For direction and some force clues, I use some tassels on a stick.
For basic wind speed - when I walk down-wind to layout my lines, if I cannot feel the wind, then I know it is about the speed of an old-man-walking (say 5 mph max).
If the wind seems cut in half, then estimate 8-10 mph.
I fly almost exclusively at the beach, since our local winds rate zero on a goodness scale of 1 to 10. So, I look at the sand.
Dry sand is noticeably moving on the surface around 12 to 15 mph.
Dry sand looks like the entire surface in moving around 20 mph and up.
Wet sand means go home - any wind would have dried the surface within 30 minutes.
Like other commentators, I found the wind gauge to be a valuable learning tool. It helps calibrate your senses. It explained to me why my dual line kites became unmanageable when the whole surface of the beach was moving faster than I could run. (Oh yeah - kite flies in 8 to 20 mph winds. In 21 mph winds, it either breaks or pull your arms off.
)If within your budget, a $50-$60 gauge will certainly help you grow in your hobby. But necessary? Not.
Just one opinion - please weigh with other opinions.
P.S. Just wait until those young whipper-snappers that claim they use their ear-hair reach my age!
Then they will have to shave the darn stuff to become publicly presentable. Fair winds.
