Body Fat calc- scale vs handheld

I do the dunk tank body fat test twice a year. Seems pretty accurate. I had my body fat taken at an LA Fitness first and not only were they off the girl actually tried to tell me that at 5'2, 95 pounds and 20% body fat I was too fat and needed their personal training services. Mind you the young lady who told me this was clearly about 30 pound heavier, a few inches shorter and not exactly a hard body. So, I went to Fitness Wave and got dunked. Turns out I had 17% fat and that losing weight was not recommended. So watch where you go and who is doing the test. 20% had it been right was perfectly healthy LA Fitness was trying to make me buy something I didn't need. I would have had more respect for them if they had said "That's good, but we could help you improve"

Most ways to measure body fat are quite horrible. Here's a pretty good breakdown of all of them:
http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=162

Had mine done at the gym with calipers. Then with handheld. They were within a % point so I think the hand held s pretty accurate. I agree with pick one and use that same method over time t judge progress

The other method is Bod Pod.

I always thought the scale/handheld would be a good measuring stick, even if they weren't accurate. But it turns out their accuracy varies in its...variance.

with so many products on the market, which is more accurate for getting body fat percentage, scale or handheld?

I'm going to paste, what I have said on another thread.

I own both a body fat scale and Omron handheld monitor and I trust both of them. Some people are against a body fat scale and Omron Handheld Monitor, they feel that these devices aren't accurate, which all devices aren't 100% accurate, the only thing that's said to be 100% accurate is an autopsy and no one will find out their true body fat percentage then.

Some people think that the body fat scale or Omron handheld aren't accurate, because they have read online or have been told that the Bod Pod, Dunk Test and Dexa Scan are accurate devices. These people probably have gotten tested on a body fat scale or used an Omron handheld body fat monitor and their body fat percentage number was different from the number they have gotten from a Bod Pod test, Dunk Test or Dexa Scan test.

A Dexa Scan Test will give you a higher body fat percentage than the scale, Omron monitor, Bod Pod and Dunk Test, because it includes the fat in your brain, bones and organs.

I will list the margin errors according to this site: http://www.shapefit.com/body-fat-testing.html

Dexa Scan +/- 2-3% margin error (Cost $100)

Hydrostatic Weighing/Dunk Test +/-2-3% margin error. Accuracy depends on the amount of air a person expel. If all the air isn't blown out, the test will not be as accurate.

Bioelectrical Impedance (Body fat scale or handheld monitor). I'm quoting them here: "This method CAN be accurate (4% margin of error) but the results are affected by hydration, food intake and skin temperature. If you're dehydrated, you're body fat percentage will read higher than it is."

According to this site, the Bod Pod Test has a +/- 3% margin error: http://www.humanhealthspecialists.com/bodpod-body-fat-testing/bod-pod-faqs/



A body fat scale measures the lower half of the body and an Omron handheld body fat monitor measures the top half of the body. Both devices can give a person the same reading and guess what's the person's total body fat percentage is: Answer: The body fat percentage both devices gave the person.

For example if both the body fat scale and Omron handheld monitor gives a person a 35% body fat reading. Then that person's total body fat percentage is 35%, why? Because, 35 + 35 = 70 and 70/2 = 35.

It's possible that both devices can give different readings, but it doesn't mean that one of the devices didn't give the total body's body fat percentage or came close to it.

Example: The scale can read 35% and the Omron handheld can read 33%. 35 + 33 = 68 and 68/2 = 34. 34% falls between 33% and 35%.

Some people are top heavy and bottom small and some people are top small and bottom heavy, whatever device they use to measure their smaller half, the reading will be lower than the other device. For example, a woman that's small at the top and bottom heavy can have a top reading of 25% and bottom reading of 35%. Total body percentage: 25 + 35 = 60 and 60 /2 = 30

I've said all that to say, just because a Bod Pod test, Dunk Test or Dexa Scan has your body fat percentage at 30% and a body fat scale or Omron handheld monitor had your body fat percentage at 35% it doesn't mean the body fat percentage scale or Omron handheld monitor isn't right or close to the body fat percentage reading. Keep in mind, A Bod Pod Test, Dunk Test and Dexa Scan also have a +/- margin error.

If you want to pay to get a Bod Pod Test, Dunk Test or Dexa Scan test go for it, but if I can suggest something to you, I would suggest, the day before your testing or on the same day if possible, get your body fat percentage tested on a body fat scale and Omron handheld body fat monitor and add the percentages up and divide it by two to see what your percentage comes out to be. Compare the total body fat percentage number to the other test's number to see if they are the same or close. If they are the same or close, I think you should save your money and just focus on using a body fat scale, Omron handheld body fat monitor or both. If you own both, you will come out cheaper than spending money for those other tests, unless you just want to continue spending money on those other tests.

so 23% handheld, 34% scale seems kinda odd to me 28.5% roughly?