Best Ultralight Carbon Monoxide Detector for Nomads and Hikers
Traveling with a small carbon monoxide (CO) detector is important because it can help protect you and your fellow traveler(s) from the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning while staying in a hotel, hostel, rental, RV, boat, or another accommodation.
We hadn’t considered traveling with a carbon monoxide detector as semi-nomadic early retirees and avid thru-hikers until we heard a news report detailing the deaths of vacationers at a resort in Great Exuma, Bahamas.
Many homeowners and renters know Kidde and First Alert carbon monoxide detectors. However, these name-brand CO detectors take up too much space for a nomadic lifestyle or thru-hikes.
We were pleasantly surprised that ultralight carbon monoxide detectors like the Forensics Detectors Car, Vehicle & Aircraft CO detector were a good size for our needs.
About Us
Darren and I are early retirees who left corporate careers in our late 40s. We are nomadic except for three months a year when we spend time in our tiny home in the Great Plains of the United States.
We spend 40 - 120 days per year thru-hiking in the EU and about 90 days per year in the Caribbean and Central America. This blog documents our journey to nomadic living and financial independence and the adjustments we’ve made to make the lifestyle work.
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Which Ultralight Carbon Monoxide Detector Should You Travel With?
We’ve just started traveling with the Forensics Detector ultralight carbon monoxide detector. We wanted a space-saving detector that ideally weighed under 3.0 ounces, including batteries. We’re finding that the Forensics Detectors Car, Vehicle, and Aircraft CO detector meets our needs for nomadic travel CO detection at low levels.
What is a low-level Carbon Monoxide detector?
A carbon monoxide detector is an electronic device designed to detect the presence of carbon monoxide gas in the air. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas produced when fuels such as gas, oil, coal, and wood are burned.
CO can be dangerous to human health in high concentrations, as it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, leading to headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, unconsciousness, hospitalization, and potentially death.
All carbon monoxide detectors work by continuously monitoring the air for CO. When a low-level carbon monoxide detector detects a certain level of carbon monoxide, it emits a visual and/or audible alarm to alert the occupants of the room.
Low-level detectors like ours detect CO and set off a flashing and audible alarm at a lower level of carbon monoxide (9 to 24 ppm). In fact, at 9 to 24 ppm carbon monoxide levels, the device will flash. The larger, bulkier home CO detectors in big box stores typically don't go off until CO levels exceed 70 ppm.
Most detectors are battery-operated and can be easily installed in various locations in a bedroom. It is essential to regularly test and replace the batteries in these detectors to ensure they are functioning correctly.
Why Should You Travel with an Ultralight Carbon Monoxide Detector?
While we don’t watch any cable news, we do get AP news on our mobile phones. While traveling, we heard on the news that three vacationers died due to carbon monoxide poisoning while on holiday in the Bahamas.
Many of the places we stay have smoke detectors, but we haven’t found many carbon monoxide detectors in the AirBnBs, hostels, hotels, and other lodgings where we sleep. We started looking for an ultralight carbon monoxide detector that would alert us to high levels of CO when we were staying in unfamiliar surroundings.
People Become Ill, and Some Die from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an average of 430 people die annually in the US from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning. Another 50,000 end up in the emergency room from poisoning, with about 4,000 hospitalized.
The CDC mentions that these numbers are estimates, as many cases of carbon monoxide poisoning are not reported or misdiagnosed.
Carbon Monoxide Is Odorless, Colorless, and Tasteless
As travelers; we don’t know if the places we are staying have poorly maintained furnaces, water heaters, and stoves. Having a carbon monoxide detector with us alerts us to the presence of CO that we can’t smell, see or taste.
Traveling with an Ultralight Carbon Monoxide Detector Is Convenient
Many hotels and rentals may not require carbon monoxide detectors. Bringing your portable CO detector allows you to rest assured that your sleeping space is monitored for CO levels.
The model we selected weighs under 2 ounces with two CR2032 batteries and slips easily into our backpack.
What to Look For in a Carbon Monoxide Detector
When choosing a carbon monoxide detector, a few essential features will help ensure that you select a high-quality and effective device. Here are some things to look for:
Sensitivity
Choose a detector that is sensitive enough to detect low levels of carbon monoxide. Understand that low-level CO detectors don’t meet UL2034 standards, as they alarm at under 70 ppm CO detected.
Well, we’re happy to have an alarm go off if carbon monoxide levels hit 25 ppm, since WHO and EPA both state that you can have some health effects from carbon monoxide at levels as low as 9 ppm over eight hours.
Since these portable CO detectors, like the Forensics Detectors Model CAR001, aren’t connected via WiFi or Bluetooth to any device, we don’t need to worry about the device triggering an alarm that would result in a fire truck being deployed to our location. We’re happy to know that low levels of CO are detected and then notify our host or authorities as needed.
Battery Power
As travelers, we want a device that does not rely on charging with a cord. Battery-powered detectors are easier to travel with. Look for a model that uses lightweight CR2023 batteries, not bulky AA or AAA batteries.
Travel with a few replacement batteries for your Forensics Detectors Model CAR001 CO Detector device. Also, when ordered through Amazon, your device will come with two additional CR2023 batteries. These batteries should last 6-8 months.
Digital Display
The model we selected has a digital display of CO levels represented at ppm and a battery level indicator. So far, we’ve been lucky and have not found any locations with a CO level over 8 ppm.
Alarm
The Forensics Detectors carbon monoxide detector, Model CAR001, has a visual alarm (red flashing light) at levels between 9 and 24 ppm and an audible buzzer alarm at levels over 25 ppm.
Price
We were looking for an ultralight model costing around $100 and were glad we found this one. We found many other users online happy with the results and using this model of CO detector in confined spaces like cars, vehicles, RVs, and aircraft. As we stay in many small accommodations in Europe, we were happy that others were having good results in small spaces.
Our opinion is that this is a good value. One could spend more on a more expensive model, however, we figure we might lose it in our travels over the coming years, so this mid-priced model seemed like a good fit for our purposes.
Why Should Nomads and Thru-Hikers Use an Ultralight Carbon Monoxide Detector?
Nomads and thru-hikers often prefer ultralight gear because it allows us to move faster and more comfortably on the trail.
Ultralight: Ultralight gear is designed to be as lightweight as possible, so travelers can carry less weight on their backs and move more quickly and easily on the go. This can be especially important for long-distance hikers who may be carrying all of their gear for days or weeks at a time.
Durability: Despite being lightweight, ultralight gear is often made from high-quality materials designed to be durable and withstand the rigors of nomadic life. This means travelers can rely on their gear to last for multiple trips without having to replace or repair it constantly.
Minimalist philosophy: Ultralight thru-hiking and nomadic life often involves a minimalist philosophy, where travelers focus on carrying only the essentials and cutting out unnecessary items. This can help avoid overpacking or carrying items that we don't need.
In Summary, Peace of Mind Detected
We travel easier knowing that we have a low-level carbon monoxide detector with us as we visit a range of accommodations in the coming years. A detector that weights under two ounces is a plus, as it will travel with us in our backpacks.
The Forensics Detectors CO detector is easy to use, and with the small and easy-to-find CR2032 batteries, we expect this detector to last us a few years until it expires in early 2026.
This device is well worth the cost for the peace of mind it provides.
