Compasses

Standard, field or digital; compasses will help you get from A-B, without ever getting lost at C or D. No need to navigate by the stars, trust to luck or throw yourself on the mercy of the nearest farmer! Even if you’re the worst orienteer in the world, you know you’re never going to get lost with a compass.

Lightweight, inexpensive and even contoured to fit your hands; compasses are easy to use and likely to last a lifetime. Reinforced plastic or Perspex; hand held, watch strap or key ring; there’s a compass for every kind of outdoor enthusiast.

The north arrow is the very least you’ll get when choosing your compass. But your specific additional requirements will vary based on how you’re going to use it. All round useful features include a luminous north arrow; getting you home no matter how dark it gets. A marked bezel in small increments of 360 degrees will also enable you to plot positions more accurately. Transparent rectangular based compasses are favoured by the orienteering community, giving them unrestricted access to their maps - and right angles for triangulation.

Think you’ll never need a compass? Reckon you can make do without? Maybe you can. It all depends what price you put on finding your way back home? Pick up a compass for a few quid and you’ll never have to risk it. Put it in your backpack and forget about it. Until you need it…

Of course if you’re into orienteering, it isn’t even an issue – a compass, like a good pair of walking boots, is an essential. A compass can save your life. Injured hikers and fall survivors have often fund their way back to civilization thanks largely to their compasses. After all, even a broken compass still points north.

© Outdoor Clothing And Equipment.co.uk 2008

Home
Bookmark

Clothing

Fleeces
Hiking Boots
Jackets
Trousers
Walking Boots

Tents

Expedition Tents
Group Tents
Solo Tents

Equipment

Binoculars
Child Carriers
Climbing
Compasses
Cooking
GPS
Rucksacks
Sleeping Bags