Are you looking for How Do You Choose the Best Compass For Survival? When it comes to hiking or camping, the last thing that you really want to do is get lost. So having one of these guys on hand can help you immensely and show you where you ought to go. However, research is important, as there are a lot of crap products out there, so navigating the storefront of compasses at your disposal can be a journey in and of itself.
What you need first and foremost is a good one that is highly durable so you don’t have to worry about it breaking. Learning the difference between a Global and Hemispheric one can work great as well. Just make sure that you get a great one to fit your survivalist needs and that isn’t inaccurate with its readings.
Lensatic vs Mirror: What is the difference?
A mirror compass helps you to use a sight and still be able to see the needles at the same time, while a Lensatic helps when you are trying to go off the beaten path. Lensatic helps a ton when using it for maps, while you can use the mirror one to signal for help, etc.
Top Features For Compasses For Survival
Size And Weight
A good compass will fit well in the hand without feeling too heavy if it sites in your pack for too long. It is good to remember that this will probably not be the only thing that you are taking with you, and every small amount of weight will add up over time. This can, when combined with everything else that you are bringing with you, cause strain on the back and shoulders. So it is good to get lighter products whenever possible look more at bestconsumersrating.
Waterproof
Nothing is worse than having one of these guys and having it fall into the water and become unusable. That can be dozens, if not hundreds, of dollars down the drain. Nobody wants to feel as if they are wasting money, and when you are out and about, chances are, you will run into the water at some point on your trip. Be it rain, a river, a spilled glass of water, etc. So make sure when you are seeking to buy one of these, that you make sure that it is waterproof.
Compact and Lightweight
Having one of these that is not only easy to pick up, but also small, is best. Some of these can be pretty large or weigh upwards of several ozs. While this may not be an issue by itself when you are camping in Yosemite or hiking in the wilderness, storage, and weight of each individual item build-up. So it is great to not put too much strain on yourself if you do not have to.
Solid Structure
You want whatever you are buying to have the ability to withstand the elements and to do that, it is good to know what it is made out of. For instance, some of these are made out of aluminum, some steel, and some zinc alloy. Each of these changes the solid structure and how they react to the world around them.
Adjustable Arrow
An adjustable arrow can help with adjusting for magnetic declination. This is because although the north on a map is the geographic north, the arrow points to a different location called the magnetic north. Being able to adjust the arrow is simple and allows for a correction of the declination.
For instance, Colorado has a 14-degree difference between the Magnetic North and the Geographic North, so it is best to be able to adjust the compass by 14 degrees in order to point towards the true north.
Floating Needle
A floating needle is a needle that is literally floating in the water. The needle floats and remains buoyant in the water so that nothing prevents it from turning towards the magnetic poles. You can do an experiment like this by using a cop of water, a piece of paper, and a sewing needle. This is why water is needed in most of these.
Durability
This is a very vital function as if one of these bad boys is broken, it is useless. Durability changes depending on which you have, while some being made of aluminum, some zinc alloy, some steel, and a few are made of cheap plastic. If you are going to spend a large amount of money getting a high-end compass, you are going to want it to last for many years.
Day And Night: Does it matter?
When you have one of these, one thing that you want to do is be able to see the dials at night. While this may not matter for most people, who will probably not be traveling at night, it is important for some. This is why some of these come with either a backlight or fluorescent paint that glows in the dark.
Where Was It Made?
This may not come as too much of a shock, but on researching for this post, I noticed that a lot of people care where their compass comes from. They claim that ones coming from Finland or the US is of much better quality than ones that come from China. So because so many people cared about the locations, I decided to include that in.
Final Thoughts
A compass is highly valued for just about any hiker, backpacker, or camper. It can tell you where to go and keep you from getting lost, especially when combined with a map. However, it is good to make sure that the one that you get is of decently high quality.
My favorite out of all of these was the Silva Ranger. Despite it being the highest priced one on the list, it was also the most useful, and the most durable. Think of buying one of these as an investment. You want it to last for many seasons, and work with you for a good long time.
This one is quite medium-evaluated, so it should fit essentially any individual who needs a blend of significant worth just as quality. It is a mirror compass and accompanies a clinometer. While it is hemispheric, it permits you to change it to pick which side of the equator you are in.
This terrible kid is minuscule, at 1.7 x 5 x 3.6, and weighs just 2.56 oz, which is extraordinary for pretty much any set-up camp outing. It even accompanies a cord, so you can put it around your neck for supervision and simple dealing. This one is made of high-grade steel, making it profoundly solid, permitting it to keep going for a decent lengthy timespan. It is additionally made in Finland, which many think about being excellent.
Is it waterproof?
It isn’t waterproof, however, it is water safe. While you probably shouldn’t swim with this, a spill or slight sprinkle ought to be completely protected.
Would you be able to find in obscurity?
This is another that leaves you out of the loop. Nothing that permits you to find in obscurity.
Any Issues?
This is truly strong and is intended to keep going for quite a while, so there doesn’t appear to be that much as far as practical issues. Notwithstanding, it has been known to have issues with snapping shut. The other issue would be something we have addressed before: that it doesn’t sparkle in obscurity.
