compasses.

how many of you guys carry or have near you a compass at all times?

 

I only carry a compass in the Bush in suburban areas and urban areas I can navigate using cues from the environment and the way that the roads run although I do have and on occasion have used the compass app on my phone

 

My Suunto Vector watch has an electronic compass, there is a compass kept in the center console of my truck, my get home bag in the truck has one, my Garmin GPS in the car has a compass function and my day pack has a very small Suunto clipped to the sternum strap.

 

Before joining SAR a little over two years ago, I never used a compass. After training with one for 5 months, using it for a year and a half, and helping instruct new members on its use, it has quickly become one of my favorite pieces of equipment.

So much so, I rank it up there with my boots and my knife.

I use a Silva Ranger on duty, and I keep it in my radio harness. I've never had an issue with it, and it's always with me in the field, though, I did have to cherry pick the one I have out of a selection of half a dozen at a local store.

I have plans of picking up a K&R Alpin for personal use.

 

Garmin gps and a lensatic compass in the vehicle with me.
Need to upgrade my compass one of these days.

 

I carry a SUUNTO KB-14 in my chest rig, a Silva baseplate in the pack, and a UST (i think made by SILVA) baseplate elsewhere in the pack . Back ups for me or an inexpensive tool to pass on to a hiker who may be without one.

 

My pack that goes everywhere with me always has at least one compass in it at all times.

 

Here is a couple I use.

 

I agree the A-10 is a great Compass but.............
I had a a-10 freeze up on a winter navigtion course. Don't know why.
Now all my suunto's and Silva's spend a couple of days in the freezer.
Never saw the problem again.

 

Every Silva compass I've had has ended up with a bubble in it. I don't know why. Other people swear by them. Quality control issues maybe?

 

I've had good luck with the one Ranger I've been using, but I did have to cherry pick it.

The other four had serious issues. One of them had a large bubble, one had a bezel that was falling off, the other had an eyelash in the dampening fluid , the other one had inaccurate markings on the bezel.

I had originally ordered a Suunto MC2, but they sent me the Imperial version instead of the Metric version, so I was stuck picking up a compass locally for the first day of my GSAR course, and I just ended up using it all the way through.

Any thoughts on the Kasper and Richter Alpin? I'm looking at picking one up.

 

I have a compass on my watch so have it with me all the time. It's a Casio G-Shock Rangeman. I do know the limitations of this basic thing. But for general orientation and taking a rough bearing it's enough.

Whenever I really have to navigate (not so often really, as Germany has signs EVERYWHERE) its GPS (Garmin Oregon 600t) as well as map (1:25000) with compass. As a compass I use a Recta DP65.

 

G-Shock compasses are pretty accurate as long as you calibrate them every now and then.

 

Did Expat sell you one of his rectal compasses too?
I think he could have rounded off the corners at bit.


Suunto bought Recta some years ago and continues to deliver great products under the Recta TM.

99% of the time all I need is a button compass for general direction, and the Suunto " Clipper" L-B NH is always on my watchband.

 

It's only a question of how brave you are

 

This is a partial list of some I’ve collected and tested over the years for work. I only bother with the Suunto MC2G these days, too many issues with North American Silva’s (spontaneous pole reversal, bubbles, etc).The Chinese Bruntons are crap too, but the new USA made ones are decent, in fact they are in my opinion the best value for the money, they are the only ones to offer adjustable declination in their entry level sub-$20 models.

I’ve been meaning to try a K&R but haven’t pulled the trigger as I know nothing they offer will beat the Suunto MC2G and it’s global needle (they don’t offer a global model).