When going on a hiking trip, you must pack many items, but the compass is the most essential because it will help you navigate the terrain correctly. Yes, you can use your smartphone’s compass, yet you’ll need a manual compass if your Internet connection is lost.
However, many people ask about the best compass for hiking to buy for camping and hiking trips. We have prepared this guide for you, and it will provide you with many good options that you can easily buy, as well as how to choose a good compass.
How To Choose The Right Compass For You
When you go to the equipment store for camping trips, you will be confronted with many options, even dozens of compasses, but in this article, we will provide you with the best of these compasses and explain how to choose the right compass for you.
We will review many factors that will help you to buy the best compass for hiking available to you and to make the best decision for it.
Glowing Indicators
One of the preferred choices for many hikers is the compass for hiking with glowing indicators. If you want to walk at night, you need a glowing compass in order to see the indicators well.
You can use this approach to make the compass bright enough to read directions quickly by lighting the flashlight briefly on the compass cavity.
Durability
Any camping equipment you consider purchasing should be durable and long-lasting pieces in order to serve you for a longer time. You must purchase a compass that is robust and sturdy enough to survive a variety of conditions, and this compass must have a high-quality steel needle.
Liquid Freezing Point
Despite the fact that fluid compasses are among the most precise, you should be cautious of liquid freezing. Even at low temperatures, the freezing proneness of many liquid compasses is unacceptable.
Therefore, you should examine the compass’s freezing point before purchasing one that uses fluids.
Global Needles
While many campers might not consider this to be very significant, seasoned travelers and hikers who have camped in many countries around the world do.
However, as long as you are a fan of camping and globe travel, there is nothing wrong with buying products and compasses made for land navigation in both the northern and southern hemispheres.
Adjustable Declination
It is a feature that only interests you if you need accurate navigation using a manual compass, but what is the deviation?
The deviation is simply a calibration factor that is used to adjust the difference between true north and magnetic north, which is not a big deal, but if you have this option on your compass it is fine.
Read More: The Perfect Guide To Camping For Beginners
Best Compass For Hiking:
Suunto MC-2G Compass
Type: Analog | Increments: 2 degrees | Dimensions: 3.9 x 2.5 in | Weight (oz): 2.6 oz
If you have already made the decision to get a compass for hiking, I recommend you buy the Suunto MC-2G Compass. Although the compass lacks aesthetic appeal and luster, it is used for a variety of purposes. Suunto is one of the top manufacturers of hiking gear.
The compass’s card-like design makes it portable and enables you to put it anywhere you want, including in the tightest of pockets. One of the main advantages of using the Suunto MC-2G is the high level of accuracy of the compass. This compass is accurate no matter where you are because it has a declination adjustment tool that provides precise directions.
In addition to a handy auxiliary viewing aperture, the rotating bezel’s illumination makes the compass easier to read when used at night. To make carrying the compass simple, an integrated compass strap is provided.
Pros:
- Simple design in the form of a portable card.
- A luminous rotating bezel for night use.
- Extra Viewing Aperture.
- Built-in strap.
- High accuracy in determining directions.
Cons:
- Not aesthetically pleasing.
Eyeskey Compass
Type: Analog | Increments: 1 degree | Dimensions: 4.56 x 3.46 x 1.92 in | Weight (oz): 8 oz
Apart from aesthetics, the design of the lenticular compass complements the aluminum alloy body well. This compass is available in two colors: black and green, which are the two colors that many people who enjoy hiking, trekking, and camping prefer.
The most significant characteristic of this compass is water resistance, which enables you to use it when treading through water without worrying about it becoming damaged. Additionally, the frame is designed to freely rotate, which makes it easier to read the compass.
The compass came with a phosphorous substance on the frame, but you must charge it for a while before the phosphorous substance starts to glow. To acquire enough light, you should also take the compass out of the bag.
Pros:
- Exquisite design of the compass.
- The right colors for all tastes.
- The structure is made of aluminum alloy to ensure the greatest degree of durability for the compass.
- Water resistance.
- Illuminated rotating bezel.
Cons:
- You may encounter the problem of magnetic declination.
TruArc 3 Compass
Type: Analog | Increments: 2 degrees | Dimensions: 6.69 x 2.6 x 0.75 in | Weight (oz): 1.1 oz
One of the most popular American-made compasses is the TruArc 3 Compass, and because of its straightforward construction, it’s the ideal option for novices who want to go on walks and learn about nature. As we already mentioned, it is the ideal choice for building hikers’ skills since it is simple and free of complications.
The TruArc 3 Compass is lightweight, just over an ounce, and approximately the size of a credit card. It has measurements in both inches and centimeters.
Pros:
- A simple design.
- Easy to use for beginners.
- Miscellaneous metrics.
- Compact size and extremely lightweight.
Cons:
- There are no cardinal directions on the top of the compass frame.
Coghlan’s Map Compass
Type: Analog | Increments: 1 degrees | Dimensions: 4.5 x 3.1 x 0.9 in | Weight (oz): 1 oz
This compass is an inexpensive option, but many hikers do not use this compass as their main compass but is used as a backup.
It may seem to you that having a spare compass is not that important and that it is an extra cost, but it is actually okay to do so if it is lightweight and inexpensive because you may need it if your primary compass becomes lost or damaged. Having a backup compass is also a good idea in case something goes wrong as a contingency plan.
The compass comes with a fully transparent base, which makes it perfect for reading maps easily because it won’t obscure any information. Therefore, pair a magnifying lens with the translucent casing to have your compass ready to use.
Pros:
- Cheap price.
- The transparent body and the magnifying lens help to read the maps easily.
- Night Navigation Feature
- Nylon rope for easy portability.
Cons:
- Interference with ferrous metals.
Compass Best Practices
Once you have a compass, here are some tips to help you maintain it as long as possible:
Cautious Carrying
In order to preserve the compass for as long as possible, pay attention to the place where you carry your compass. Therefore, to prevent the compass from being damaged, we advise not to store it in the bag where electronic devices and metal tools are located. It can be kept using neck straps or carried in your pocket.
Testing Alignments
You shouldn’t wait until you go camping to test the compass’s readings; instead, you should periodically do a calibration test to see whether the compass needs to be adjusted or replaced.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Clean and maintain the compass after each usage and after a demanding day of use to preserve the readability of all sizes. Do this by removing sand and dirt from the base plate.
Cleaning the compass does not take much time, all you have to do is clean it for two minutes and return it as new in order to maintain it for longer periods.
Our Verdict
After completing the article and taking a detailed look at several great compass for hiking, many of the readers of this article are asking for recommendations and which compass I prefer to use whenever I go hiking. The Suunto MC-2G Compass is the ideal choice for me and many other hikers if you want my opinion.
It is considered to be among the best compass for hiking. It’s indeed easy to use, especially at night and can survive magnetic interference without losing accuracy. In the end, you may choose the ideal compass for you by following the factors we submitted at the top of the article in order to choose the best manual compass. Many users of this compass have indicated that it is the most effective and has a long use life.
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