Let’s talk compasses

[Pilsner]

I’m interested in what compasses people use here.

I have a variety of compasses, the Silva Expedition 4 being my go to baseplate compass for map work. I also carry either a Suunto MC-2G or Silva Expedition S as a sighting compass, both with adjustable declination, although here in the U.K. the variance in declination doesn’t go much past 2° either way, which is negligible. I do travel abroad, of course.

The sighting compasses also have clinometers, which is nice albeit rarely used. I also carry a Garmin eTrex 30x GPS, but personally I enjoy using a map and compass primarily.

I know that some people favour button compasses, which has always puzzled me somewhat.

What do you guys use and why?

Have you ever been in trouble due to not having a compass, or had a compass fail during a trek?

Do you even lensatic, bro?

Let’s talk compasses!

 

[pinnah]

The only thing I can say is never, ever use a Tate's brand compass. They suck. How bad do they suck?


Well, you know the old saying....



Wait for it
.
.
.

He who has a Tate's, is lost.


Sorry. I just couldn't resist.


Seriously now, here in New England the only times I rely on a compass is either hunting or backcountry skiing, as these are the only activities that take me off trail. Here, sighting compasses aren't a big help to me as 90% of the time, I don't have a good line of sight to any recognizable land feature.

Generally, I rely on my compass in conjunction with an altimeter and good topo map. I've come to rely on my Casio as being accurate enough for altitude and this combined with a basic orienteering style plate compass has always allowed me to find my location accurately enough.

I had a basic Silva that lasted me more than a decade. I replaced with it a Brunton but only because that's what REI had in stock that day. I used to take pride in using a basic model but I concede that a declination adjustment feature helps when I'm gassed and not thinking at 100%.

I've had to rely on my compass skills a few time to get of the woods. My favorite was using it to dead reckon through a confused area of hardwoods to hit a pond and shelter dead on target. It was getting dusky and one of my partners was starting to spaz and wanted to call it a day and make camp even though we didn't have a water source. I asked for 20 more minutes and we skied out onto the pond. That was gratifying.

 

[Pilsner]

The only thing I can say is never, ever use a Tate's brand compass. They suck. How bad do they suck?


Well, you know the old saying....



Wait for it
.
.
.

He who has a Tate's, is lost.


Sorry. I just couldn't resist.


Seriously now, here in New England the only times I rely on a compass is either hunting or backcountry skiing, as these are the only activities that take me off trail. Here, sighting compasses aren't a big help to me as 90% of the time, I don't have a good line of sight to any recognizable land feature.

Generally, I rely on my compass in conjunction with an altimeter and good topo map. I've come to rely on my Casio as being accurate enough for altitude and this combined with a basic orienteering style plate compass has always allowed me to find my location accurately enough.

I had a basic Silva that lasted me more than a decade. I replaced with it a Brunton but only because that's what REI had in stock that day. I used to take pride in using a basic model but I concede that a declination adjustment feature helps when I'm gassed and not thinking at 100%.

I've had to rely on my compass skills a few time to get of the woods. My favorite was using it to dead reckon through a confused area of hardwoods to hit a pond and shelter dead on target. It was getting dusky and one of my partners was starting to spaz and wanted to call it a day and make camp even though we didn't have a water source. I asked for 20 more minutes and we skied out onto the pond. That was gratifying.

Great response, thank you!

 

[neeman]

I use a Suunto sighting mirror compass with a declination adjustment
I retired out for sentimental reasons my Silva 15 from 1967

I buy for beginners a simple Silva 123 baseplate
It is 1000% adequate for their use for many years

 

[Pilsner]

I use a Suunto sighting mirror compass with a declination adjustment
I retired out for sentimental reasons my Silva 15 from 1967

I buy for beginners a simple Silva 123 baseplate
It is 1000% adequate for their use for many years

What’s the declination in your area, N neeman ?

 

[Pilot1]

I have an old Silva that I still use, and I keep in my day hike pack. I bought it well before Silva became cheap, and unreliable. Silva is not the same Silva anymore. I also have a newer Suunto MC2G which I find excellent, and highly recommend.

 

[Pilsner]

I have an old Silva that I still use, and I keep in my day hike pack. I bought it well before Silva became cheap, and unreliable. Silva is not the same Silva anymore. I also have a newer Suunto MC2G which I find excellent, and highly recommend.

I’d agree with that. My Suunto MC2G is a superior compass to the modern Silva Expedition S. Hopefully Silva will listen to the market and get back up to scratch in the future.

 

[SwiftDream]

In he basin, range and canyon country of my haunts, my compass is used to triangulate our hidden camps, entry/exit points in rugged terrain and difficult canyons as well as remote “finds”.

My current favorite is a K&R Sherpa, a German mirror sighting compass. Though it is accurate for triangulation and better for following a bearing in terrain that often conceals objectives, sadly it will still get bubbles even with the elastic capsule that is supposedly resistant. Last bubble was at 6000’ and 45F, moderate and mild conditions. My global Sunnto gets bubbles as do both of my Bruntons. I have used a too heavy Cammenga lensatic frequently that is dry, no bubbles possible but with the rotating card, it has no adjustable declination which all my other compasses do (and no mirror so you can see the fool who is lost . I have three button compasses but don’t care for them and don’t carry them. The lightest and smallest compass I will take is my old Silva that is old enough to be made in Sweden. Aren’t the European Silva’s still made in Sweden? Anyway this little jewel is 1.8” in diameter and weighs in at 12 grams! We used it today while bushwhacking and finally shooting to connect to a trail. It has a rotating bezel and meridian lines and a pointer but no adjustable declination so we aimed off 10 degrees to the west and hit the mark. This thing has been beat half to death, never has gotten a bubble and is good for following a bearing.

Declination here is 10 east and gets more pronounced when we go north or west. I prefer adjustable but can live without it.

I’ve become turned around in he dark a couple times when a compass has saved my bacon and the triangulated entrance/exits have shaved enough time off in races with sunset in terribly rugged country to save us from uncomfortable bivouacs.

These days we also travel with an iPhone as a light weight hiking camera, a very accurate gps with the Gaia app with moving topo and satellite images, reference books, backup flashlight feature and at times phone service never used yet and all the other things it does in such a compact, light weight little piece of kit. However the hand held compass (and waterproof map) cannot be ignored for its navigational value and dependability. Use it and use it often. A gps is great for fixing positions but for shooting and following bearings I much prefer a compass.

While neither compass or gps can make all the important decisions for you, both are seriously valuable in many and various situations you are going to find yourself in and navigation is a skill that is at e apex of staying out of difficulties out in the wilds.

 

[Pilsner]

In he basin, range and canyon country of my haunts, my compass is used to triangulate our hidden camps, entry/exit points in rugged terrain and difficult canyons as well as remote “finds”.

My current favorite is a K&R Sherpa, a German mirror sighting compass. Though it is accurate for triangulation and better for following a bearing in terrain that often conceals objectives, sadly it will still get bubbles even with the elastic capsule that is supposedly resistant. Last bubble was at 6000’ and 45F, moderate and mild conditions. My global Sunnto gets bubbles as do both of my Bruntons. I have used a too heavy Cammenga lensatic frequently that is dry, no bubbles possible but with the rotating card, it has no adjustable declination which all my other compasses do (and no mirror so you can see the fool who is lost . I have three button compasses but don’t care for them and don’t carry them. The lightest and smallest compass I will take is my old Silva that is old enough to be made in Sweden. Aren’t the European Silva’s still made in Sweden? Anyway this little jewel is 1.8” in diameter and weighs in at 12 grams! We used it today while bushwhacking and finally shooting to connect to a trail. It has a rotating bezel and meridian lines and a pointer but no adjustable declination so we aimed off 10 degrees to the west and hit the mark. This thing has been beat half to death, never has gotten a bubble and is good for following a bearing.

Declination here is 10 east and gets more pronounced when we go north or west. I prefer adjustable but can live without it.

I’ve become turned around in he dark a couple times when a compass has saved my bacon and the triangulated entrance/exits have shaved enough time off in races with sunset in terribly rugged country to save us from uncomfortable bivouacs.

These days we also travel with an iPhone as a light weight hiking camera, a very accurate gps with the Gaia app with moving topo and satellite images, reference books, backup flashlight feature and at times phone service never used yet and all the other things it does in such a compact, light weight little piece of kit. However the hand held compass (and waterproof map) cannot be ignored for its navigational value and dependability. Use it and use it often. A gps is great for fixing positions but for shooting and following bearings I much prefer a compass.

While neither compass or gps can make all the important decisions for you, both are seriously valuable in many and various situations you are going to find yourself in and navigation is a skill that is at e apex of staying out of difficulties out in the wilds.

What a great post, thanks very much for contributing.

 

[SwiftDream]

This thread prompted me to look at a very popular online “store” that offers compasses and found this;

“Silva Expedition 360 Global Compass
New for 2018: This is the real Silva of Sweden-- available again in the United States for the first time in over 20 years. (The Silva products you have been purchasing for the last 20 years were NOT from Silva of Sweden.)”

The same announcement was attached to several models of Silva compasses. I’d like to see someone take one of these overnight into the high Sierra, Rockies, or the Alps and see if it develops a bubble. If no bubbles appear, this might be a good option.

 

[Pilsner]

This thread prompted me to look at a very popular online “store” that offers compasses and found this;

“Silva Expedition 360 Global Compass
New for 2018: This is the real Silva of Sweden-- available again in the United States for the first time in over 20 years. (The Silva products you have been purchasing for the last 20 years were NOT from Silva of Sweden.)”

The same announcement was attached to several models of Silva compasses. I’d like to see someone take one of these overnight into the high Sierra, Rockies, or the Alps and see if it develops a bubble. If no bubbles appear, this might be a good option.

Good spot, that looks like a very decent baseplate compass if the quality is up to scratch. Have to say that the Silva behaved well a couple of weeks ago up at around 5,000’. That was in the Pyrenees, but we don’t get even that high in the U.K. I’ll be taking my younger son up to around 3,000’ for an overnight camp next weekend, allowing for weather. Compasses will be a must, the weather does come in, in North Wales.

I’ve always fancied getting one of those Tritium Cammenga compasses, just to watch it light up, haha.

 

[cricketdave]

I'm sill carrying my old Cammenga compass, i've used it for so long. I got one of the Cammenga button compasses for a watch strap and that works pretty well for a general bearing.

 

[mete]

Check things once in a while. we had a new hunter in the group so we checked his stuff. His compass wouldn't work properly. He said no problem I have a back up . That didn't work either !
Having done lots of map work I always take a copy of the topo where I'll be .That works well for me .
The mirror ? One girl explained that it was so she would look good when rescued !

 

[Pilsner]

The mirror ? One girl explained that it was so she would look good when rescued !

 

[Sid Post]

What are the pros and cons of a Suunto MC-2G versus the MC-2NH? I don't plan on going South of the Equator so, is the Global worth the extra money to someone like myself? Or does it have other features the 'Northern Hemisphere' model doesn't?

 

[Pilsner]

What are the pros and cons of a Suunto MC-2G versus the MC-2NH? I don't plan on going South of the Equator so, is the Global worth the extra money to someone like myself? Or does it have other features the 'Northern Hemisphere' model doesn't?

I think the only pro is for travelling to the Equator or south of it. If you have no prospect of doing that, the NH compass would be perfect. As far as I know, that is the only difference.

 

[neeman]

What’s the declination in your area, N neeman ?

4 degrees east
Why
I have hiked extensively in the US where the declination was much larger
.
While I have this post open
Please can I trash the Suunto M-9
It is absolute rubbish and a waste of money
It goes on your wrist
You can sight a bearing but cannot transfer it to a map - Trash
You have to hold the compass up the same way you sighted it, but cannot hold it down to use it in a hand grasp like other compasses - Trash
You cannot take a bearing from the map to the terrain - Trash
There is no declination adjustment - Trash
It is nor cheap - Trash
.
Did I make my point?

 

[Pilsner]

Why

Just curious!

EDIT: Yes you definitely made your point! I never tried a wrist compass and I won’t be trying one anytime soon!

 

[Astrogator]

My most used magnetic compasses.
A plenty year old Silva Type 1 (the one with the aluminium bezel).
A newer Suunto A30.
I have others which I use as well.
All my magnetic compasses are regularly tested.
I use my magnetic compasses alongside a Garmin Etrex 20x loaded with Topo maps , but the GPS is only intermittently used to fix my position and to obtain bearings to the next objective
as I like to save the batteries , and also I do not completely trust the reliability of electronics.

 

[Pilsner]

I’m really interested in these replies, chaps, thank you! Son-number-two and I have been waiting for clement weekend weather for a trip to the Welsh mountains; looks like next weekend will be it, fingers crossed. I’m going to get him to take the bearings etc. Really feeling cheerful about the trip, as is he.