Compass Selection
Compass Selection
The most important aspect of navigation is understanding and applying basic skills. That said, your selection of equipment will impact advanced navigation tasks.
A compass that is off by one degree will set you off by about 100 feet over a mile.
It is recommended that Scouts avoid low quality compasses commonly found on on Amazon or Ebay.
See our Compass Subsection of Gear and Equipment for more on the types of compasses out there.
Mini Compasses
These make for great emergency backup compasses. They may have tick marks every 15° or no tick marks at all. These are good for giving you cardinal directions (N, NW, W, SW, etc.). Traveling a mile with a 15° error can put you a quarter-mile away from your intended destination.
Since mini compasses are not precise by design, you don't need to get an expensive compass to do the job of a mini compass. But if you are looking for a quality mini compasses, the Suunto Clipper is an excellent choice. The Sun Co MiniComp 2 isn't the most accurate compass around, but it is a pretty nice compasses for rough navigating.
See Mini Compasses for more about these compasses.
Baseplate Compasses
These are the standard compass styles for most backpackers. They have great utility when matched with a good map. Accuracy is around +/- 2° at best. Over a mile, 2 degrees is about 185 feet off to one side or the other.
What makes a Baseplate Compass special is the clear baseplate, which allows you to use your compass as a protractor.
We recommend a quality Baseplate Compass for most Scouting Adventures. The Suunto A-10 is a great starter compass and the Suunto M-3 is the next level up with the ability to compensate for magnetic declination angles.
See Baseplate Compasses for more about these compasses.
Sighting Compasses
A sighting compass allows you to aim your compass at a target using sights. These have a accuracy and precision of around +/-1°. Some compasses are even more precise, but generally are not used for orienteering. Over a mile, 1 degree is about 92 feet off to one side or the other.
If you are using advanced navigation techniques to determine locations over long distances, then a sighting compass is a must.
Excellent sighting compasses include the Suunto MC-2 Mirror Compass and the US Military Cammenga Lensatic Compass.
See Sighting Compasses for more about these compasses.
Map Protractor
A map protractor is an indispensable tool when plotting long distance azimuths and angles. This is infrequently carried by backpackers and is often substituted with a clear baseplate compass, which works fine for shorter distance measurements. If your adventure requires accurate long distance plotting, then you should have a quality sighting compass, a good map and a map protractor.
The Suunto MC-2 has a transparent baseplate and can be used as a protractor like other baseplate compasses. The Cammenga has an opaque case and doesn't work well as a precision protractor. The Cammenga needs a separate map protractor for optimal use.