Mt. San Jacinto Outdoor Recreation

I am interested in learning map & compass skills, and would welcome any advice on compasses. Thanks in advance.

Scott,

For basic map reading and route finding any name brand pocket compass with a rotating bezel is a good start. Suunto and Silva both have good entry level ones around $20

For me, this book was a well rounded reference and might be worth a read before investing any big money.

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Wildern ... 604&sr=8-1

Its amazing how fast the skills of map reading and orienteering are sidelined because of user friendly GPS units. Even an REI course I attended a couple years ago on "map & compass" was almost entirely a GPS sales pitch.

It can be fun getting lost

I agree with Andy that a basic Suunto or Silva is good way to start. May be all you'll ever need.

And an older version of this book is what i learned with ..

http://www.amazon.com/Expert-Map-Compas ... 477&sr=1-1

-Florian

After checking the Amazon reviews i think the book i mentioned is probably a bit outdated. The one Andy suggested looks better.

-Florian

As mentioned above, a basic compass like this is really all you need:

http://www.rei.com/product/727086

Clear baseplate, movable dial with 2 degree markings, arrow on the baseplate, and scales (inch & mm) to measure distances. I might go for something a little pricer than this with a luminous dial for pre-dawn/post-sunset navigation. Another good source besides Silva and Sunnto is Brunton.

Make sure you get something with a liquid filled dial (dampens the motion, especially when walking with it).
A movable declination scale isn't necessary unless you'll be traveling across the USA; it'll shift as you bounce the compass around. Better to put a thin strip of electrical tape on the bottom for the local declination (about 15 degrees East here in SoCal).
Mirrors aren't necessary - supposidly they help with accuracy, but I found they weren't that useful.
The Bjorn Kjellstrom book was the 'bible' for orienteering 25 years ago. It'll probably still work today.
Topo maps are still available. If nothing is sold in a nearby outdoors store, you can order them directly from the USGS website. Tom Harrison maps work, too, but don't have as many reference goodies in the margins as USGS topos do.
Best way to practice is in a hilly area you're familiar with; get the appropriate topo and see if you can pick out points simply by using the map and compass.
Also try it in the fog if you can - see if you can navigate to a point without actually seeing it. That's the real challenge. A thick forest will work, too

A bit of an aside re compasses: I rarely use a compass hiking. Either i know the area and the trail or just pay attention to landmarks, sun position, etc, to keep oriented. But where i do find a compass very useful is when visiting a new metropolitan city for the first time. There have been times i've been 180° off when trying to find my way in the shadows of skyscrapers. I have a round Suunto liquid filled compass, without baseplate, that i always bring with me on metro trips!

-Florian

Most people just need their compass to orient their map and to keep themselves generally oriented. The important thing to be aware of is that the direction your compass points isn't north, at least not exactly. For whatever reason, magnetic north is just a bit off from geographic north, by about 13.5 degrees in Southern California.

For those with the training or self education on the technical aspects of using a map and compass, let me put in a plug for declination adjusted compasses. That little set screw allows you to read real bearings right off the compass. What you see on the compass is the same as what you see on the map. What you see on your map translates directly to your compass. No thinking about the difference between magnetic north and geographic north and whether or not you should add (or was it subtract??) the true-to-magnetic difference. Huge bonus.

HJ

phydeux wrote:... local declination (about 15 degrees East here in SoCal).

Hikin_Jim wrote:about 13.5 degrees in Southern California

In Palm Springs (zip code 92262) the declination is currently at 12 degrees, 14 minutes East (12.23 degrees). Pasadena's is about 12.63 degrees east. New Orleans is about 0.1 degree west.

Neat online calculator, just enter your location or even zip code.

that compass thing looks cool...whats it do ?

Bluerail, if I understand correctly, they tell you where most powerful magnet is.