Kestrel 5700 Elite Meter: Precision Weather & Ballistics

Mastering the Elements: Why Precision Matters for Long-Range Shooting

At long range, a bullet spends enough time in the air for wind, temperature, pressure and humidity to push it around. A small error in your wind call or air density turns into a real miss on paper. The 5700 Elite's job is to measure those conditions on the spot and do the math for you.

In Kestrel's own words, it "takes the guesswork out of long-range shooting, even out to the transonic and subsonic flight range of your bullet." It runs on the Kestrel 5 Series platform: a large, high-resolution display, a dual color backlight (white, or red to protect night vision), a polycarbonate lens, a single AA battery and optional LiNK Bluetooth connection to iOS and Android apps. Kestrel describes it as "drop-proof, dust-proof, waterproof".

Review basis: research only. This page is built on Kestrel's official 5700 Elite product page and the official "Kestrel 5700 Ballistics Weather Meter and Kestrel 5700 Elite Weather Meter with Applied Ballistics" instruction manual. We have not used or tested the meter ourselves, and Lena is not a ballistics specialist. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What the 5700 Elite Measures

The manual lists these weather measurements for the 5700 Elite:

• Wind speed / air speed (mph, fpm, m/s, km/h, knots)
• Temperature and wind chill
• Relative humidity, heat stress index, dew point and wet bulb temperature
• Station pressure, barometric pressure, altitude and density altitude

Kestrel's product page adds wind direction (from the built-in compass), crosswind and headwind/tailwind, plus "measurement and logging of primary environmental conditions". Paired with the optional Kestrel Vane Mount on a tripod, Kestrel says it becomes "a compact, easily-deployable weather station".

One pressure detail worth knowing: the meter cannot work as a barometer and an altimeter at the same time. You set a known altitude (for barometric pressure) or a known pressure (for altitude). For ballistics you do not need either: the manual says the solver uses station pressure.

Kestrel 5700 Elite Meter: Key Features in Context

Here is what the main features are, according to Kestrel, and what they mean in plain English.

What the Specs Mean in the Field

The real value is the combination: built-in wind and air density measurements feeding a full Applied Ballistics solver. The trade-off is depth. There are a lot of menus (Weather Mode, Ballistics Mode and a simpler Easy Mode), and the solution is only as good as the gun, bullet and scope data you enter. Kestrel itself offers getting-started documents, a menu navigation tree and video tutorials on its support pages, which tells you something about the learning curve.

Proven vs. claimed: all specifications on this page are Kestrel's. We have not measured anything ourselves.

Installation, Use & Maintenance Tips for Your Kestrel 5700 Elite

These steps follow the official Kestrel 5700 / 5700 Elite instruction manual.

First setup:

1. Slide the battery door latch, open the door and insert the provided AA lithium battery as shown on the label. Close the door until it clicks fully into place (Kestrel's FAQ: slide the top tab in first, then press the bottom down, and make sure the O-ring stays in place).
2. Press the power button to turn the Kestrel on.
3. Press the Options button to open the Options menu.
4. Calibrate the compass: go to System, then Compass Cal. Place the base of the Kestrel on a flat surface at least 3 feet from large metal objects, start the routine and rotate the unit around its vertical axis 3 times, about 10 seconds per full turn, keeping it as vertical as possible. You may need a few tries to get the timing right. Kestrel's 5 Series spec pages say compass calibration must be repeated after every full power-down (battery removal or change).
5. Exit the Options menu.
6. Optional settings from the same menu: auto shutdown time, backlight color (white or red), time and date, which measurement screens are on, and units (all imperial, all metric, or one by one).
7. Build your gun profile: in Ballistics Mode, go to Manage Guns, select New Gun, name it and fill in the gun, bullet and scope values. Make sure the new gun is set to On. (Or build it in the LiNK Ballistics app and send it to the meter.)

Measuring wind for a shot:

1. In the Target menu, select DoF (direction of fire), then Capture. Hold the Kestrel vertical, point the back of the unit at the target and select Capture.
2. Select WD, WS1 or WS2, then Capture. Hold the Kestrel vertical, point the back of the unit directly into the wind and select Capture.
3. Keep pointing into the wind for at least 5 seconds so it records a rolling 5 second average and the peak, then select End Capture.
4. Read the elevation and windage holds on the Targeting Screen. The windage shows two values: one for the average wind, one for the maximum wind.

The manual stresses holding the meter as vertical as possible during both captures, because the compass reading depends on it.

Truing to real impacts: after entering your data, use Cal MV (muzzle velocity calibration) at the suggested range, ideally 85% to 100% of it but no further. Then, on the Elite, use Cal DSF beyond that distance to true the solution into the transonic and subsonic range. Entering a DSF value at a shorter range than an earlier one overwrites the longer one.

Care:

• Impeller: it is replaceable. Press only on the sides of the impeller when removing or inserting it, to protect the hub bearing, and insert the new one with the small triangle facing the front of the Kestrel. Kestrel sells replacement impellers.
• Battery: lithium AA is recommended. The backlight turns off by itself after one minute, which helps the battery.
• Firmware: Kestrel publishes firmware updates, installed through the Kestrel LiNK apps or desktop software.

For Whom (And For Whom Not)

• For long-range shooters and competitors: the custom drag curves, range card and DSF calibration are aimed squarely at shots where the bullet slows toward the speed of sound.
• For hunters who shoot at distance: one pocket device for wind, air density and holds, with the red backlight for low light.
• For people who want a portable weather meter too: the weather side logs data and, with the optional vane mount, can sit on a tripod as a small weather station.
• Not for casual users: if you only need temperature or wind speed, the ballistics side is wasted.
• Not if you will not enter good data: the solver needs accurate gun, bullet, scope and range inputs to be useful.

Check the current price on Amazon before you decide; this is a premium instrument compared with a basic wind meter.

What Is Not in the Box (and Sold Separately)

• The manual mentions the provided AA lithium battery. Kestrel's 5700 Elite page does not publish a full box list.
• Sold separately (offered as add-ons by Kestrel): carry cases and holsters, the Kestrel Vane Mount, the Kestrel LiNK Dongle for PC/Mac and the waterproof USB Data Transfer Cable.
• Kestrel says a 5700 Elite without LiNK Bluetooth is available by phone order only.

Head-to-Head: Kestrel 5700 Elite vs. Other Kestrel Models

Kestrel's own comparison chart makes the differences clear. All values below are Kestrel's.

In short: the Elite's extra money buys the Applied Ballistics curves, far more gun and target storage, and the truing tools. The 5700X Elite adds speed, not new ballistics features, according to Kestrel's chart.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers, based on Kestrel's product page, FAQ and manual.

Technical Glossary

Update Log

• October 24, 2026: rewritten from Kestrel's official page and manual. Corrected gun and target storage (30 guns, not 16) and the comparison table, removed an invented statistic, an invented expert quote, a placeholder and an unrelated video, replaced number scores with an editorial assessment, and added setup, wind capture and calibration steps.
• August 13, 2025: Initial publication.