Considering to ditch the compass

[sbennett3705]

Just completed a 3 day hike and, as usual, looked at what I didn’t use. One item was my compass which I’ve carried since a youth where the 10 essentials was beat into me. My satellite communicator, phone and watch all have digital compasses built into them. But, they need batteries to operate. What’s the view on eliminating the mechanical compass and relying on at least one of these to work? Seems like a reasonable risk, especially since I carry a power pack. It does go against the grain a bit.

[Lenier]

I personally feel if you study maps enough, and have experience in the High Sierra, that this is not necessary. Back east in the green tunnels... I found them useful from time to time.

[Wandering Daisy]

I ditched the compass over 30 years ago and also never used a GPS. It depends on your personal gut-level navigation skills. I have a pretty good internal compass/ sense of direction. I have been turned around a few times but no big problems. I do take a compass on routes in deep timber with no landmarks, but those are not my favorite environments anyway. But those situations usually are not conducive to off-trail anyway. On the other hand, a compass is light weight and not dependent on battery power. If you are looking to reduce weight, there are bigger items to consider. If you have one of those heavy big fancy compasses, maybe trade for a simple basic light weight one. Also be aware that compasses are inaccurate on some terrain with rocks that impact the magnetics.

[Gogd]

..Just completed a 3 day hike and, as usual, looked at what I didn’t use. One item was my compass which I’ve carried since a youth where the 10 essentials was beat into me. My satellite communicator, phone and watch all have digital compasses built into them. But, they need batteries to operate. What’s the view on eliminating the mechanical compass and relying on at least one of these to work? Seems like a reasonable risk, especially since I carry a power pack. It does go against the grain a bit.

If the intention is reducing base weight, consider losing an inch or two from your waistline; that'll make you 10 pounds lighter on your feet. Or if trying to save storage space - a compass!?? Really?

Modern aviation has multiple back up navigation devices. Nevertheless the FAA and the military still require aircraft to be equipped with a mechanical compass on the forward instrument panel. Likewise for ocean going vessels. These regulations alone speak volumes, regarding the imperative of having a failsafe means to navigate when life is on the line. I'd understand (albeit respectfully disagree) with WD''s take on needing any form of compass, before buying into the concept that I am willing to bet my life my technology won't fail me just when I most need it.

I personally feel if you study maps enough, and have experience in the High Sierra, that this is not necessary. Back east in the green tunnels... I found them useful from time to time.

It depends on what you are doing, trail hikes in good weather, or forced XC marches in crappy conditions.

First hand experience trying to get from here to there, XC, in clouds and snow whiteouts, especially if crossing from one basin to another has demonstrated a compass can be very useful. One time mistaking the entrance of a col for another only a short distance away, resulted in us descending down into a hanging valley where we were cliffed out from reaching our objective. Using a compass would have prevented us wasting a day to re ascend so we could travel down the correct route.

Ed

[Lenier]

Very good points Ed. I've been fortunate to not have to experience that, but on shoulder season adventures I may need to reconsider.

[sbennett3705]

Good points all, especially that weight savings would be minimal. The objective was reducing redundancy, more of a psychological thing. I’m effectively carrying *four* compasses since adding a gps, watch and phone to my kit.

[Wandering Daisy]

The weight savings would be to ditch the phone and GPS and keep the compass. Well, a bit joking here, but I am not a fan of electronic gadgets. It seems to snowball into adding chargers etc. I only have a cheap light old fashioned watch which I sometimes ditch too.

Some of us old-timers have decades of experience without those gadgets and extensive training on map reading and compass navigation. I take paper map and In-Reach mini (only because my family insisted). I used to have a 1oz I-pod but it broke, and I do miss my hour of music at night.

[bobby49]

First of all, a magnetic compass may be useless if you don't know how to use it. Lots of people will say that the compass points North. And then what?

If you operate a magnetic compass in some areas, you may get false readings. For example, along a steel railroad track, things get really weird. Iron ore in the rocks may get false readings. If you have left the compass sitting next to a magnetic item, there can be a leftover effect.

Normally it is better than nothing.

[freestone]

I embrace the blue dot my iPhone. It even tells me which way I am facing.

[Gogd]

The weight savings would be to ditch the phone and GPS and keep the compass. Well, a bit joking here, but I am not a fan of electronic gadgets. It seems to snowball into adding chargers etc. I only have a cheap light old fashioned watch which I sometimes ditch too.

Some of us old-timers have decades of experience without those gadgets and extensive training on map reading and compass navigation. I take paper map and In-Reach mini (only because my family insisted). I used to have a 1oz I-pod but it broke, and I do miss my hour of music at night.

Yep, similar experiences and opinions on this. And old, too!

I do carry extra batteries for my light, and a back up light, but these are still lighter than chargers and power banks. My music is a harmonica and/or flute. I normally don't bring a time piece, preferring to time my BC days according to the sun. The only times I even bother with a watch are when I need to have an alarm awaken us at 3am-ish, when winter mountaineering requires getting over passes before warming makes travel hazardous; likewise for long summit days, so we could descend while we still had daylight. I don't carry a Sat-com device, my wife doesn't know this is a thing, and I don't want contact with the outside world while I am away. I will confess, however, some of my recalcitrance to tech is my predisposition to being a Luddite. This said, I carry the RECCO reflector devices, to assist S&R efforts finding my corpse, should I go missing.

Ed