Are you looking for the best compasses for hiking, camping, etc.? Discover the best orientation compasses to buy online. They adapt to your needs, use, and outdoor activity.
When you enter unfamiliar terrain, it is best not to lose your way. Today can we place our trust in smartphones with built-in GPS or GPS receivers to guide us. But what happens if the battery or the coverage fails and, in addition, we are totally alone? If you are a born adventurer, nothing will do better than a compass to explore unknown terrain. That’s why today we will review the best and most accurate compasses on the market.
Depending on the level of adventure you are looking for, there are basic compasses or others with advanced functions. What kind of adventurer are you? In this article, we will help you discover the one that suits you. Going out to see the world is always more interesting than seeing it on television. But make sure, literally, not to lose your way. Can you come with us?
The top 7 best and most accurate compasses on the market
The compass is one of the basic elements par excellence in all hiking, trekking or nature walks. It indicates the direction to follow and is a good way to find the most direct route to the chosen place. This simple orientation instrument is based on the magnetism of the earth and a small magnetized needle or sword that always points to the magnetic north.
Here we present both classic compasses and modern compasses. So you can choose and buy the one that suits you best on your camping or hiking day. Are you ready? Let’s start then.
Proster IP65 Compass
This military-style compass is made of metal and is fully suitable for outdoor activities. It has a transport bag that will be useful for camping, hunting, hiking, or geology by effectively protecting it from the bumps it may suffer during the journey and its use.
It also contains fluorescent lights for reading data in dark environments. This device incorporates an inclinometer and a multitude of functions: a compass disc with a 360º scale, an adjustable prismatic lens, and it is resistant to shocks, waterproof.
This compass has a magnifying lens to visualize the degrees. The spirit level helps stabilize the compass on flat surfaces. The vertical bowline of the sighting optics improves your accuracy and decreases your errors. The clinometer function allows you to measure differences in height and slopes.
It is a good option for long-distance activities, and at an affordable price. Want to know more and read user reviews? Just follow the link below.
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Silva Ranger 2.0 Compass
The lanyard is soft and flexible and easy to place directly on your route on the map. The new model comes with a more distinctive arrow and also a more modern casing. Colors change to green and black to harmonize with maps.
If you are looking for a functional and accurate compass for your outdoor adventures, Ranger should be your purchase choice. Thanks to the magnifying glass you can be sure to see all the details on the map.
The Ranger 2.0 Compass is our best choice when you need to find the right direction over long distances. Because you don’t need to lift your eyes off the compass to look at the terrain, the direction determined with the SILVA system becomes more precise.
This compass is ideal for routes, excursions, mountaineering, survival, military use, hunting, outdoor activities, etc. Want to know more and read user reviews? Just follow the link below.
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Suunto MC2G Navigator Compass
This is another of the most accurate compasses on the market. The Suunto MC-2G compass offers great functionality and is therefore very popular with hikers, mountaineers, and other lovers of outdoor activities. It has a very robust construction and therefore offers great resistance against shocks, dirt, and water.
As for features, you will not be disappointed, it is equipped with a rotating bezel, a ruler, a clinometer, a magnifying glass, and an observation mirror. The declination can be easily adjusted with the adjustment key attached to the lanyard.
Additionally, the Suunto military compass is equipped with a global needle to work in all areas of the compass and does not have to be completely level for accurate measurements. Since it is equipped with luminescent indicators, it can be easily used at night.
It is ideal for hiking, trekking, mountaineering, forestry, hunting, military use, survival, and any other outdoor activities use such as geocaching, for example. Want to know more and read user reviews? Just follow the link below.
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SUUNTO A-10 NH Metric Recreational Field Compass
The Suunto A-10 is a compass very inexpensive and simple. Therefore, it is easy to use and perfect for beginners.
It is equipped with a declination scale, a ruler, and a rotating bezel. This compass is relatively durable and made of scratch-resistant plastic.
It is also full of liquid and therefore the needle settles quickly. Unfortunately, this Suunto product does not have a clinometer, magnifying lens, or observation mirror. However, it comes with a lanyard for easy handling.
The Suunto A-10 is generally a great compass for beginners and other outdoor activity lovers who need a navigation device without many advanced features.
It is ideal for hiking, trekking, mountaineering, hunting and survival. Want to know more and read user reviews? Just follow the link below.
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National Geographic Compass
This wonderful compass is perfect for outdoor activities. It is also very beautiful, sturdy, and convenient to carry. Thanks to this beautiful and accurate compass, you can explore the beauty of nature and practice outdoor sports in a safe and respectful way. Perfect for less professional and more recreational uses, the compass is entirely in metal, with a floating rotating bezel, magnifying glass, and viewfinder for aiming the target.
Its features include a 360-degree dial and a liquid suspension north direction arrow, the aiming wire and notch for the exact location of landscape elements, 2 rulers, one of which is centimeter and the other in scale, ring for the fixing.
Again it is a good quality compass for lovers and travelers, photographers and adventurers characterized by excellent value for money. Want to know more and read user reviews? Just follow the link below.
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Ueasy Military Compass
An extremely light and portable trekking compass, with a case to store it when not in use. Both compass and clinometer give the user all the information needed to dig, climb, or choose the best trekking route.
After absorbing a certain amount of light during the day, it can also be used at night in fluorescent mode, and it is easy to read even for those who are not experts in compasses.
This compass is made of metal, and is equipped with anti-vibration technology, and works well even in extreme conditions. It is without a doubt one of the best quality/price trekking compasses. Want to know more and read user reviews? Just follow the link below.
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Sportneer Military Compass
This is another very interesting product compass that allows you to keep oriented with a few simple references. A military-type compass, with the classic green color. The compass is 360 °, floating and always indicates the north. The body of the instrument is made of metal and is very resistant to water, dust, and can work safely in extreme weather conditions.
It is ideal for any outdoor sport, such as mountaineering, hiking, camping, trekking, and hunting. It also has a ruler for orientation with the scale map and has a lanyard for easy transportation. Want to know more and read user reviews? Just follow the link below.
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How does a compass work?
An indispensable companion for any navigator, the compass appeared long before the discoveries of the seven seas. It is one of the oldest man-made orientation and location instruments.
In its simplest form, the compass can be made up of a magnetic needle resting on a pin or even in water. Placed on a horizontal plane and suspended by its center of gravity, it can rotate freely.
It always remains aligned with Earth’s magnetic field, indicating the North-South axis. Its tip always takes it to a point near the planet’s geographic north pole. Consequently, we will also know the East-West axis.
How to improve the use of a compass?
The most modern compasses differ slightly from each other, but retain the same basic components.
If a magnetic device uses a needle or any electronic instrument to indicate the direction of the magnetic south pole of Earth’s magnetosphere, it can be called a compass.
For its use to have truly precise purposes, it is necessary to use a cartographic map together with the equipment. This is to make corrections to the overall compass reading.
These corrections happen for two reasons. First, the magnetic and geographic poles may not perfectly match. Second, the compass reading can be influenced by local factors, such as the presence of a large amount of ferromagnetic material in the ground.
The compasses have the cardinal points: north (N), south (S), east (L) and west (W); and the collateral points: (NE) northeast, (SE) southeast, (SO) southwest and (NW) northwest.
This is an instrument that should be part of any expedition or outdoor adventure and is also ideal for use by engineers, surveyors, antenna installers, builders, and any professional who needs location-related data.
Acrylic, Military or Diver Compass?
There are very common types of compasses. Some have an acrylic body, also called a cartographic or geographic. Others are military in style, with the body generally made of aluminum or other metal, called prismatic compasses. In this article, we list some of them.
Both models do their job well, that of indicating magnetic north, but there are some basic differences between them.
- Acrylic compass. It has the limbus (graduated part) independent of the needle. That is, the needle will not follow the movement of the rotating blade.
- Military compass. The limbus is attached to the needle. When one part moves, the other part moves together. It is as if the limbus and the needle were one piece.
- Compasses for divers. In general, they consist of a magnetic needle attached to a plastic disc. This disk is supported on an axis and contains the marks of the cardinal points.
Virtually all compasses allow you to read the course from the top, but some also have a small side window that makes it easy to navigate without the diver leaving the swimming position.
In some of these models, the display is fluorescent, allowing the diver to read the major marks in low light. It is also tilt sensitive: the needle does not lock even when the compass is out of the horizontal position.
Also remember that these models must be easy to use, since it would be difficult to move the crown with diving gloves.
Factors to consider when buying the best and most accurate compasses
A hiking compass must have certain features, such as a declination scale, rotating bezel, and ruler base plate. Scaled declination helps you make declination adjustments for different areas so that the compass points to true north instead of magnetic north while the rotating bezel allows you to easily measure the azimuth. The ruler is very useful when measuring distances on the map.
Best Compasses: Material
Geographical compasses have an acrylic body and are more functional for use on maps as they are transparent. The military-style ones are made of aluminum, more resistant to impacts.
It is worth mentioning that plastic ones are lighter than metal ones, but can also be broken more easily. If you want to use a compass often enough, the metal compass may be more appropriate as they are more robust and resistant.
Remember that none of them should be exposed to the sun for a long time, nor to other magnetic or metallic sources.
Best Compasses: Design
Most compasses have a circular design, but some are open and close to resting on maps. In the case of diving, choose the wrist compasses.
You can find those with a more vintage design, with more elaborate finishes. Or even simplistic and functional models, without details.
The compass style can match yours. And that choice is very personal.
Best Compasses: Sizes
In general, they have very compact dimensions. Its size is important to be considered closed and open.
When closed, they should fit in your pants pocket, and when open, they should be comfortable to operate with one hand. Soon, more functional compasses will fit in the palm of your hand. He prefers a model that does not exceed 20 centimeters when opened.
But, of course, there is no standard measurement. It depends on your needs. If you have small or large hands, it influences the size of the compass that is right for you. After all, she needs to adjust and feel comfortable with her measurements.
Best Compasses: Weight
You don’t want to gain weight when you go camping or fishing, do you? The simplest compasses are light and yet functional. Most plastic models weigh no less than 100 grams.
The compass is something you will carry with you, either in your pocket or in your hand. Therefore, a very heavy model can be uncomfortable in practice, check this detail in the product description. Even metal compasses, which are more robust, weigh no more than your own cell phone.
Tips for using and caring for a compass
It is recommended to carry the compass always protected when you do not use it, either inside the backpack or in the pocket of your hiking pants.
- Learn how to use your compass. One way to learn how to use a compass correctly is through some kind of hiking or mountaineering. Before buying a compass for class it is good to ask an instructor to guide you. You can also read our article.
- Ferrous metal can distort a compass reading. Use your compass away from your car, or metal objects like a metal picnic table or pole. Even the iron levels in a lava field can have some effect. Electric fields (for example, a running car engine) can also eliminate the precision of a compass.
- Do not keep a compass near a magnet or electric field. Over time, exposure can demagnetize the needle. Do not put the compass in the pocket next to the mobile phone. Even the magnetic seals that some hydration equipment has on the valve can be problematic.
Why traditional compasses are better than digital ones?
Orienting yourself on hiking and mountaineering excursions can be tricky due to poor visibility or landscape features, and while handheld GPS devices, built-in GPS watches, or smartphones can be helpful, there is nothing more reliable than a compass. Compasses have many advantages over electronic navigation devices. They are lighter, battery-free, and more durable. A compass shows the four cardinal points among other important features to guide you. You can also triangulate it to determine your location. So a compass can be a very powerful tool along with an appropriate map. However, you need some basic navigation notions to use it successfully.
That’s all for now, friends. These are some of the best compasses on the market right now.