Compass

Need to get a new any recommendations .

I like using a simple compass that goes on your wrist like a wrist watch.

I've been using the same Silva Ranger since 1970. Prefer the azimuth over the quadrant style

EDIT: mine is a model 15T made in Sweden. They are no longer distributed in the US. You might find one on Ebay. The newer ones with the Silva name are all made in Indonesia and are not near the quality of the originals

I use a Silva Explorer.

Lost mine don't what brand it was I'll check those out garmin is nice but batteries run out . thanks

I know for a fact that I would NEVER depend on anything that runs on batteries for navigation

Silva ranger, guaranteed for life.

Silva Ranger for me also.

Cammenga wrist compass is a very convenient option.

Tru-nord

it depends on what your use is

I can see where the watch type would be very handy or something that could band round your arm I tried the pin on type that are a ball , didn't really car for it , it was slow and not very accurate.

I use mason twine and make a lanyard for my compasses it hangs around my neck an older sylva explorer but they have changed the names so much it looks more like a current Field model

I like to carry 2 if one is lost I have a second sometimes I carry a 3rd we do drives so I will give the drivers the heading to follow and some times someone will have forgotten their compass spin the dial to the heading and all they have to do is follow the arrow.

back when I was building and running boy scout orienteering courses I really liked the Ranger (now looks like the Range S) with mirror and sight when you need to make a precise heading it was the tool.

the clear base of several models are nice for placing on a map

Silva

I run the same compass but in quadrants, that is just the way I am programmed. I have a couple of the Swede made ones in reserve in case my old one breaks or more likely I will loose it, LOL.
The nice thing about the Silva Ranger is that you can adjust it for magnetic declination, very important depending on where you live.
Suunto also makes a very fine compass, I have a couple of those also.

Zim

If you want one for your wrist that will not break and is well dampened. Suunto is the way to go

I never thought a compass would fail me but I had one of cheap little round ball ones you pin on your lapel freeze up on me about a month ago. I don't me freeze as in temps, it just refused to spin inside the housing. I guess I'd better wear two. I've ventured into cedar swamps a couple of times intending to only go a short way pretty confident I could find my way back with no problem. Overcast days with no sun or compass proved to be a problem both times.

Silva. I've had mine for over 40 years

Exactly ! If you can't set the declination it makes it a lot easier to make a mistake. Besides, topo sheets are laid out True. May as well set up the compass to read the same as the map

Be careful...

Silva Compass are now made in China.

Read the package carefully.

There are free apps that have them too.

Maybe not what you are looking for , but free.

My Silva Explorers are all older ones, all made in Finland.

X2
I use a Sunnto they are a little spendy, but if you are on a budget you can find then used on ebay for a pretty good price.
I have one that has an adjustment for magnetic declination; that's a really nice feature.

I don't always have maps and don't have maps for many of the area that I'm in the back country etc.. I also don't pay that close of attention to detail when I walk in the back country to be able to use a compass in the most efficient way to get back to exactly where I need to be. I do have one and carry it I also use a GPS with topo maps and I can say that it hasn't failed me yet. In saying that, there has been a few times I had to get to any open area to get the info I needed to find my way back the easiest and best way.

I also am very familiar with all the areas I travel that I really don't need a compass or GPS to navigate into, about and out. I just know it by terrain land marks etc.. very well.

I do want to say I agree with what has been said totally, I just have not had any issues using modern tools, and I'm not trying to convince anyone to doing it my way.

cedar swamps number one reason to have a compass in the woods hunting for me , all I need to know is go east and I will get back out to the fire lane borders the swamp. especially if you chase a wounded deer in and it gets dark even in legal shooting time last 30 minutes you can hardly see in the swamp on an overcast day

been so thick of fog out on lake Michigan and before we had loran head west your going to run into the shore eventually just turn before you actually run into the shore , we did have a depth finder and when we got to 30 feet we knew we were getting close to shore and slowed down.

the modern tools are nice but knowing how to get by without them can prove useful

having a tool to confirm your other instrument is correct is also good

you can also use your compass to save the batteries on your gps , lighting up the screen is the most intense use of the batteries set a way point get the direction and distance , close the screen run your direction from your compass and be heading in the right direction , say it was 1000 yards 280* when you feel like you have walked close to that distance open the screen and verify.

That's the only way I use a GPS. Get the bearing and set it in the compass and go.

[/quote]

My Silva Explorers are all older ones, all made in Finland. [/quote]

Same with all of mine.

45 plus years and still counting.


I went to buy some for the grand kids.... "China". I do not trust the quality.



Just Carry a Silva Ranger compass, a Topo map of the area, and a GPS for plotting UTM.


You'll be ready to tackle the terrain.

I have a lensatic compass just like I had in the military. I had gotten so used to it while in, I picked one up at an army surplus store after I got out.

Get the app for your phone.

i think the others may be right quality of the Silva may have suffered with china made

I have 20-30 year old silva compasses that are good and I just looked at the one I bought for my son 7 years ago and it has a big air bubble. Silva warranty is down to 2 years also.

What phone would that be ??

[quote=GREENCOUNTYPETE]cedar swamps number one reason to have a compass in the woods hunting for me , all I need to know is go east and I will get back out to the fire lane borders the swamp. especially if you chase a wounded deer in and it gets dark even in legal shooting time last 30 minutes you can hardly see in the swamp on an overcast day

been so thick of fog out on lake Michigan and before we had loran head west your going to run into the shore eventually just turn before you actually run into the shore , we did have a depth finder and when we got to 30 feet we knew we were getting close to shore and slowed down.

the modern tools are nice but knowing how to get by without them can prove useful

having a tool to confirm your other instrument is correct is also good

you can also use your compass to save the batteries on your gps , lighting up the screen is the most intense use of the batteries set a way point get the direction and distance , close the screen run your direction from your compass and be heading in the right direction , say it was 1000 yards 280* when you feel like you have walked close to that distance open the screen and verify.


Fog is a killer. I have been in some scary situations dealing with fog. If I see it coming or have the chance of knowing it is coming I'm on my way down and out of there. Fog to me is one of the worst survival scenarios to be involved in. For me I know land marks when I cant see them or find them I'm not as comfortable but yes I have the compass and modern navigation tools to use when that happens.

Even a compass don't work all the time.Try hunting in areas with alot of iron in the ground.Your compass will just go in circles.

Nice to have a dog team when you can't see anything

@snowy , my dad upgraded boats since the 90s , he now runs radar and we get some great fishing in the Fog , nice part about fog is the water is smooth.

instrument approach from 18 miles out , gave everyone a minimum of a half mile berth on the radar on the way in running about 25mph driver watches the radar all other eyes forward for debris in the water or something the radar would miss

Bulletproof and tritium readout.

I think I have five Silva Explorers, all about 18-20 years old and all made in Finland. One of them developed an air bubble as well. I contacted Siva and their position is that it has no influence on the accuracy of the compass.

I don't trust it. It stays at home in a closet and the others that don't have bubbles go with me.

That is awesome and I do trust modern tech and what it can do for us. I told the story here before when we got fogged in on water. It was a tense time with big boats moving through and by us and not being able to see them. They had the state of art equipment on their boats we had a compass. We survived with the grace of GOD.



Yep I bet it would be and I would trust them not a problem. When using horses if fog sets in can be the same results if they been acclimated to the area if an occurrence does happen. I have been there done that one time that horses got us down and out in heavy fog.

Marbles Pin on that's almost as old as I am. Never any problem at all.

I'm in with Trapper7 and Marty, I still use the lensatic one I was issued. Still working good.