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Thread: Compass recommendations

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    Default Compass recommendations

    Any one have some recommendations for compasses you have experience with?


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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Hunter63 saying Hey and Welcome....From Wisconsin.
    There is an intro section to say hello at:
    http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...-Introductions

    Rick gave a good place to start.
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    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    I re-read the threads that Rick linked to. My comments in them are still valid.
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    We who know you had no doubt.

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Actually use these all the time....have one pinned on the inside to my coats....
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/1920752...&ul_noapp=true

    I prefer simple direction....

    Pin on compass....
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    Last edited by hunter63; 02-07-2017 at 12:40 AM.
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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Hunter's wife buys those in bulk. She pins them to his PJs so he can find his way to the bathroom and back.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Naw them's too fancy...I like the little bubble ones.....for that.

    http://www.batteryjunction.com/ust-2...NBIaAugI8P8HAQ

    $135 each....I can afford a LOT of them.....

    Now these are very simple "which way is north"....the figure out the other 3 directions...

    Will it work for behind enemy lines, plot an air strike....with it?.....
    Maybe not.
    But if you pay attention where you are...which way you went....how to get back, ...or find a location on a map by heading in that direction....Yes
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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    I toss those into bags and boxes too.

    In my area I have one geographical guide, the River. And where I live I can hit the River by walking either north, east or west!

    And there is the highly developed and specifically labeled road network.

    I am much better off with a bubble compass and a road map than a Silva and a topographical sheet, even in the woods.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    I use these type to see where my truck went....someone moves it, from time to time.
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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Does not matter what kind of compass you use if you look for your truck for two hours then remember you drove the car that day.
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    I have an American Flag sticking up from the passenger side of all of my vehicles. Some people think I'm overly patriotic. Some people think I'm a right wing nut job. I just know that I can find my vehicle rather easily in a crowded parking lot.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kyratshooter View Post
    Does not matter what kind of compass you use if you look for your truck for two hours then remember you drove the car that day.
    True dat.......don't own a car.......
    So worst case is walking 3/4 of a mile before finding the truck.

    Most all of our land is divided up in mile or two mile sections.......although there are places "Up Nort" that you can go quite a while in one direction and not hit a road.

    I have always gotten along with 3 compass's....I believe 2 out if three.....
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    Senior Member Antonyraison's Avatar
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    I like an orienteering type compass.
    I dont really like button compasses, they ok I guess if you just want an idea of direction, but Geographically where I am, magnetic north and true north are not that far off.. so I can generally Tell direction very well using other methods, So yeah for general stuff in the bush here I note what direction I started walking from when I leave a place, and note the terrain and take a look back every now and again, so that I can recognize the place on the way back.
    For more accurate navigation with maps etc, its my orienteering compass.
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    Over here the compasses from Suunto or Silva are most common.
    The side of the compass has a roamer scale on it 100: 25: and so on.
    How are the maps in the US? do you also use a grid reference system similar the to the British OS?

    Simon

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    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SwissBrit View Post
    Over here the compasses from Suunto or Silva are most common.
    The side of the compass has a roamer scale on it 100: 25: and so on.
    How are the maps in the US? do you also use a grid reference system similar the to the British OS?

    Simon
    There isn't a set grid system that anyone uses. Plus, most people don't know how to use a grid system. The US military uses a grid system based off the metric system, so people who were in the military are familiar with it. Since I was taught land navigation in the military, I really like using a metric based grid system. There is a civilian metric grid system called UTM. Although the UTM grid is not the same as the military one, it is very similar, and works the same way. So, I use it all the time and love it. I use a free map software online called caltopo. I can choose different grid systems, and scale factors and then print out my own maps with the right scale. Most Americans I have asked, don't know about UTM or even how to use it. So, I am an oddity.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Most people don't use those tools as they don't see a need.

    Have taken a couple of courses on navigation....but need to be practiced and used to be remembered....Like a slide rule.

    Some people are into set locations, how to get there....some are into what am I gonna see and experience along the way.
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by FinallyMe
    So, I am an oddity.


    Honestly, we weren't going to mention it.

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    Large bipedal Primate Billofthenorth's Avatar
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    I like lensatic compasses for land nav. I've tried other types, mirror compasses and the ones with the rotatable bezel ring and adjustable declination scale. I always come back to the lensatic. For me they're easier to use (and read without glasses) and are what I learned on.
    They can be had for $5 - 80 depending on how serious you want to get. The cheap ones are fine for learning on but even they will work good enough for a back country backpack.

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by toeknee2120 View Post
    Any one have some recommendations for compasses you have experience with?
    Soooo......Toeknee that help any?
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
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