Two Compasses??

One of the biggest reasons people get lost in the backcountry is that they fail to trust their compass. It's been documented countless times where the person totally believed that their compass had somehow become faulty and was not pointing in the correct direction. They thought they knew more than the compass.
One way to avoid this problem and potential life-threatening situation is to simply carry two compasses. At home or at the trailhead, make sure that they both point in the same direction and then calibrate each one for any change in declination, according to part of the country you're in. Then, while on the trail, should you begin to doubt your primary compass and you are sure that it is pointing in the wrong direction, pull out the backup and compare. Chances are huge that they will both still be pointing in the same direction and then you know to follow them. This could save your life.
UL

I typically have three on me. My regular Silva, a small one in my survival kit (in my pants pocket), and another small one in my pack. Better safe than sorry, I always say.

The only time I have ever carried a compass was on my outward bound trips. I have never experienced a trail network any where in this country where you can't keep track of your whereabouts by landmarks or just simply staying on the trail. If you follow the hiking safety guidelines and you get off trail, hike back to the last reckognisable spot, you will not get lost. If you say screw it and keep going than you may. I have never been lost and amongst my many hiking friends they have never either. The only times that I hear of people getting lost is when they don't follow the guidelines to not get lost. For those people they should have a compass glued to them, or just learn how to correctly travel in the backcountry. It is a good safety device and gives people a good sense of security theyu will not get lost IF they know how to use it.

I share your viewpoint Snow. I have never gotten lost on a trail (might have taken a wrong turn and added some time to the journey). To me its simple. Plan your trip and get fimilar with the route, and then just live out what you've planned. This has only not worked for me one time, and that was on the Little Blakely Loops where I listened to someone else. To me, hiking on maintained trails, a compass is just a comfort, like the blanket you grew up with, and more than that its added weight (sorry, I had to say it). I just don't see the need for this gear. Doing some kind of bushwhacking it comes in handy, and who does that very often?

The initial post was more for those who do a lot of bushwacking or do a lot of off-trail navigation. It wasn't mean't so much for those who stay on established trails. I seldom take one here in Arkansas, but have had one with me in Colorado when I knew there were not going to be trails, other than the occasional game trail.
UL

With that info, let me apologize for misunderstanding. I to have spent two summers hiking in Colorado, and for some of the trips a compass was crucial. There is a lot more uncharted wilderness out there and more room for finding your way. In that situation, two compasses seems like a good idea if you can keep the weight down. I've figured out that you, like me, like to go light, so keeping the weight down is something that you too would have to take into consideration. However, all the navigation and equipment in the world would be useless if you don't know how to use it. So, along with those compasses you need the knowledge to use them correctly. Which I'm sad to say I need to brush up on this subject. All my trail trips have made me rusty on navigation.

Yeh, willky:
Its easy to become rusty in off-trail navigation. Its like anything else, you have to practice to stay proficient. That's probably the biggest downside to hiking established trails.
As far as the weight of compasses, I try to find the smallest and lightest ones that fit my needs at the time.
UL

I always carry a compass. The first time I don't will the time I tumble down an embankment, hit my head on a rock and totally forget where I am. The biggest reason to carry a compass is because even the most experienced hikers have a tendency to walk in circles in survival situations. A compass will (if nothing else) help you walk in a straight line.

Besides that, they're fun!

I will always question someones survival experience if they walk in circles in this countries wilderness. I have led clinics teaching people navigation by using landmarks and other natural means. If your constantly walking in circles you do not know these methods and by all means should carry a compass. My teachings place people off trail and explain how to get back to it. If you have a general idea of the wilderness you are in, which you always should before you go into it, getting lost for more thaan a day is near a day or two is near impossible. These are the facts people, our wilderness areas are not so vast that if you lose your way for a bit that with REAL experience you cannot find yourself, I know I have experienced the beauty of every national park and many state parks in this country. There are trails and roads everywhere, and many others out there with you. Don't panic used good judgement, your experience and a little common sense and you will find someone or will be found.

Why are so many people against the conventional wisdom of carrying a compass? It is perfect common sense to carry a compass, regardless of your ability to use good judgement, common sense, etc. If you choose not to carry a compass, and you feel that is the intelligent thing to do, then by all means, don't carry one. However, trying to make reasons for others not to carry one is just bad advice. I am a highly skilled orienteer and rarely need a compass to know direction, even in the wilderness. However, if for some reason I had lost my wits (due to injury or dehydration, etc) it is still always appropriate for me to carry a compass or two. Every single experienced survival expert will tell you to carry one, and they all carry one themselves. They are light as hell and there is just no reason not to carry one.

Well put, Colt.
UL

I myself am pretty confident in my ability to survive in the wilderness, and there is a relatively short list of things I carry which I consider to be "survival necessities." Can I navigate without a compass? Sure. I can follow the sun or use my wristwatch to find North, or heck, build a sundial compass if I wanted to, but much of that stuff goes out the window when you're injured, dehydrated, confused, and disoriented.

I have never been in a serious survival situation, as I'm sure neither have most (if any) of you guys. One thing I'm sure about is this: if I'm banged up and confused, my compass will get me out of there much faster than almost anything else I can carry.

It's on the list of things I want to have if things go bad, and I will never voluntarily leave it out of my pack.

A compass to a hiker is an oxygen tank to a diver. It goes without question.

Than you for following up my statements so succinctly, Jay. Helps me to make my point. I appreciate it!

Sorry Jay, acompass to a hiker is an oxygen tank to a diver, c'mon now, you can't be a DIVER without a tank, but you can definately hike without a compass. You can find a better thing to compare it with that was so untrue, I been scuba diving plenty, you lose air from your tank, you die, you lose your compass you don't. I am not trying to tell people not to bring a compass, most people should carry them. I am just saying for some they are not necessary, whether you have fallen, banged your head or stubbed your frickin toe. If you have banged your head and are that dissoriented your gonna want to sit, get your bearings back and then proceed, regardless of having a compass or not. If your are that fuzzy and dissoriented even a compass can be hard to follow until you your mind is unboggled. You guys are putting way to much into this, a compass is not an absolute lifesaver for an experienced survivor. It is an aid and you should always know how to save yourself without it. The most important survival tool is your mind and your experience, not a piece of gear. Compasses are quite useful in navigation, I will never argue that or sway people to not bring one, but they are not the thing that keeps you alive or found if you get lost, it is your experience and your control over your mind not to panic. I know many people including myself who can EASILY find may way only with a map and a general knowlege of my area as oppose to having a compass, this is not rocket science, it is putting yourself in the situation and learning how. Diving and tank, compass and hiking, wow Jay, I love you man for this website and I don't mean to sound in the least bit cocky or rude but, peanut butter and jelly would have been better. lol

I feel like this might be getting a little heated and out of control. I don't ever take a compass when I go hiking cause I know the trail that I'm going to be on, and I rarely get very far off of it for anything else than to make camp. Thankfully I've never had a real bad experience out in the wild (knock on wood), but if I did, a compass would probably be nice, and that's why there is a small one in my survival kit. I know also that I might question the little button compass thats in there so I could also see maybe taking two LIGHT compasses (every oz counts). However, as I said in earlier posts, unless you are doing some bushwhacking I don't see a compass being as important as it has been made into here. The compass is a very good piece of equiptment, and that is why it has stood the test of time, but for me and my hikes, I think I'll be fine without it. Unless I go bushwhacking again in CO.

Snow, we will just have to agree to disagree. I have never heard ANY experienced survivor say that you should go without a compass... EVER. Also, no one in this thread said that a compass is an absolute lifesaver. Hell, a compass is useless as tits on a bull unless you know how to use it. However, like you said, it is an aid. Your mind and your experience are aids as well. Would you leave your mind and experience behind? I certainly would not. So why leave another essential tool behind?

I stand behind my statement. If you find me one single experienced surivial expert who tells you to leave your compass behind, I will show you someone who has no idea what he is talking about.

Kyle,

Not heated... just a slight disagreement. I respect snow a great deal for his accomplishments and his knowledge, I just disagree with his position on this (as I think do most "experienced survivors").

I think (hope?) we are all mature enough here to not let a situation get heated from a simple disagreement.

I am not heated, I am actually smiling right now. I think it is amuzing colt thinks my position on this is that people should not bring compasses, which I have never stated. My position has always been you CAN get by without one. Yo CAN navigate without one. It is smart to have one, but it is also smart to know how to get by without one. If you can't agree with that then you are mistaken. True suvivors put you in a situation where you probably wouldn't have one and teach you what to do. If where talking survival, it is not going for a hike, it is being involved in a car crash in the middle of nowhere, or surviving a plane crash in the wilderness. The chances of having a compass in these situations are slim, so you learn how to navigate without them, those are the situations that the EXPRIENCED survivors I know are teaching cause' that is an unexpected survival situation. Going into the backcountry on a hike is planned, so having a compass will be also. But what if you should lose it or break it in a fall, if you don't know how to survive or navigate without one, that is inexperience and maybe you people that depend so much on them should learn cause' your gonna find yourself in trouble if the worst case scenario happens. Now that is experience and I will bet my life that EXPERIENCED survivors will tell you my statement is right on the nose. YOU find me one that says that statement is false.

Haha, I think I'm one of the youngest here, so maturity might be an issue for me...lol!

Actually, Kyle, in my experience age is NOT a factor in maturity.

Well said colt. Very true.

snowsurfer1973 wrote:Well said colt. Very true.

Hey! We agree on something! I am just giving you crap, Snow. Ignore me.

Hey colt, no worries man, it seems there are a few here that misenterpret my statements, maybe I am not posting them clearly. In have taught many groups map and compass navigation and always condoned having them. But I also have taught the same groups how to navigate without them, it always just made sense that knowing how to do both would come in more handy than one or the other.

I absolutely agree with that, Snow. Even compasses can fail.