Compass

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omens

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I need a reliable compass. I've used two iPhones and they differ wildly (sometimes pointing in opposite directions!) so I think a traditional compass would be best. But I know the rubbish ones can be off by more than 5 degrees.

Can anyone recommend a good compass? It doesn't need to have any fancy features other than to point to magnetic North.
 
Silva has always been THE brand in the outdoor activity world. Are you calibrating the compasses on the phones (move the phone round in a figure of eight)? Sometimes I've had to do it several times, and if I was out on the moors I certainly wouldn't be relying on a phone.
 
Jannyfox said:
Silva has always been THE brand in the outdoor activity world. Are you calibrating the compasses on the phones (move the phone round in a figure of eight)? Sometimes I've had to do it several times, and if I was out on the moors I certainly wouldn't be relying on a phone.
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I have a Silva Field 7, probably twenty or more years old, just works and I agree about not wanting to rely on a phone.
Apart from anything else what happens if the battery runs out, nothing like that on a traditional compass
 
I'd suggest a Silva from a reputable bricks and mortar type outdoor shop, where you can try it to make sure it works OK before buying it. A couple of years ago I bought a cheap military style compass on Amazon (as all I needed was something fairly tough that would tell me approximately where north was) and, without a word of a lie, the compass they sent me actually pointed south! :rolleyes: The replacement seemed to work OK though, but it goes to show that you get what you pay for!
 
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Talking of compasses. One of the things taught about compass bearings is to factor in the magnetic variation. If you are walking in Scotland at present it can be largely ignored.

For example, in Fort William at present, magnetic north is 0 deg 27 min west of grid north. As most compasses have divisions that are every 2 degrees and its unlikely to be able to walk with an accuracy of better than 2 degrees, it is probably not worth making any adjustment for the magnetic variation.

The variation is different in other places. If you want to find it for a particular location have a look here - http://www.geomag.bgs.ac.uk/data_service/models_compass/gma_calc.html

Dave
 
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Fairly sure my old compass is a Silva, bought in my teens and that make it something like 50 years old............not a lot to go wrong with old "technology" ;)
 
My Silva must be well over 20 years old. It replaced my first which developed a small bubble (after 20+ years) but after I bought the new one the bubble in the old one disappeared and it's still sitting on my shelf, perfectly usable, along with another I found perched on a rock somewhere on Dartmoor many years ago.
 
Cartus said:
Just out of interest, do army surplus stores still exist? I can’t remember the last time I saw one it’s such a long time.
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I am not sure that there are any. For a while there were shops that called themselves that, but what they sold was not military surplus, but Chinese " look like mil-kit" rubbish.
 
Box Brownie said:
Fairly sure my old compass is a Silva, bought in my teens and that make it something like 50 years old............not a lot to go wrong with old "technology" ;)
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Mine is about the same age, bought it when was in the Scouts. My wife has a Suunto which must be about 15 years old now. Both still work perfectly well.
 
Cartus said:
Just out of interest, do army surplus stores still exist? I can’t remember the last time I saw one it’s such a long time.
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Online yes Varusteleka is one very good example, no compasses in stock just now though I think. Delivery is £6 and usually in 3-4 days - https://www.varusteleka.com/en
 
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