How Much Compass Do I Really Need

Scouts and Adults can purchase a functional compass from anywhere between $5 and over a $100.  One would expect that the $100 compass would do more than the $5 compass, but how much more and what does one really need on an outing?

Recommendations

Your life could depend on your compass functioning correctly in the wilderness.  Because of this, we recommend against economy compasses which have a history of problems. 

General Outing Use Recommendations

A quality baseplate compass will fill the needs of 90% of outdoorsman.

• Suunto A-10 Compass

  • Simple, high quality compass

  • Baseplate design allows for great utility and ease of use

  • Made in Finland

  • Excellent starter compass

• Suunto M-3 Compass

  • Next level up

  • Adjustable declination correction makes it much more functional for navigation

  • Made in Finland

  • Excellent compass for a more mature Scout

Backup Use Recommendations

For use as backup or quick reference when cardinal directions is all that is needed.  These are great to have on your watchband or dangling from the shoulder strap of your backpack. 

• Suunto Clipper 

  • Small, well made and clips onto an assortment of gear (watchbands, straps, sleeves, map cases)

  • Used as a SECONDARY compass

  • You still need a quality, full-sized compass

• Sun Co MiniComp II 

  • Mini Orienteering Compass with Rotating Bezel 

• • Great little micro compass

  • 18mm Grade A Compass (not Grade AA)

Sighting Compass Recommendations

For expedition use requiring advanced navigation skills.  Most Scouts/Adults will not need or benifit from these. 

• Suunto MC-2 NH Mirror Compass

  • Excellent navigation compass with mirro

• Cammenga Lensatic Compass

  • Can be found surplus - sometimes new for $40

  • Don't buy a $10 Chinese Copy - it doesn't work the same

• see our Compasses for Wilderness Navigation Page

True Use of a Compass

A compass is good for pointing north.  A quality compass is able to measure angular units, or bearings and azimuths.  A higher end compass will more precisely measure these same angles to less than a degree.

For most Scout Outings, we will travel on well maintained trails that adult leaders have likely traveled on before.  There is a good chance that the trail is well marked with signs and can be navigated without a compass and many times even without a map.  For these type of short outings, a small wrist compass or a mini compass that dangles from a pack strap will be sufficient.  It points north, which will help you from getting completely confused about which may the parking lot is. 

For longer outings, where we travel a good distance from the trailhead, your compass becomes more important.  There will be times that you need to consult a map and use your compass to make sure you are on the right route.  On these trips, you need a quality baseplate compass you can depend on.

On High Adventures trips where Scouts travel a great distance in remote areas, a quality compass is a must.  Cell service is likely unavailable and a GPS can fail.  A quality sighting compass and the knowledge on how to use it will allow you to determine where you are at, even if you travel a significant distance off trail or are traveling in a remote area that doesn't have mapped trails.  

Training Compasses

Camps and Troops often skimp on training compasses.  Compasses can get pretty expensive, especially if outfitting a large group of young scouts who will likely abuse and lose a couple of compasses during training. 

The compasses you see at camp may not be the compasses you want to carry on an outing.  We have seen batches of training compasses that point in different direction, many that point south.  This is entertaining during training, but can be dangerous in the wilderness where you life may depend on your compass. 

Quality Concerns

A compass is a precision tool that can impact whether you stay on route or make it home.  Like other survival tools, it is important to select one that not only works, but is dependable in rough conditions and when you need it most.  

The following Manufactures are known to make quality products:

• Suunto (Finland)

• Breithaupt (Germany)

• Kasper & Richter (Germany) 

• Cammenga produces excellent Lensatic Compasses (USA)

• Brunton produces excellent Transit Compasses (USA)

Of these Suunto is the only company that reliably makes quality baseplate compasses that are easily available to US Scouts. 

Most other brands have hit and miss products.  Silva Sweden is known for making excellent products in the past, but has since moved production to China.  They still have name brand loyalty, but many of their newer products have had significant issues.

Economy Compasses

It's easy to find "deals" on Amazon and Ebay.  You can get bunk compasses for very little and many Scout Troops and Scout Camps use these.  There are several drawbacks that are generally associated with economy compasses.

• Longevity - Many will get sticky or leak over time

• Precision - some don't point north - test before use

• Most are made in China and quality control on economy/disposable compasses usually isn't great

• Dreaded bubble 

  • Liquid filled compasses develop bubbles when very cold or at high altitude - this should resolve when warmed

  • Some compasses will become less likely to develop bubbles as the case becomes more flexible with repeated expansion/contraction

  • Some compasses will develop a micro leak and form a permanent bubble

  • Some come from the factory with a bubble!

If you get compasses in bulk, check to see they point north and throw away the ones the don't.  These are great for training where you need a lot of compasses that will get abused and potentially lost.  These are not the compasses you want to depend on in the Wilderness.