Thread: Compass Brands

I'm looking at buying a new compass
I've got a Kathmandu one and i hate it (it was a gift), it takes ages to circle round to north and you have to have it dead flat to work properly.

I was wondering what make of compasses everybody uses?

RR

I use a Silva, kinda the default option.

Originally Posted by GravelBen

I use a Silva, kinda the default option.

+1

I probably have half a dozen compasses laying around here and couldn't tell you the make of any of them. All point north which is all I care about.

Silva for sure.

Silva....end of.....

Silva expedition

Silva. Had it since intermediate when I did orienteering.

Is there a trend appearing here?

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Is there a trend appearing here?

Yep - everyone whose age is still in double figures can remember what sort of compass they have.

Originally Posted by GravelBen

Yep - everyone whose age is still in double figures can remember what sort of compass they have.

That is obviously low double figures GB because I am buggered if I can remember what sorts I have. And I am not climbing in the attic to find out.

I have had a number of ranger ones.
They get lent permanently:rolleyes:
Take someone out and split up"you got a compass?" "um na" "ffs take this head up there SW is out ok now show me SW"

Originally Posted by Tussock

The Ranger S is the real deal. The rest are toys.

Originally Posted by Tussock

Forget the Ranger S. Also Junk. No adjustable magnetic declination so you cant set it to grid north.

Haha Tussock, you're a funny guy... 7 minutes from "real deal" to "junk"

Anyone using a compass should learn how/when to add or subtract declination, it is a pretty fundamental part of compass work...

So, what would the practical effect be of using a non "universal hub" global needle compass in an incorrect zone ? How far out would it be ?

Ok, so if I understand you correctly, it is more about needle friction ???

Originally Posted by Tussock

Also, you never subtract magnetic declination.

Beg to differ, you add it going from true to magnetic for west declinations, and subtract it going from true to magnetic for east declinations.


Mountain Safety Council also teaches "subtract" in the context of going from bearing taken on a map to bearing on compass. Bearing off of the map = subtract, if you take a bearing with a compass and bring that onto the map, you add (east declination in NZ)

(Declination) west is best, east is least....

Found this on the Silva website, what they reckon a MN balanced needle would look like in the other zones...

http://www.silvacompass.com/uploaded...nation2_lg.gif

Don't quote me ...

There are I believe six magnetic fields/zones on earth. Bluntly put, the amount of magnetic force/pressure applied to the needle would differ at different parts of the needle depending on your location on earth. A simple example, if a compass set for the NZ magnetic field is used in the northern hemisphere the magnetic pressure acts in conjunction with the counter weight causing the needle to drag as the needle may only swivel on one plane.

The hub allows it to operate on two planes, similar to the way a large "bubble" compass would work on boat. This negates the need to apply a counter weight, the practical effect is your compass is now suitable for use in the north pole or south pole while generally being about x4-5 time the price of a normal compass.

No practical application if you are your average punter hunting in NZ.

IMO, buy a smaller backup compass and keep two compasses on your while hunting. I actually had a compass where the needle needed to be repolarized ... "needless" to say a very disconcerting experience.

Also for those of you learning to use a compass the add/subtract method is old school. Bearing off is the preferred method these days.