What's your favorite type of compass

Cool discussion. Just a couple of thoughts.

On the North pole the compass needle points South. The Terminal for the flux line is near the Hudson Bay region. I went to the North pole with an Explorers Club gang and it was neat knowing that there is no direction but South...

Many compass's have air bubbles in them. This is not a flaw. The bubble is there to assist in leveling the compass. An unfortunate side effect of the bubble is that it becomes larger at higher elevations due to decreased air pressure. This can interfere with accuracy, but not much if the compass is level.

Many manufacturers are leaving this bubble out now because so many folks thought that the bubble was a flaw.

The liquid incidentally, is there to dampen needle movement. Inductive dampening is likely to become better now due to better technology and you'll probably see more of it. You may also see isolated bubble levels on the compasses.

ROn

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Ron, I've got a cheap Silva 'Starter' compass that I've used for years that has finally developed a bubble about 1/4" in diameter...and growing. It really screws with the needle unless held perfectly level.

I think Suunto is using micro bubble levels on a lot of their gear now.

As far as declination goes, many people worry too much about small degrees of declination. Unless you're doing serious grid work, or triangulating from difficult places, small declination allowances can usually be overlooked.

Without a map, most folks only use a compass to walk a bearing. I always tell people if you don't have a map with you, always know in your mind which cardinal point civilization is (road, highway, river, etc.). This info can usually be gained from a regular road map.

If you get lost just walk a bearing towards some form of civilization that you know intersects the bearing your walking. In the US especially, there will usually be some form of highway running perpendicular to a cardinal point. May take a while and be the long route, but you won't be walking in circles.

Even this simplicity has it's problems though. You may come upon a mountain range, lake or other object you have to go around. So learning to make a map as you go, pace count, back azimuth and a few other rules still need to be learned. - Jeff

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Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com

 
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[This message has been edited by jrf (edited 12-26-2000).]
 
JRF,

I think handheld GPS systems are the neatest thing since pockets on shirts, but I totally agree with you.

One should always have a reliable compass and know how to use it before ever setting out with GPS. They're an electronic device that can and will fail in time.

I've owned several models and found the parallel receivers work the best under heavy canopy. Currently I'm using a Lowrance GlobalNav 212 - $239.00

The problem with most folks buying a GPS is they never know proper compass skills so they learn GPS and begin to rely on it, confident in their new found 'skill'...first failure and they're screwed.

Another thing, in my opinion, is a compass compliments a GPS, especially when hiking. It's much easier to read your bearing from a compass than the GPS. We learned this the hard way in the jungle...long story but we did amaze our Indian friends by bushwhacking a trail straight out instead of traveling those ever winding paths they use. One man taking bearings from the GPS and calling them out to a point man with a 5 dollar Silva did the trick. - Jeff

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Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com

 
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[This message has been edited by jrf (edited 12-26-2000).]
 
I'm still amazed at the sheer number of people that I know that don't even know how to read a map,
let alone use a compass for anything other than finding North.
Click to expand...

They didn't pay attention in school, or that sort of thing isn't taught in school where you live?

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Urban Fredriksson
www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/

"Smooth and serrated blades cut in two entirely different fashions."
- The Teeth of the Tyrannosaurs, Scientific American, Sep 1999


 
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[This message has been edited by jrf (edited 12-26-2000).]
 
Hi JRF,

Many of my students arrive believing the understand how to use a map and compass but in reality only 1 out of 10 have a low level of comprehension on its use. The majority know just enough to get lost (its like the student who has attended a couple of karate classes).

By the time they leave they understand map and compass nomenclature, how to orient a map to the lay of the land, how to triangulate (which requires identifying multiple prominant land marks) to identify their location, how to plan a route of travel (using a 5 point checklist), how to use a compass to navigate point to point, how to contour navigate, how to use the contellations to navigate by. By the time they are done they will have a full comprehension of this art. The students who attend both winter and summer trips with us learn the difficulties each environment poses on travel.

However, to be profecient they will need to practice, practice, practice. naviagation requires a lot of face time to learn. I don't believe it can be taught in a book. Books help prepare you to learn but the best way to get a grasp of land navigation is through the hands on process and with someone who knows what they are doing.

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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?

 
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[This message has been edited by jrf (edited 12-26-2000).]
 
Compass skills are truly essential. Agree the basic sylvia plate models are great. I use mid size silvia, about 15 bucks. Have a silva ranger too, but like the more basic models for traveling with a gps so you dont have to lift the cover to see. A silva with lanyard around the neck greatly saves gps batteries and is more accurate, especilly when you get near to your waypoint and the gps direction arrow starts bouncing all around.

Have had gps units fail 2 times, 2 different brands - the computers crashed in them.

The older Magellon 200xl and 4000xl had bad habits of the battery covers popping undone.
Then, after 30 minuntes without battery power, you lost all waypoints! Without a map and compass you are now navigating by dead recconing.

Map and compass proficientcy really is a skill and and art that no classroom can teach compentantly. Even if you fully understand the topo features on the map, identifying land features is very different.

And, a map is of little value if you cannot locate features easily, like mountains, when you are in heavy forest. That is where the gps shines.

Declination can be confusing and it is easy to get the deviation reversed, which can put you badly off course.

I write down the declination rule on my maps.
i.e. "map to terrian turn dial east" (reverse for going from terrian to map). Where I live the deviation is 18 degrees so it is important to factor this in .
 
I have a MilSpec G.I. Lensatic manufactured by Waltham Precision Instruments. It has served me well for 15+ years. Along with a Swiss Made Recta Compass, Type D2. It comes in its' own little snap open-snap shut box. I have had it for about 15 years as well. They have both been around the block, so to speak.

I have used Silva and others as well. I think they are like pocketknives and firestarters..don't rely on just one, they take up minimal space and not a huge weight factor. I like having extras, as long as you don't get carried away! (I have to have 30 knives, 27.5 ways to start a fire and 32.7 compasses!!! arrgggghhh...) I have seen people almost that bad...ha ha ha ha ha
 
this is a great discussion. I think the key with the type of compass you use is your familiarity with it.

I used the military lensatic (sp) compass for many many years. In fact I had to learn how to use the silva when I got out of the military in 1991. I now prefer it but could easily go back to the other. One of my instructors still uses the lensatic compass.

Practice...but more important...Practice right!

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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?

 
here's a new model that i have been fairly impressed with. might have too many bells and whistles for many but it is a good example of the new well thought out compasses being designed today.

brunt8099dlxc.jpg


nice features, dovetails well with GPS use, and it comes with quick reference cards in case one forgets certain details on map reading, orienteering, etc.

i was most familiar with the military lensatic compass, but in recent years have found a mulitude of compasses that suit my current outdoor lifestyle. i always make sure i have a small back up compass of some sort, usually the clip on type which acts as a zipper pull.

i remember once when i was 8 and got lost in the appalachians(my new backyard at the time). 6 hours later after hiking downhill, i finally found a corn field...whew. that weekend, i found a book at the library in town and familiarized myself with how to use a compass...

after that, my "backyard" became my playground
smile.gif


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PATRICK YORK MA
TRIPLE AUGHT DESIGN
"Audaces Fortuna Iuvat"
Click to expand...
www.tripleaughtdesign.com
Your edged tool & extreme gear resource for professionals, adventurers and enthusiasts.
velox@slip.net


 
PM, I assume this is the Brunton 8099 ECLIPSE DELUXE which you have on your site at http://www.tripleaughtdesign.com/eclipse.htm.

How about a little more detail of the advantages of this compass, especially for those of us who's compass technique is either very rusty or nothing more than very basic. What does it weigh?
 
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