Do I need button compass.

[C_Claycomb]

I think you need a bulk box of them! Sew one into each hammock so that hangers will always be able to achieve the perfect magnetically aligned hang for the perfect night's sleep!

For navigating...not so much. I have one of the little key chain Silva compasses and found it handy when navigating in cities for orienting myself coming out of underground / subway train stations. Sees less use now that I have a smart phone, but I still prefer to use a paper map and compass when walking in a city.

Having a compass in a tin seems like a waste of the compass 99.999% of the time.

 

[BigMonster]

I think you need a bulk box of them! Sew one into each hammock so that hangers will always be able to achieve the perfect magnetically aligned hang.

Nah, I stsrt doing that I will end up with a built in toster.

Quick bearing in the city is the only justification I can think of. I'm still amazed how much people are drawn to those trinkets, I know I am

 

[Laurentius]

Nah, I stsrt doing that I will end up with a built in toster.

Quick bearing in the city is the only justification I can think of. I'm still amazed how much people are drawn to those trinkets, I know I am

TBH I find a compass most useful when I am a bit disoriented in London, and want to walk towards the river or away from it, though I suppose I could always check which side the moss grows on the lamp posts

 

[daveO]

I've had this one years, it used to stay on my watch strap but I decided to move it to my pocket contents instead.
View attachment 45660

I use one of these too. It lives in my work bag to help work out sun paths and orientation for house designs but when I'm out walking I clip it to the shoulder strap on my bag and it's surprisingly useful to give a rough check on what way we're heading.

 

[Greg]

I use one of these too. It lives in my work bag to help work out sun paths and orientation for house designs but when I'm out walking I clip it to the shoulder strap on my bag and it's surprisingly useful to give a rough check on what way we're heading.

Its not a bad bit of kit ..

 

[Greg]

Having a compass in a tin seems like a waste of the compass 99.999% of the time.

I reckon you make a good point there...

 

[BigMonster]

http://www.edcgear.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=CBR337

is the best cheap escape compass I've found, brass, cas a lanyard loop and is tiny, same model countycomm sell

Highly recommended (when they are back in stock), thinnest out of all buttonn compasses I have seen, real glass at the front, and it's so precisely made that it doesn't need liquid to settle down fast and smooth. Also can be charged with a torch for a awesome glow.

And it have that retro look and feel of brass and glass, beats plastic any day of the week.

 

[Jared]

But does it point to magnetic north?

 

[BigMonster]

It's very accurate, and because it's so simple and precisely made it doesn't catch or hang so no need to tap or shake to help it settle. Also it's got decent tilt tolerance, better than silva clipper.
I know it's just a button compass but I'm really pleased with the build quality.

 

[Nice65]

Highly recommended (when they are back in stock), thinnest out of all buttonn compasses I have seen, real glass at the front, and it's so precisely made that it doesn't need liquid to settle down fast and smooth. Also can be charged with a torch for a awesome glow.

And it have that retro look and feel of brass and glass, beats plastic any day of the week.

I had one and lost it, I'll get another if there's a restock. Shame it's described as "combat ready", I wasn't planning to hit anyone with it.

 

[Corso]

It is a tidy pointer but I found it a bit too.

I've been on the hunt for a brass silva huntsman for a while...

 

[Laurentius]

http://www.kasper-richter.de/en/products/outdoor/other-compasses/

has a few and some made in Germany

They are nice I may not be able to resist the temptation for much longer, I particularly like the one with the old fashioned compass rose.

 

[Nice65]

It is a tidy pointer but I found it a bit too.

I'm on tenterhooks Lee, a bit too...what? :bluThinki:bluThinki:bluThinki

 

[BigMonster]

I had one and lost it, I'll get another if there's a restock. Shame it's described as "combat ready", I wasn't planning to hit anyone with it.

Found it somewhere else but more costly http://www.21stcenturysurvival.co.uk/product/2349/

 

[Nice65]

Also here, where the top is described as acrylic.

http://www.survivaldepot.co.uk/product/sere_compass

 

[ammo]

Very useful to keep upon yourself as a back up. They do look cool, I've had a couple, and lost/misplaced them both over the years.

 

[Wigate]

Try this from a most reliable source in US:
https://prometheusdesignwerx.com/co...roducts/ag-button-compass?variant=43233481300

 

[Wigate]

Compass in the earlier link is same as in the center of this:
https://prometheusdesignwerx.com/co...and-compass-kit-ti-orange?variant=27833542215

 

[forestwalker]

I keep a sunnto meant for going on a watch strip in my bag incase i loose my proper compass, never used it. Only about £12;

http://www.suunto.com/en-GB/Product...MTuEEHuVK3dKIAglVCDFEeK9O3BIqZooaArijEALw_wcB

I added some Sugru to eliminate the "clip" feature of the Suunto: this was after having lost two of them. Appear to work fairly well.

 

[Jaeger]

Aye Up,

Do you need one?

Yes.

And not necessarily only as part of a PSK.

Over decades of delivering nav training I have seen many primary compasses (base plate/prismatic/lensatic etc) go out of kilter or become damaged beyond use.

Furthermore when using GPS for overland nav the electronic compasses can often 'lose' north momentarily and wrongly indicate until you get on the move (especially in woodland with a dense canopy).

I normally have one on a ruck strap as a quick ref source but after breaking the plastic fork on my walking pole last year and deciding to replace it with something more natural I was wondering how to finish the stub prong off - voila!