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Compasses That People Use For Hiking
Hikers need a compass that can help them stay on the right path. These are some of the best compasses for hiking. It’s vital to know the basics before you buy so that you can choose the right one for your needs.
There are several factors to consider when shopping for a hiking compass.
Some people may think they don’t need a compass because they have a GPS or smartphone. While this might be true, it’s always good to have a backup just in case these systems fail. It’s also important to know how to use this type of device before your trip, so it’s effective when in the wilderness.
Here are some of the main types of compasses that people use for hiking:
Suunto MC-2G In Global Compass.
The Suunto MC-2G is arguably the best compass for hiking in the world, and it’s built to survive anything you put it through. It offers a global needle, adjustable declination correction, a sighting mirror with a clinometer, a magnifying lens, and an adjustable bezel.
Features I love about the Suunto:
Global needle (use anywhere in the world) – I appreciate this feature a lot since I usually travel out of the country in some way when hiking (e.g., climb a mountain, hike into another country, etc.)
Baseplate – The base plate helps with being able to draw lines, take bearings, and measure distances easily on maps.
Ruler – The ruler can be used to measure distances on maps.
Magnifying lens – The magnifying lens is great for reading the small print on maps.
Declination adjustment – You can adjust for declination with this compass so that you don’t have to make corrections when taking bearings from maps or triangulating your location from two known points (e.g., peaks).
Brunton Truarc15 Compass
Brunton Truarc15 Compass is an advanced compass that’s great for all types of outdoor activities. It’s super durable, waterproof, and features several helpful tools like an inclinometer and mirror. It also has a sighting hairline that helps you pinpoint your location with precision.
Cammenga Phosphorescent Lensatic Compass.
The Cammenga Phosphorescent Lensatic Compass is another top-quality compass that’s ideal for hiking, camping, and other outdoor adventures. Like many of the best compasses, this one features sights for pinpointing your location with accuracy, as well as tools for measuring elevation, distance, and angle.
From what I understand, the only difference between a compass and a hiking compass is that a hiking compass has a baseplate. The baseplate is used for taking bearings (finding directions) and for measuring distances on a map, using the scale printed on the baseplate.
In addition to having a baseplate, most hiking compasses have some or all of these additional features:
* Adjustable declination – the difference between true north and magnetic north that changes from place to place. A compass with adjustable declination allows you to adjust for this difference for greater accuracy.
* Global needle – the needle in most compasses points to the magnetic north, which is not where you want to go unless your goal is to reach the North Pole. Some compasses have needles that point to true north instead of magnetic north.
* Sighting mirror – this feature allows you to take more accurate bearings by making it easier to line up your target with the direction-of-travel arrow on your map while looking through the sighting hole in your compass.
* Clinometer – some compasses have a built-in clinometer, which measures slope angles. This can be useful when you’re trying to decide whether or not it’s safe to cross a steep snowfield, for example.
Continue reading: > The Best Compasses
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Compasses That People Use For Hiking
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