the sun. The level registered will not automatically change unless you do the previous step again. The device will then estimate the time you can stay continuously under the sun while considering your inputs on skin type and sunblock SPF level. The time remainig and temperature is updated automatically.