Heading outdoors with a map doesn’t just help to keep you safe – it can help you discover natural features you might otherwise have overlooked or choose the best route to a summit according to your ability level. These days, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to online maps, with navigation apps like AllTrails, OS Maps and Komoot leading the way, and now the US Geological Survey has got in on the action.

The USGS is a scientific agency that studies the landscape of the US, so they’ve been amassing data useful to hikers and backcountry explorers for nearly 150 years. With the launch of its new digital 25K Recreational Topos – so-called because they have a 1:25,000 scale – you can access highly detailed maps of any area in the US you want to explore with a user-friendly design that the agency says is built for recreational users.

“Whether you are a seasoned explorer or a casual hiker, the new USGS maps are a game-changer for recreational activities,” says Ariel Doumbouya, a USGS geographer and product lead.

The maps show subtle changes in terrain so you can plan routes that match your skill level, time constraints, and interests. Specialized symbols denote important recreational features you might be interested in, such as trailheads, campsites, and other amenities. Rivers, trails and forests are emphasized to help you focus on recreational opportunities, as are protected areas, such as National Parks, to encourage responsible exploration.

“They empower adventurers to explore the outdoors with greater confidence, insights, and awareness of their surroundings,” says Doumbouya.

A 1:25,000 scale means one inch on the map represents 25,000 inches on the ground, or roughly 1.4 miles, which is the common scale used in Alaska, Canada, and by the U.S. Military.

The new 25K Recreational Topo is available through the USGS topoBuilder app, where you can customize and download digital OnDemand Topo maps featuring the most up-to-date data from The National Map. The maps can be integrated with GPS devices such as your phone, GPS watch or other apps, so you can use them for navigation in the field, and perhaps most exciting of all, they’re all free for digital use.

Check out our article on how to read a map to get the most out of your experience, and if you’re relying on a digital device for navigation, always carry a portable charger and consider bringing a paper map and compass for backup.

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Most hikers are used to coming across hazards on the trails. From fallen trees to loose rocks, there are plenty of dangers that can impede your walk, and paths can potentially become blocked or flooded all year round.

Now, with OS Maps' new hazard-reporting tool, you can check ahead for obstacles and warn others of any potential danger.

The Community Alerts tool, which is available now on the OS Maps navigation app, allows users to report obstacles on the trail and indicate whether they're passable or not. Others can then see the hazard on a map and decide whether or not to proceed.

Hazards are updated in real-time, so everything from flooding to an angry group of cows can be flagged. If someone else visits the same location, and it's no longer there, they can report this on the app, and the hazard will be removed from the map.

OS Maps compares its new tool to road-map app Waze, which alerts drivers to accidents, traffic, and other incidents on the roads.

OS Maps is Britain's largest mapping service, providing detailed cartography right across the country. The OS Maps app is free to use, but offers a paid subscription package that includes greater topographical detail, offline maps, and other handy functions.

An OS Maps premium subscription costs £34.99 annually, or £6.99 per month. You don't need one to access the new Community Alerts feature.

Managing Director Nick Giles says the move is a "huge step forward" for OS Maps and the community of hikers who use it to navigate the wilderness.

"Previously the only hazard reports we could do was ask people to post photos of issues they find on a route and then write a review underneath - which is only useful if someone goes on to read the reviews," he said in a statement.

"As ever, we aim to make the outdoors accessible and safe for everyone, and this hazard reporting tool does just that."

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If you're into trail running, chances are you've heard of Strava. The fitness tracking app launched 15 years ago to immediate success in the US and abroad, giving users a quick and simple way to record their runs and share stats with their friends.

Today, more than 120 million users use Strava to monitor their runs and other fitness activities. Along with tracking your progress on your phone, the popular app is now available on smartwatches, including all the best Garmin watches.

Like Strava, Garmin boasts a long history of reliable health monitoring, with more than two decades of experience crafting high-tech wearables that monitor your exercise.

It's also got a stellar reputation for GPS tracking, boasting super-smart models like the Garmin Fenix 8, that can accurately monitor your progress wherever you are in the wilderness.

By syncing the two, all data recorded on your Garmin watch will be immediately available on your Strava account.

Interested? Read on for our guide to using Strava with your Garmin watch.

What is Strava?

The Strava app is an exercise tracker and social platform that allows you to record your workouts and share them with your friends. It collects GPS and health data from your smartphone or wearable to paint an accurate picture of your performance and wellbeing after an activity.

Although it's primarily used for running and cycling, Strava has plenty of modes for other sports like swimming, basketball, and tennis.

After exercise, Strava provides a handy round-up of your activity, which includes stats like your distance, moving time, and average pace. It also compares your workout to previous exercises, so you can track your improvements and find out when you achieve a PB.

There are plenty of in-depth health trackers on the Strava app, but you'll need to fork out for a subscription for a really detailed analysis. Scroll to the bottom of this article for more details.

Perhaps the best thing about Strava is its community feel. Via the app, you can share your workout info, statistics, and pictures with friends and groups. Others can share 'kudos' and comment on your posts to congratulate you on a job well done.

How to access Strava on your Garmin watch

Plenty of Garmin watches support Strava, which you can download to your device in a few simple steps.

You can connect the two using the Garmin Connect app or website.

Connecting via the app

• Open the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone
• Select More at the bottom right of the screen
• Select Settings
• Select Connected apps
• Select Strava
• Select Agree
• Select Organize

Connecting via the website

• Sign in to the Garmin Connect website
• Select the option to add a widget at the bottom of the main page
• Select Segments from the Add to Dashboard menu
• Select the settings icon
• Select Use Strava Options
• Select Connect with Strava
• Select Agree and follow any further prompts

It will take a few minutes for your Garmin watch to sync with Strava. Once it's done, your past 90 days of recorded Garmin activity and all future workouts will be visible on your Strava account.

How to use Strava

Once you've connected your Garmin device to your Strava account, it's time to hit the trails.

If you're just getting started on your Strava journey, its wide range of features and modes might seem a little overwhelming. But don't worry, each function has its purpose, and Strava's intuitive interface is easy to use once you get the hang of things.

First things first, you'll need to create a profile and follow some fellow fitness enthusiasts. These can be friends and loved ones, but you can also take the opportunity to follow some of the world's best athletes, like trail running superstar Killian Jornet.

You can also follow brands like Nike and Hoka to see what their high-level athletes are up to.

You'll see posts from whoever you follow on your feed. And they'll be able to see yours if you follow them back.

Once you're onboard and following a few people, it's time to expand your community by joining a club. This can be a local or international sports club, where you can see what fellow members are up to.

With over 5 million members, Strava's own Strava Club is the largest club on the app. Along with the standard stats, it posts coaching and inspirational content that you can access to up your game on the trails.

As you use Strava more, you'll unlock achievements and 'silverware' to commend you on your progress. Achievements can be community-based, like the fastest run of a local route, or they can be personal, like a new PB or record distance covered. You can share these achievements with your followers, so everyone can see your progress on the trails.

Is a premium subscription worth it?

Strava is free to download and use, but you'll have to fork out $11.99 (£8.99) per month, or $79.99 (£54.99) annually for the premium subscription. This isn't essential, but it does include a few handy features if you want to map your runs with pinpoint accuracy.

With the premium subscription, you can plot a route to follow ahead of time, access offline maps while you run, and benefit from advanced analytics after your workout.

These analytics include Strava's Perceived Exertion tool to see how much energy you've used and custom heart rate zones, for an in-depth look at your ticker.

There's also a range of additional coaching tools, which you can use to set personalized goals and access training plans.

These features can be fun and helpful, and are worth considering if you're serious about fitness tracking, but they're certainly not essential.

If you have a Garmin watch, you likely already access many of them on the Garmin Connect app. Connect has plenty of training plans and in-depth health analysis, so there's no need to fork out the extra money.

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Social media and unreliable map apps have been blamed for a rapid rise in the number of mountain rescue call-outs in Britain’s most popular hiking areas.

Last year, mountain rescue units were called into action every day for the first time in England and Wales, while Scottish mountain rescue services recorded a thousand call-outs - another first.

The increase is particularly stark among young people. Research conducted by Ordnance Survey and reported by the Guardian reveals that the number of incidents involving trekkers aged between 18 and 24 has almost doubled in the past five years.

Accident hotspots included the Lake District and Cairngorms national parks, home to Scafell Pike and Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon) - the highest peaks in England and Wales.

Data from Scottish Mountain Rescue revealed that 740 people and 17 animals were rescued by 29 separate mountain rescue teams in Scotland over the course of 1,000 call-outs in 2024.

Mike Park, Chief Executive of Mountain Rescue England and Wales, was unable to give a “definitive reason” for the spike, but suggested that some of the blame fell on social media and inaccurate navigation apps.

“We know from incident reports that more and more people are tempted into risky locations by Instagram posts,” he told the Guardian.

“Add to that a tendency to follow popular routes online without knowing the hazards and context, and it’s not surprising that those likely to be relying most on their phones are the ones getting into difficulties.”

The increase in incidents coincides with a general rise in the popularity of hiking. Surveys conducted by Sport England report a 40% increase in the number of hill and mountain walkers in the country between 2016 and 2023.

Alongside post-pandemic motivation, content posted to social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok is often credited with aiding the boom, and blamed for overcrowding. Without proper safety guidance, authorities fear that hikers may be heading into the mountains unprepared and unaware of the dangers.

Navigation apps that aren’t ‘suitable’ for the mountains also take a portion of the blame. Standard map apps are often without crucial topographic and safety information available in the best backcountry navigation apps like AllTrails and the OS Maps app.

Ordnance Survey managing director for leisure, Nick Giles, encourages trekkers to prepare appropriately for any adventure in the wilderness. He told the Guardian that anyone heading for the hills should have both the OS Maps app and a paper map to ensure a “wonderful adventure without getting stranded or lost.”

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Amazon's Big Spring Sale is nearly over, and I've managed to get away with spending less than £30 and still picking up an awesome piece of kit. Right now, you can grab the iconic Silva Expedition 4 Compass for just £25.99 at Amazon. That's a significant 32% drop in price for this navigation tool, which is widely regarded as the best in the business, but hurry, because the Big Spring Sale ends tonight.

My old compass stopped working a while ago, and I knew it was important for me to get a new one, espcially as I've been exploring some Munros that are a little further afield lately. I already knew I wanted the Silva Expedition 4 because it's so highly-regarded – when Advnture writer Matt Jones reviewed it, he gave it nearly perfect marks.

"The original and still one of the best, the iconic Type 4 is an expedition-worthy base plate compass that allows for precise navigation with many different maps."

So when I saw it was discounted by over a third, naturally, I jumped. The magnifying lens and declination scale inside the capsule offer detailed map reading and navigation, and I trust it to keep me safe on my wilderness adventures, all for less than a tank of petrol.

This deal applies to Silva Compasses on Amazon's UK site. Not in the UK? Scroll down to the bottom of this page for today's best deals on the Silva Expedition 4 Compass where you are.

Another reason I was keen to get my hands on this model is because the Expedition 4 compass is suitable for night navigation thanks to its luminous markings, which will help during my night runs. It offers six hours of illumination after activation in light, making it a reliable choice for night time adventures.

If you're not in the UK, here are today's best deals on the Silva Expedition 4 Compass where you are.

• The best compass: find your way with the finest standard navigational tools

Ultra runner Elsey Davis has revealed she lost her GPS watch early on in the 50-mile Arc of Attrition race last week – but it didn't stop her from setting a stunning new record on the course.

The British runner completed the Arc50 race, which follows the Cornish section of the South West Coast Path in England, in an astonishing seven hours, 55 minutes and 48 seconds, shaving more than 25 minutes off the previous record, but she shared on Instagram that her victory was not without a few obstacles.

At mile 10, Davis says her sleeve got stuck on a gate latch and it must have been then that she accidentally shed her watch.

"I only realised a mile later that my watch had got caught too and had fallen off.. so I ran 40 miles without a watch," says the new mum, who reveals that during a race she uses her watch primarily for nutrition alerts and navigation.

Things could have gone horribly wrong, but Davis' wealth of experience came into play – she explains she knows the route well and had plenty of running gels at her disposal.

"Thankfully the course is very familiar to me and I guessed when I needed to take a gel which worked out well - I ate 17 40g carb gels in the 8 hours! But sadly no Strava data."

Other than the lack of Strava kudos, a "small puke" at the finish line and some gnarly toenails, Davis managed to clear the tech hurdle like the pro that she is in her North Face Vectiv Infinite IIs.

She didn't reveal which watch she was running with, but she has been using a Coros watch for several years – perhaps she's upgraded to the Pace Pro? Whichever model it is, she's happily reunited with it thanks to a good Samaritan who turned it in after the race.

Davis is a medical doctor who has competed for Team GB multiple times as a cross-country runner. She has previously set records in the Bob Graham Round at the UTMB Nice Cote d'Azur 100k.

Over in the men's race, Davis' coach Tom Evans also set a new record, becoming the first runner to finish in under seven hours.

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A US-based ultra runner has revealed she was arrested in India earlier this month for carrying a popular satellite communicator used by hikers and trail runners to stay connected in the backcountry.

Posting to Instagram, Tina Lewis, who is from Canada but lives in Colorado, says she had been traveling with her Garmin InReach in India for 2.5 months without any issues.

"I brought my Garmin InReach device as I do for many of my international trips for camping, possible mountain adventures, and to use when there is no cell reception for safety as a solo female traveler."

The InReach allows backcountry users to exchange messages with friends, family and rescue officials even without cell service. However, when Lewis arrived in Goa in early December, officials detained her on the basis of the 1933 Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, which states that possessing wireless telegraphy equipment without a proper license is prohibited.

"I was not aware a GPS device was illegal," says Lewis, who shares that she endured "hours of investigation" and days in court before being released and cleared.

The runner, who won the Leadville 100 in 2012, has continued her travels despite the experience and is now in Kerala, writing: "I’m not sure I will feel the same way about the country as I did before but I’m willing to at least leave with a better experience, and some good stories. I am most certainly getting the entire India experience."

She also claims that since her arrest, at least two other foreign tourists have been arrested for carrying the device, including an American and a Czech cyclist.

Garmin InReach devices have saved many hikers' and skiers' lives and have been used in over 10,000 successful rescue missions across the globe. Small, rugged and lightweight, this satellite communicator enables two-way text messaging using GPS technology, even in areas with no cell coverage. However, in Garmin's information page about using the device internationally, the company does issue the following warning:

"iIReach devices operate on the Iridium satellite network, which provides 100% global coverage. However, some countries require prior permission or a government-issued registration code to activate or use satellite communication devices. Other countries completely prohibit the use of satellite communicators. In addition, United States embargoes prohibit providing satellite communications products and services in some countries."

The following countries may prohibit or limit the use of your satellite communicator:

• Afghanistan
• Crimea region of Ukraine
• Cuba
• Georgia (SMS)
• India
• Iran
• North Korea
• Myanmar
• Sudan
• Syria
• Thailand
• Vietnam
• China
• Russia

If you are planning on traveling abroad with your InReach or a similar device, you can learn more about countries that may prohibit their use here.

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There are several reasons you need a compass if you’re serious about outdoor adventure. Let me take you through part my Mountain Leader assessment to give you a flavour of a couple. One of the trickier tasks was the night navigation. We’d set up camp and were about to venture back out into the dark armed with our headlamps, topographical maps of the region and our compasses. We were individually assigned navigational legs to take charge of, leading the rest of the group across complex terrain and through the pitch black to specific points among the peaks.

A combination of faultless map reading, precisely taken compass bearings, accurate pacing and a solid grasp of what the terrain was doing underfoot was needed to successfully pull off each leg of micro navigation. The feeling of satisfaction of navigating in such a way cannot be understated, neither can the usefulness of such skills in the great outdoors.

These are just a couple of the reasons you need a compass for your backcountry escapades. I’m here to delve further into these, as well as provide a few other reasons you’ll want to invest in this classic navigational tool.

Reasons you need a compass

1) Proper navigation is hugely rewarding: finding your way through the backcountry using a map and compass is good fun and provides a sense of achievement.

2) You’ll become a more skilled navigator: using a compass will make you less reliant on digital aids like GPS devices and hiking apps and enhance your ability to navigate in any situation.

3) A compass never runs out of battery: unlike digital aids, a compass requires no power source, so will work anywhere in the world, at any time.

4) You can get your bearings when in a fix: having a compass allows you to safely navigate in some very tricky situations.

5) It will help to enhance your outdoor lifestyle: if you have ambitions to gain mountain qualifications or lead groups in the great outdoors, being able to use a compass is an essential skill.

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What is a compass?

A compass is a device that tells you which direction you’re heading in, using north as a reference point. There are various types of compass but for the purposes of this feature, we’re talking about standard magnetic base plate compasses that are used the world over by hikers, mountaineers, explorers and backpackers.

Magnetic compasses are mechanical devices containing a magnetized needle that’s free to move within the compass housing. The needle responds to the Earth’s magnetic field, its red arrow pointing towards the North Pole, a direction known as magnetic north. This is the simple premise behind all magnetic compasses and they allow you to then work out in which direction you're facing. As they use magnetism to do this, there’s no need for a power source, so they don’t need charged and they don’t need batteries.

Let's get into the reasons you need one.

Proper navigation is hugely rewarding

• Navigating through a landscape forces a greater appreciation for it
• You'll get a confidence boost and a sense of achievement when you're successful

Following a GPX track is fine but it can feel a bit like being on autopilot. It allows you to switch off from properly reading the landscape. Having to carefully read a map, plot your route own route, consider timings, terrain and potential hazards, and then successfully navigate your own way through it all is very satisfying. There’s no doubt that it forces a more intimate connection with, and appreciation for, the landscape around you. You’ll constantly be checking in with the gradients and features of your surroundings. You get a rewarding little rush of achievement every time you arrive where you expected to be.

Even getting a bit lost can be a positive. In these situations, it’s tempting to just pull out a navigation app or glance at the map on your Garmin watch to pinpoint your location and put it right. However, taking a moment to gather all the information you can about your predicament and your surroundings, apply it to the map and use your compass to successfully get yourself back on track is a real confidence builder.

Don’t get me wrong, there are times when the convenience of digital aids is preferable. Perhaps you’re pressed for time or need to know your location quickly with relative certainty. But, the rest of the time, navigating properly is much more rewarding.

You will become a more skilled navigator

• You'll learn new skills and techniques by using a compass
• These skills can be used in the backcountry anywhere in the world

As a result of using a compass, you’ll learn skills and techniques that those who rely solely on digital aids will never gain. These include taking a bearing, where you work out the direction between two points on the map and apply to the real world; or other advanced techniques like using the aspect of a slope to pinpoint location; and aiming off, purposefully intending to miss your objective by navigating to one side of it and using a linear feature, such as a river or stream, to accurately return to the objective.

These skills can be used anywhere, as long as you have your compass and a suitable topographical map. Once gained, you’ll have a degree of mastery over your surroundings, a sense of self-reliance that you simply don’t get when letting AllTrails do the work for you.

A compass never runs out of battery

• As a compass is magnetic, it doesn't require a power source
• This means it can't run out of battery
• Relying on digital devices isn't wise in remote places or in wintry conditions 

Self-reliance equals safety. The major pitfall of digital technology in the wilderness is its reliance on power. If you’re venturing to remote locations, you may not be able to top up your gadgets and your power bank so easily. If you’re a winter walker or mountaineer, you’ll know how quickly the cold’s icy grip can drain your phone’s battery life. In these situations, relying solely on digital tools is potentially dangerous. A compass needs no power. Its needle turns thanks to the magnetic force exerted by the Earth’s magnetic poles.

Of course, things can go awry with a compass too. You could accidentally drop it down a gully when wearing thick hiking gloves or when your hands are bone cold. Accidents happen. This is why I always carry two compasses, as they don’t really weigh anything or take up space. I'll also have digital tools as a backup.

Oh, the other caveat is that some regions contain types of magnetic rock that can attract your compass needle, thus confusing it. A good example of this is the Isle of Skye’s spectacular Cuillin Ridge, which is made up of volcanic basalt and gabbro. It’s the latter that’s magnetic and it can render a compass virtually useless.

You can get your bearings when in a fix

• The ability to take a bearing is a very useful skill in low visibility
• As long as you know your starting point, you can navigate from there using a compass

When visibility fails and you find yourself on a featureless plateau with very little concept of direction – or even up or down, as can be the case in a whiteout – you’ll need to take a bearing to make progress. The consequences of not being able to do this ranges from a best-case scenario of getting a bit lost and ending up in the wrong place, to the worst-case scenarios of walking off an unseen cliff or plummeting down a steep gully.

If you know where your starting position is, you can take a bearing on the map to another known point and then walk on the bearing until you reach it. This enables you to navigate your way out of some sticky situations. Your phone will have a compass too so, if for whatever reason you find yourself in such a fix without a standard compass, you can estimate the bearing on the map and then use your phone to follow it. It’s not great, but it’s better than nothing.

It will help to enhance your outdoor lifestyle

• Compass skills are essential for mountain qualifications
• Teaching others the skills is also very rewarding

If you have ambitions to guide others in the mountains, solid map and compass skills are an absolute essential. Navigation is a huge part of the training and assessment process for burgeoning mountain professionals and following a pre-planned GPX route simply doesn’t display the required level of competence needed. So, if you’ve got instructor aspirations, get practising and master the art.

Even if you’re not looking to gain official qualifications, being able to show others the techniques is also hugely rewarding, whether it’s your better half, buddies, or kids. Sharing the expertise will help them to be more self-sufficient and better equipped to safely negotiate adventures in the backcountry, anywhere in the world.

A new compass designed to let you "wander without getting lost" has been unveiled this week, combining cutting-edge technology with GPS. The TERRA compass is a screenless device that allows you to input your intentions and time constraints, then guides you on a journey.

Designed by Amsterdam-based tech company Modem Works and Swiss design agency Panter & Tourron, the TERRA is pocket-sized and designed to let you explore new trails without having to preplan routes or spend time staring at a navigation app your phone screen. According to the product page, you input the desired duration of your walk, location and any other specifics such as a stop at a cafe or any landmarks you want to take in on your walk. AI then translates your intentions and precise location into a "tailored trail of GPS coordinates."

When you begin walking, you can carry the device in your hand and it will issue prompts via what the designers call "gentle haptic feedback" – presumably a soft vibration, which prompts you to look at the compass needle for navigation. The result, according to the innovators behind the idea, allows for whimsical walking with confidence.

The examples given for walking trails on the product page revolve around urban hiking, such as Amsterdam's canals or Kyoto's architecture, so it's not clear how reliable the compass would be in the backcountry where you might have to contend with topographical obstacles like river crossings or steep cliffs, which have caused problems for other hikers using technology like Google Maps.

Furthermore, if you are keen to get your hands on the TERRA, as of right now, you can't just click to buy one yet – instead, this is an open source design, where the creators have made the code available and specify the hardware you need to build your own. If you're not that tech savvy, we don't imagine it will be long before these are available to buy, but if you're going into the wild, we always recommend bringing a map and compass as backup.

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How does a magnetic compass work? Well, it’s all down to basic physics and human ingenuity. The key component of a standard baseplate compass is its magnetized needle, which is allowed to spin freely within a housing. As the needle is magnetized, the north arrow always points towards the Earth's magnetic north pole, while its other end points to the south pole.

It’s elegantly simple and all baseplate compasses work in this way. However, things get a little more complicated when factors like magnetic variation come into play, which we’ll get into later in this guide.

It’s amazing how our ability to navigate the backcountry is so beautifully tied to how the laws of physics play out across the cosmos. Long have our ancestors used celestial objects to determine direction. For example, in the northern hemisphere, a huge, distant yet conspicuous sphere of hydrogen and helium called Polaris, otherwise known as the North Star, indicated which direction was… you guessed it, north. Even the rising and setting of the sphere of hydrogen and helium we like to think of as our own, the Sun, broadly reveals east and west.

Fast-forward to modern, hi-tech nav and we’re still reliant on good old physics. GPS relies on a system of orbiting satellites, tethered to our planet by the force of gravity. Somewhere in between ancient ships using Polaris to sail in the right direction and the best Garmin watches utilising a satellite technology to pinpoint your location on a run is the baseplate compass. So, let’s get into more detail about exactly how they work.

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How do magnetic compasses work?

Knowing how to use a compass is an essential skill for wilderness exploration, even in this day of GPS, smartphones and gadgets that sit happily on our wrists. Knowing how they work is slightly less essential but it’s nonetheless interesting and enhances your appreciation of how to use one.

Let’s start with our humble planet, the Earth, which can be thought of as one great big magnet. But what is powering this magnetism? Well, deep within its core is a solid ball of the metallic elements iron and nickel, while in the outer core the iron and nickel are liquid and are constantly on the move. Due to the rotation of the Earth, spiral currents form and generate the magnetic field. This phenomenon is known as the Dynamo Effect.

The whole reason we call the frozen northern and southern points of our planet the poles is because that’s exactly what they are, magnetic poles. In fact, it’s the Earth’s magnetic field that causes the Aurora Borealis (also known as the Northern Lights), when energized particles ejected from the sun travel down the field lines and react with gases high in the atmosphere.

Back to compasses… As already discussed, a standard baseplate compass contains a magnetized needle that always points both north and therefore south. This allows the user to know which way north, south, east and west are at all times. It also gives them the ability to performing advanced techniques, such as taking a bearing in order to navigate in poor visibility.

So, what happens if you take a compass to the poles?

Try this thinking puzzle out on a friend or loved one. An immensely wealthy family tasked their architect with building a seemingly impossible new house where all four walls and their windows would face south. Presumably they enjoyed the sun shining in during the afternoons. After a bit of thought, the architect came up with the solution.

He built the house on the north pole. Stood on the north pole, whichever direction you turn, you face south. The house wouldn’t have been great for catching the sun in the winter but summer would be a riot (if it wasn’t for the awfully cold temperatures). Now extend this thinking to a compass and you’ll realise that the needle might just behave very oddly near the poles too. In fact, it does.

The earth’s magnetic field lines don’t simply run along the surface until they reach the geographic north pole. They actually curve and dive towards the center of the planet, perpendicular to the surface. So, as you approach one of the poles, rather than the needle being attracted to what’s ahead, it’s attracted to what’s below, down towards the core. As you can imagine, this plays havoc with the needle.

What is magnetic variation/declination?

As well as all of this, the magnetic poles aren’t fixed, they move all over the place as the Earth's magnetic field shifts. It was in the 15th century that explorers discovered that there was a slight difference between True North (the direction of a meridian of longitude, which all converge at the North Pole), Grid North (the direction of a grid line which is parallel to the central meridian on the National Grid) and magnetic north. I say slight, but in the context of an entire planet this difference can be thousands of miles.

This is magnetic declination, the disparity between magnetic north and True North, which is slowly changing all the time and is different depending on where you are in the world. For example, the degree of variation in November 2023 from Greenwich in London (my old gaff, incidentally) is a reasonably small +0.84 degrees, whereas from New York, it’s -3.33 degrees. Fortunately, you can counter this by knowing how to adjust for magnetic declination, but that’s another story.

Garmin has launched its first handheld GPS navigator with solar charging, letting you explore off-grid for much longer – possibly forever. It's been a busy week for Garmin, with the launch of the Descent Mk3 and Descent G1 dive computers on Tuesday, and the Quatix 7 Pro on Wednesday, but this will be the most exciting new release for hikers, campers, bikepackers and geocachers.

Much like Garmin's Instinct Solar and Instinct 2 Solar GPS watches, the eTrex Solar could run indefinitely on a single charge in the right conditions. Even when you don't have 75,000 lux shining down on you, it'll keep you on track for over two months of solid adventuring. In Expedition Mode, the eTrex Solar will run for up to 1,800 hours without using its embedded solar charging at all.

Multi-band GPS helps the device pinpoint your location more accurately, even in tricky locations like under dense tree cover and near cliffs where it can be hard to get a clear line of sight to a satellite. There's also a built-in digital compass to give you an accurate heading even when you're standing still (see our guide how to take a bearing).

The eTrex Solar connects to the Garmin Explore app on your phone, which lets you create routes and then sync them to the device. There's unlimited cloud storage for them, so you don't need to worry about having to delete old ones. You can also receive smart notifications from your phone when it's connected to the eTrex Solar via Bluetooth.

Into geocaching? You can get automatic cache updates, including descriptions, logs and hints right on the device. Each cache you find will automatically upload to a saved profile when the eTrex Solar is connected to your phone.

Rather than peering at a tiny watch screen, you can follow your route, see waypoints, track your location, and find your way back on a 22in high-contrast display that's easy to read even in bright sunlight.

It's built like a tank too. It's rated IPX, which means it can be submerged in up to a meter of water for up to 30 minutes without damage, and has a tough case designed to shrug off knocks and drops.

The eTrex Solar is available now direct from Garmin for $249.99.

• We're rounding up the best Black Friday Garmin deals all in one place

Right now, you can pick up the Garmin eTrex 32x handheld GPS navigator for just $229.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 23% off the list price, and the cheapest this super portable unit has ever been.

The eTrex 32x is built specifically with hiking in mind, with a generously sized 2.2in display that's easy to read even in direct sunlight and is much easier to use than a GPS watch. It comes with TopoActive maps preinstalled, which are optimized for outdoor activities and include walkable trails, summits, National Parks, lakes and rivers, coastlines, natural attractions, and much more besides.

If you're not in the US, scroll down to the bottom of this article for the best deals on the Garmin eTrex 32x near you.

There's support for both GPS and GLONASS, plus a three-axis compass and barometric altimeter to keep you on track. It takes two AA batteries that you can replace in the field, so there's no need to worry about recharging at camp, and each pair of batteries should give you 25 hours of GPS navigation.

If you're not in the US, here are the best deals on the Garmin eTrex 32x where you are, with prices updated daily:

• Best Garmin watches: all the latest models tested and rated

Right now, you can get the Garmin GPSMAP 86sci handheld GPS navigator for just $519.64 at Amazon. That's a saving of 20% off the list price, and the cheapest this marine-focused navigator has ever been.

Garmin makes GPS navigators for all kinds of sports, and the GPSMAP 86sci is specifically make for boating and fishing. It comes with BlueChart coastal charts pre-loaded, and syncs with Garmin chartplotters and instruments to give you real-time boat data in your hand. You can also use it to control your boat via its autopilot app, changing heading, adjusting pattern steering, and following a GPS route.

If you're not in the US, scroll down to the bottom of this article for the best deals on the Garmin GPSMAP series where you are.

This particular model has Garmin inReach satellite communication built in, which means you can send an interactive SOS to Garmin's control center, even when you have no cellphone signal, and receive help from local emergency services anywhere in the world provided you have an inReach subscription.

If you're not in the US, here are the best deals on the Garmin GPSMAP series near you:

• The best Garmin watches: all the latest models tested and rated

A major update for Google Maps will make it much easier to explore trails in US National Parks. Not only will the mobile app show routes, it will also help you pick one that suits the experience and abilities of your group, and identify important facilities.

Google hasn't specified an exact launch date, but the new tools are due to roll out at some point later this month.

As the company explained in a blog post, the update will make it easier to quickly find trailheads, campgrounds, visitor centers, and other attractions. Search for a National Park and you'll see photos and descriptions of highlights such as famous locations and landmarks. You can tap these to see more pictures, plus videos and reviews from people who have visited recently so you know what to expect.

When you search for a trail in Google Maps, the app will highlight the entire route so you know exactly where it starts and ends, and which course it takes along the way. The app will also give you information from other explorers, which will help you determine whether it's suitable for your group.

Park entrances are highlighted on the map too, and whether you want to hike or cycle, the app will point you in the right direction.

Always have a backup

You can even download National Park maps to use offline, which is always a good idea in case you find yourself without cellular connectivity.

However, experts recommend that you never rely on anything with a battery (other than a flashlight) when hiking. Your phone could be lost, broken, stolen, or run out of charge. Always make sure you carry a map and compass, and know how to use them. See our guides how to use a compass, how to take a bearing, and how to read a map to get started.

• The best compasses: compact and convenient for hiking and backpacking

Garmin has launched two new cycling computers, the Edge 840 and 540, with new training tools, boosted battery life (including optional solar charging), and improved GPS mapping.

Many of the features included in the two new devices have tricked down from the top-end Garmin Edge 1040, and are now available in a more affordable form.

One of the standout features is the addition of multiband GPS, which makes it easier for the device to pinpoint your location in tricky areas such as under heavy tree cover or near tall buildings, which can obscure the field of view to satellites or cause GPS drift.

There are also new suggested workouts, similar to those provided by newer Garmin watches, and training prompts to help you train more effectively. When paired with a Garmin HRM heart rate sensor or compatible watch, you'll also get personalized coaching that adapts based on your training load, recovery, and upcoming events, plus a real-time stamina chart that shows how much energy you have left in the tank for the rest of your ride. Can you afford to push harder, or do you need to hold back?

The Edge 840 and 540 are both available in standard versions, or with Garmin's Power Glass to keep their batteries topped up throughout the day and extend life between charges. Solar charging can extend battery life up to 60 hours in battery saver mode, making it a great option for multi-day events and touring.

The devices have the same 2.6in display size and resolution as their predecessors. Both have button controls, but the Edge 840 also has touchscreen controls for easier panning across maps and scrolling through menus.

Both are available in solar and non-solar versions direct from Garmin. The Edge 840 Solar is $549.99/£519.99, and the Edge 540 Solar is $449.99/£449.99. The non-solar Edge 840 is $449.99/£449.99, and the non-solar Edge 540 is $349.99/£349.99.

• Best GPS watches: the latest models from Garmin, Apple and more tested

Garmin has launched three new handheld GPS units for springtime adventures. The Garmin GPSMAP 67 and 67i, and the Garmin eTrex SE are all made for navigating during hikes and other expeditions, and make the most of the company's latest mapping and satellite communications technology.

The GPSMAP 67 and 67i are premium handheld sat-nav units, with the same multi-band technology you'll find in Garmin's best GPS watches. They come preloaded with TopoActive Maps, which are packed with on- and off-road details to help you find your way while hiking and orienteering, including historic sites, waterways and natural features, as well as cafes, stores, accommodation and parking lots.

There's also access to satellite imagery right in your hand, and the two are compatible with the new Garmin Outdoor Maps+ subscription service.

The GPSMAP 67i also include Garmin inReach satellite communication technology too, letting you send and receive text messages, send emergency SOS alerts, and share your location even in areas without cellular connectivity.

Both devices are available now direct from Garmin. The GPSMAP 67 has a suggested retail price of $499.99 and the GPSMAP 67i has a suggested retail price of $599.99.

Entry-level adventures

If you're looking for an entry-level handheld GPS unit, the new eTrex SE is a rugged device that's designed to be tough but simple to use.

Maps are displayed on a 2.2in high-contrast display to ensure that maps, waypoints and paths are clearly legible even in direct sunlight, and the unit has a water resistance rating of IPX7 that ensures it keeps working even in strong storms.

It takes two AA batteries, which can be replaced on the move, and last up to 168 hours in standard mode and up to 1,800 hours in expedition mode.

The eTrex SE is available right now from Garmin for $149.99.

• The best Garmin watches: the latest models tested and rated

The National Park Service has warned people visiting Mojave National Preserve not to trust their car's GPS navigation system, as it doesn't take account of recent road closures due to flash flooding.

In a Facebook post, the NPS explained that roads may appear to be open on your in-car mapping system, but this isn't always accurate. Ignoring warning signs and relying on your car's sat-nav to find the quickest route could lead you into dangerous conditions, such as steep shoulder drop-offs, undercutting that leaves the road surface weak and unstable, and flooded washes.

To emphasize its point, the NPS shared photos of two cars mired, including a Tesla part-buried at an alarming angle after its driver bypassed warnings to take a shortcut through the preserve. The driver and passenger were fine, but the car had to be abandoned and towed.

"Mojave National Preserve has the unique problem of impatient travelers on Interstate-15 or Interstate-40 diverting through the preserve to avoid traffic obstacles or delays," the NPS explained.

 "This tactic often will not work, as roads in the Preserve cannot handle heavy interstate traffic volumes – nor are they a better option to bypass climatic obstacle."

Weather conditions that are an inconvenience on the highway can cause major damage on smaller roads, so always watch out for hazard signs.

• Get a free 148-page ebook celebrating the world's greatest National Parks

Even the best hiking boots only get you so far if you don’t know where you’re going, and that’s why navigation is still the number one hiking skill you need to know. These days, we largely rely on GPS for navigation, whether you’re on the hiking trail, driving to the trailhead, or even trying to locate the nearest gear store for a new pair of trekking poles. GPS seems to keep the whole world running these days, but what is GPS and how does it work? Let’s take a look at this handy system for hiking and trail running.

What is GPS?

Standing for Global Positioning System, GPS is a US government-owned space-based radionavigation utility. The system involves more than 30 satellites, which are orbiting the earth as you read this, and a system of ground stations. 

Today’s system started out in the 1960s as part of an experiment by the navy to track submarines carrying nuclear missiles. The Department of Defense took over the system in the 1970s with the intention of using the technology to create a 24-hour navigation system. This system became fully operational in 1993 and today, GPS is operated by the air force and has both Precise Positioning Service, used by the government and military, and Standard Positioning Service, which can be utilized for commercial and scientific purposes. Every time you pull up Google Maps on your phone, it uses GPS to figure out where you are in the world, so it can help you get to where you want to go.

How does GPS work?

Using GPS sounds super high-tech, but in essence, it’s not so different from the way our ancestors used the position of the stars for navigation. As we’ve explained, GPS is made up of those navigation satellites which circle the earth twice a day in a very precise orbit. The navigation satellites are constantly sending out signals which are picked up by the radars from the ground stations to confirm that the satellites are where they’re meant to be. 

Just like knowing where the stars are tells you where you are if you know what to look for, knowing where the satellites are in space gives you information about where you are on the ground. All that’s needed to tap into this stream of communication between earth and sky is a device with a GPS receiver – a smartphone, a GPS watch, a drone, the sat-nav in your car, your dog's collar. When you turn this receiver on, once it has calculated how far it is from at least four satellites, it can pinpoint your location to within a few feet, or even inches with a high end receiver. Knowing your location can help you navigate to your destination and communicate it to mountain rescue if you are lost and in trouble.

How to use a GPS for hiking

In hiking, for better or worse, GPS technology has largely replaced the traditionally required skills of knowing how to read a map and use a compass to navigate. GPS handheld units enjoyed a brief period of rule in the world of hiking navigation, but are quickly being usurped by GPS watches, smartphones and route-planning apps like Komoot which all use GPS technology. This particular technology is changing rapidly, so it’s difficult to say that one device is better than the other, but initially, handheld GPS devices were more reliable than using a phone, both in their accuracy and ruggedness. That may change soon, but for now, a GPS device is still thought to be a useful tool to carry with you on hikes where you could get lost (though no replacement for the ancient arts of map and compass reading!).

Each GPS device operates differently and should come with instructions as to how to use it, but you can usually rely on it having the following features:

• Current location: it will tell you where you are by providing map coordinates as show your location on a digital map.
• Tracking: tracking can usually be turned on or off, and when on it digitally tracks your movements so that you can review them later, or retrace your footsteps.
• Navigation: allows you to enter your desired destination and any waymarks to map out your route.
• Trip data: Stats such as distance traveled and elevation gained can be used for training purposes or general interest.

Essentially, once you arrive at the trailhead and turn your GPS device on, you'll want to make sure tracking is on, let it pinpoint your location then enter your destination to create a route.

There have been lots of high profile stories about people following their GPS navigation over cliffs and into rivers, but when used in conjunction with your senses and not as a replacement for eyes, ears and common sense, GPS is an amazing technology for navigation that is getting more accurate by the day. As of right now, it always relies on a battery, and that doesn’t show any signs of changing yet, so it’s always good to have a paper backup for your journey, but GPS can certainly add a lot of value, and fun, to your adventures.

• Map and compass vs GPS: which is best when you're exploring the wilderness?

Standard sighting compasses allow you to take a bearing from a distant object with greater accuracy than the traditional baseplate compasses that are often used by hikers. We know that a compass is an essential tool for navigating in the backcountry. From simply knowing which way you are going to taking a map bearing in order to head in the right direction when visibility is compromised, there’s simply no substitute for a magnetic compass.

The best sighting compasses enable you to target distant objects or stay focussed on a specific direction, giving you greater accuracy than a baseplate compass. This makes them ideal for applications like walking on a bearing and, unlike your electronic gadgets, they won’t let you down in extreme conditions.

Sighting compasses come in various forms, but the most common are mirror compasses and prismatic compasses. A mirror compass is much more likely to be found in someone’s hiking backpack than a prismatic compass, which is designed for heavier duty applications, such as in the military or in precision engineering.

Sighting compasses: a mirror compass

A mirror compass comprises a base plate with the all the usual standard features (compass housing, compass needle, orienting arrow etc), as well as a foldable mirror. The mirror is split in two by a line known as the sighting line and also contains a small notch, known as a sight. The advantage of a mirror compass is that it allows you to look at the object you are taking a bearing from and your compass housing at the same time. Thanks to this, they are also great for accurately walking on a given bearing.

If you know how to use a compass already, adapting these skills to a mirror compass is easy. To take a bearing from an object, unfold the mirror to around 45 degrees so that you can see the compass housing reflected in it. Hold the compass out straight in front of you at eye level and align it so that the object you want to take a bearing from is just above the sight. The vertical sighting line should run straight down through the reflected central pivot point of your compass needle. Now rotate the compass housing (sometimes referred to as the bezel) until the red orienting arrow is aligned with the red north end of the compass needle. You can then read the bearing from the index line at the top of the base plate.

Compared to other types of compass, disadvantage of most mirror compasses is that they usually have smaller base plates than a decent baseplate model – often without all the useful scales for measuring distances on a topographical map. Their smaller size also makes it more difficult to take map bearings. For most hiking applications, we’d probably go for a standard baseplate compass in our daypack over a mirror compass, though for a lot of people it comes down to personal preference, with some preferring the increased accuracy of sighting compasses.

Sighting compasses: using a mirror compass to attract help

Another application of this kind of compass is the use of the mirror as a signalling tool. Let’s say it’s a sunny day and you are in need of assistance. Obviously, even the best headlamp is going to be no good as a signalling tool until nightfall. You’ve got your hiking whistle, but you also want to create a visual signal to gain assistance.

You can see a party of rescuers in the distance and you want to signal your location to them. Hold out two fingers in a V-shape in front of you, so that the rescuers are between your fingers. Hold the mirror in front of your face, pointing outward and adjust its position until the sunlight hits your fingers. Now, rotate the mirror left and right so that the sunlight is reflected in the space between your fingers towards the rescuers.

Sighting compasses: a prismatic compass

Like traditional baseplate compasses and mirror compasses, prismatic compasses use a dial that makes use of the Earth’s magnetic field. The compass housing is filled with oil and some use photoluminescent materials that allow readings to be taken in low light. This, combined with the airtight qualities of prismatic compasses, make them ideal for use underground or underwater.

Unlike a standard mirror compass, a prismatic compass is held close to the face when taking a bearing. Rather than a mirror, sighting is achieved through a combination of the object vane – a frame containing a vertical sighting line – and a prism, which is located just below the eye slit on the other side of the compass. Some prismatic compasses have a thumb loop, allowing the user to attach the device to themselves, while they take an accurate bearing.

Brunton TruArc 10 compass: first impressions

GPS is an amazing tool. But the Brunton TruArc 10 is just as amazing and more reliable. GPS signals can be lost in remote locations, whereas a compass is always at the ready. This one is an excellent option for adventurers who travel to both the northern and southern hemispheres, as it can be calibrated for either (see also: types of compass). 

The Brunton TruArc 10 – which features in our best compass buying guide – saves time and reduces error with tool-free declination adjustment that allows the needle of your compass to point to magnetic north while the bearing on your compass bezel is offset. The degree reading off the bezel factors in declination, so you don’t have to do the math. The TruArc 10 has one-degree azimuth ring markings – something that’s rare in compasses in this price range. It also has a magnifying glass over the bezel to make the bezel marks easier to read (see also: how to read a map and how to use a compass). 

Brunton TruArc 10 compass: in the field

When working on mapping a new trail network, I was able to find my way to a mountain saddle even though I was moving through craggy terrain by taking bearings with this compass, and the magnifying lens made it easy to see the exact bearing. 

The bezel rotates smoothly, but when I took a bearing and then stashed the compass in a packet, it stayed put. If I used this compass in conjunction with a handheld GPS in an area that I knew would have breaks in the service, Romer scales on the baseplate would help me determine my exact coordinates without having to do the math. 

On the downside, the compass did pop out of its baseplate and proved pretty hard to reinstall, which was a little annoying.

Navigating through the backcountry using your best compass is a hugely rewarding experience. The ability to do so is an essential skill when it comes to survival in the great outdoors, particularly as, unlike a smartphone or a GPS device, compasses aren't affected by adverse weather or battery life.

Using the planet's magnetic field to point you in the right direction, a compass can be used anywhere. Plus, the best compasses have a range of other features that help you to better interpret their main sidekick: the topographical map. We've tested these rugged little tools on our hiking and mountaineering escapades to bring you this guide to the very finest.

We'd rate Silva's Expedition Type 4 as the best compass around in 2026 and we don't go anywhere wearing our hiking backpack without it. However, it's fair to say that none of the superb products in this guide will let you down.

The quick list

This is our quick list, a brief overview of the best compass options. To delve deeper into the specifics of each tool, see our more detailed reviews further down the page in this guide.

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The best compasses 2026

The best compass overall

Silva’s Expedition Type 4 is arguably the definitive baseplate compass, used for everything from Mountain Leader training courses to international expeditions. We like how it's lightweight and sits easily in the hand, with an oil-damped needle that is weighted for use in the northern hemisphere (magnetic equator and magnetic south variants also available). Orienting arrows and lines, the direction of travel arrow and degree markings on the dial are all crisp and clear, as are the Romer scales on the baseplate, in 1:25k, 1:40k and 1:50k. 

The bezel shows the four cardinal compass points plus numeric 20-degree increments, with hashing every 2 degrees. There’s also a declination scale marked inside the capsule, which you’ll need to remember to use to allow for magnetic declination where this applies. The bezel turns easily and smoothly, though unlike some other Silva models it lacks an easy-grip rubberized housing. The compass features luminescent markings too, enabling low-light use.

Read our full Silva Expedition Type 4 compass review

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The best compass for low-light use

The M-3 is Finnish brand Suunto’s answer to Silva’s classic Type 4. It’s a sturdy and practical baseplate compass that feels better-built than the Type 4, with a superior bezel that offers easy-grip knurling and numerical degree markings every 20 degrees, plus 2-degree hashing. It’s also marked with both cardinal and inter-cardinal points. The lack of 1:40k scale markings means it wouldn’t be our first choice for use with maps of that scale, although it does have both 1:20k and 1:24k scales, which are commonly used in countries other than the UK, especially Europe and the USA. There are also 1:25k and 1:50k scale distance markings. As such, it's one of the best compasses for international adventurers. 

The M-3 is slightly shorter and squatter than most full-sized baseplate compasses, but it sits snugly in the palm. On test, we found that the oil-damped needle settles quickly. The capsule can also be adjusted for declination, meaning that once set you can forget about it for the duration of your trip (unless you move to a new location with a different declination, of course). In low-light conditions, the M-3 is definitely the best compass of all the products we tested here. The luminescent bezel is easy to read, while the needle, bearing indicator and direction of travel are all lumed. The supplied lanyard is a good-quality cord with a plastic clip, an adjustable neck slider and a metal key that is used to adjust the declination (so keep it safe).

Read our full Suunto M-3 compass review

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The best compass for universal use

GPS is an amazing tool. But GPS signals can be lost in remote locations, where a compass is always at the ready. We found the TruArc to be an excellent option for adventurers who travel to both the northern and southern hemispheres, as it can be calibrated for either. 

This compass saves time and reduces error with tool-free declination adjustment that allows the needle of your compass to point to magnetic north while the bearing on your compass bezel is offset. The degree reading off the bezel factors in declination, so you don’t have to do the math. The TruArc 10 has one-degree azimuth ring markings – something that’s rare in compasses in this price range – and Romer scales on the baseplate. It also has a magnifying glass over the bezel to make the bezel marks easier to read.

Read our full Brunton TruArc 10 compass review

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The best compact compass

The Silva Ranger is a compact baseplate compass that minimises weight and bulk whilst providing all the essentials you need in a navigational tool. We found it to be a great compass for day hikes. It features 1:25k and 1:50k measuring scales plus ruled mm, a magnifier for use with a paper map, a lumed direction of travel indicator and an easy-to-read bezel with a rubberised, high-grip knurled housing. 

There’s a clear bearing indicator and orienting arrow, as well as two-colour orienting lines within the capsule, along with a declination scale. The oil-damped needle is clearly marked and weighted for northern hemisphere use, settling quickly. You also get a useful scale lanyard, which can be placed alongside non-linear paths and tracks on the map to measure distances more accurately.

Read our full Silva Ranger compass review

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The best budget compass

This is a classic baseplate compass that's almost identical to the Silva Expedition Type 4. It is exactly the same size and shape, with the same bezel and capsule design as well as an oil-damped needle. We found it works really well with the most common UK maps since the baseplate Romers are helpfully given in 1:50k, 1:40k and 1:25k scales. These also run in both directions (eastings and northings) too. There are also distance markers down the sides of the baseplate in 1:50k and 1:25k scales. This is arguably an improvement on the mm and inches rulers of the Type 4. 

A circular magnifying aperture also makes it easier to read place names, contours and spot heights or discern landscape features on a map. The needle itself is reflective, as is the upper section of the bezel, to aid navigation in low-light conditions. The crisp, clear dial is marked in degrees, showing the four cardinal compass points plus numeric 20-degree increments, with hashing every 2 degrees. There are also secondary ‘mils’ markings inside the bezel (for military-style navigation), though no declination scale. On test, the bezel turned easily and smoothly, though it isn’t quite as easy to grip as those with rubberised housings, especially if wearing gloves. The baseplate also lacks friction feet to help prevent it from sliding around when placed on a map. Still, for the money, this is one of the best compasses you can buy.

Read our full Alpkit Williams Expedition Compass review

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The best compass for beginners

This low-cost baseplate compass is likely to attract value-conscious hillwalkers as well as those on a tight budget. With baseplate markings in mm and inches as well as scale measurements in 1:50k and 1:25k, we found it works well enough with Ordnance Survey maps. The magnifying aperture also makes it easier to read place names, contours and spot heights or discern landscape features. 

On test, we found the chunky needle to be not quite as elegant or precise as slimmer needles, but hey, it points north, and that’s the most important thing. It’s a little more important with this compass to ensure it is perfectly level in order to ensure a consistently accurate reading. But it did the job in the hills perfectly well, and at this price we can have no real complaints.

Read our full Highlander Deluxe Map Compass review

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The best thumb compass

Thumb compasses for competitive orienteering are specialist tools, and as such they are not cheap. As usual however, sporting goods giant Decathlon has come up with a high-spec, comparatively low-cost model that undercuts rivals from many of the best-known brands. It's significantly cheaper than equivalent models from Silva or Suunto, yet it feels like a premium product rather than a budget offering, coming in a sturdy protective case, while remaining compact, lightweight and robust. The chunky acrylic plate has a rubberised, high-friction grip inlay and an elastic thumb strap to keep it firmly attached to your hand. 

The capsule has a rotating bezel marked with orienting lines. On test, we found the needle was well-balanced and settled quickly – vital when moving quickly over uneven ground. The plate extends beyond the thumb, with a graduated scale that can be used easily with 1:50k or 1:25k maps. Helpfully, the Racer 900 is also available in both right- and left-hand models, depending on which hand you prefer to hold your map and compass in. If you’re prepping for a race and your nav will need to be on-point, this little thumb compass might just give you a vital edge.

Read our full Decathlon Geonnaute Racer 900 Thumb Compass review

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The best compasses comparison table

Meet the expert

How we test the best compasses

Our reviewers put compasses to the test in the backcountry on hikes, mountaineering outings and adventure races, using them alongside a range of different topographical map styles. Qualities like accuracy, durability, smooth movement and value for money are assessed against claims made by the manufacturers.

How to choose the best compass

As with almost all outdoor kit, the best compass for you will depend on a number of factors – not least, your intended use and your level of navigational ability. (Our expert 'How to use a compass' guide explains the basics.)

When it comes to different types of compass, most people will be best served by a baseplate compass, while orienteers and lightweight specialists might go for something lighter, such as a thumb compass. For extremely precise navigation, especially in tactical or military settings, specialist mirror compasses or lensatic compasses are often used.

Compass type

Button compasses: The cheapest and most straightforward compasses, these are small and portable. They’re generally only useful in survival scenarios, giving rough compass directions, rather than being suitable for detailed navigation. 

Baseplate compass: The most common type of compass for general outdoor use, easily used in conjunction with a paper map for route-planning, route-finding and even emergency use (since the Romer scales on a baseplate compass can be extremely helpful when giving an accurate grid reference to emergency services). 

Orienteering compasses: Worn on the wrist or thumb, these are designed to be used quickly and efficiently on the move, with or without a map. They generally feature simplified, uncluttered baseplates and dials as well as stable, balanced needles that settle quickly. These features enable the user to swiftly determine the direction of travel rather than follow an accurate numerical bearing. They’re ideal for competitive navigation and running events or adventure races, though may not be the best compass for hiking and hillwalking expeditions.  

Mirror compass: A mechanical compass fitted with a mirror, usually installed on a hinged lid. With the lid open at 45 or 90 degrees, the mirror reflects the compass dial. This enables the user to sight a direction or an object with the compass dial and housing visible at the same time. With the mirror lid fully opened to 180 degrees, you also have a longer straight line for determining the direction of travel and for map-work. A mirror also enables signalling over long distances by flashing reflected sunlight, while the lid provides extra protection when closed and stowed away. 

Lensatic or military compasses: Lensatic compasses are made up of three parts: cover, base, and reading lens. The cover protects the compass and also incorporates the sighting wire, which helps you determine direction. The base consists of the compass dial, bezel, and the thumb loop. The latter is used for stability to obtain a more accurate reading. The reading lens folds out, providing a highly accurate means of obtaining a bearing.

Compass features

This will depend entirely on the type of compass you choose. We’ve focused on the features of a baseplate compass, which is the most common and generally the most useful compass for the majority of outdoors users – though many of these features also apply to other types of compass. You won't learn techniques like how to take a bearing without having a good understanding of these features.

Bezel: The bezel of a good baseplate compass should be primarily marked in degrees rather than mils (unless you’re using it for military applications). It should have clear and easy-to-read markings, including degree hashing (usually in 2-degree increments) as well as the four cardinal compass points. The bezel should rotate easily and precisely, without sticking or jamming, though it shouldn’t spin freely either. A knurled edge is also useful as this makes it easier to grip in cold conditions or if wearing gloves.

Needle and capsule: The needle should be clearly marked, with a magnetised end (usually coloured red or orange) that points north. Ensure the needle rotates freely but settles quickly, without sticking, wobbling or jumping around. It will be set in a circular capsule filled with a clear solution – in the cheapest compasses this is a liquid, but in superior compasses it is a viscous damping oil, which helps to reduce erratic needle motion. The capsule housing should have an orienting arrow and vertical orienting lines. These are especially useful when lining a compass up with the grid lines of a map. It may also have a declination scale. Note: most compass needles are weighted for northern or southern hemisphere use, so you’ll need a model suitable for the place you do most of your hiking. The exception is a global compass, which has a specially balanced needle that can be used anywhere. Some users think that compasses with globally balanced needles tend to settle faster too, regardless of location.    

Baseplate: The baseplate on the best compasses will invariably have some sort of Romer scale and/or distance markings. It is useful if these are shown in the same scale as used on your map, whether 1:50k, 1:40k or 1:25k. Look for Romer scales that are marked in two directions (vertically and horizontally), which can then be used to obtain both eastings and northings on a map without needing to turn the compass. A magnifier is also useful for reading the details of a map, such as place names, contours, spot heights and topographical symbols. The baseplate should also feature a distinctive and obvious direction of travel arrow to aid navigation on the ground. This should align with an index line or index pointer, marked either on the baseplate or behind the bezel, which makes it much easier to read off a bearing.

Lume: ‘Lume’ refers to any parts of the compass marked with luminescent paint for use in low-light conditions. This feature is extremely useful for night navigation. Ideally, the direction of travel arrow should be illuminated, as should the upper portion of the bezel (to aid reading off a bearing) and of course the compass needle, which is typically reflective. 

Advanced compasses – especially military versions – may be powered by a tritium light source, a radioluminescent light-emitting isotope. This is even more effective than luminescence alone, but comes with an increase in cost.   

Lanyard: A lanyard is a useful addition to a baseplate compass, since it allows you to hang it around your neck or attach it to pack straps. This makes it less likely to get dropped, lost or broken. Look for a compass with a good-quality lanyard cord – or at least a compass with a large lanyard mount (a hole in the baseplate) so you can upgrade it to 550 paracord or similar if preferred. Some compasses have a scale measuring lanyard too, usually in 1:25k and/or 1:50k. This is extremely useful for measuring non-linear distances on your map (eg if following footpaths or bridleways), though remember to account for ascent too, using a rule such as Naismith’s.

Size and weight

The smallest button compasses are so-called because of their small shape and size. You can even fit one to a watchstrap. However, their navigational use is limited except in emergency situations.

Wrist and thumb compasses are also designed to be very lightweight and compact, since they are primarily used for competitive navigation – whether orienteering or adventure racing.

The most accurate mirror and lensatic compasses are generally robustly made to ensure they are rugged enough for military and tactical applications. Inevitably, the tougher components also add weight and bulk.

As such, the baseplate compass is generally the most useful navigational tool for hikers and general outdoor users. It balances navigational utility with weight, portability and overall practicality. Most will fit easily in an outstretched hand and weigh around 50g, making them a very efficient bit of kit.

What to do with your old compass

If you're upgrading a compass that's still in reasonable condition, you can donate the old one to a charity shop, thrift store, or an outdoor gear collective that will be able to give it to someone who would otherwise have a hard time affording the necessary gear for hiking.

Otherwise, look for marks on your compass that indicate whether any plastic parts are recyclable. Type 1 (PET), type 2 (HDPE), type 4 (LDPE) and type 5 (PP) are widely accepted in domestic recycling, but you'll need to remove any other parts.

• How Advnture tests products

Like anything worth knowing, learning how to use a compass correctly takes a little practice. However, once you've mastered the skills, it's immensely rewarding. There's something undoubtedly satisfying about navigating successfully through the backcountry in tough conditions or at night using only a topographical map and a  baseplate compass.

Knowing how to use a compass also enhances your survival skills, giving you the toolkit to find your way out of potentially dangerous situations. In this digital age of navigation apps and GPS devices, it's hugely useful to be able to revert to traditional methods when you're in a bind. This is particularly so as technology is fallible, especially when exposed to extreme temperatures.

That's not to say that compasses aren't fallible, which is why we always carry two in our hiking backpack. For a start, the needle can become temporarily or permanently reversed due to interference from other magnetic materials and equipment. To counter this, keep it away from electronic devices and always check your compass before setting out.

Another reason for taking along a spare is that compasses are just as easy to misplace as any other piece of kit. It's why we carry spare gloves, spare hats and spare headlamps. The best compass options can be worn around the neck, so get into the habit of securing them in this way when using them.

Right, we've established you need a couple of compasses in your pack, let's get into how to use them.

How to use a compass: what makes up a compass?

A traditional, base plate compass has one key component: a magnetised needle, which spins freely within a housing, with one end constantly drawn towards Earth’s magnetic north pole. The north-facing half of the needle is typically red, identified with an ‘N’, and features a luminous strip for navigating in low light.

A classic protractor-style Silva compass is comprised of two elements: the baseplate, which often features various elements useful for map reading and wayfinding (including arrows, measurements and a magnifying lens), and the housing, containing the aforementioned arrow.

The baseplate is usually made from clear plastic, so you can see the map and gridlines through it, and will have a ‘Direction of Travel Arrow’ at the top, typically featuring a luminous strip on the forward-facing line.

Good baseplates have scale converters on the long sides (showing, for example, that on a 1:50,000 map, 1cm represents 500 metres on the ground) and are inscribed with standard ruler measurements (mm) on the small straight edge. In addition, there’s often a small magnified window for looking at fine detail on maps, and ‘aid lines’ that make it easier to set your map and take a bearing.

Mounted on the base plate, typically close to the rounded end, is the circular housing unit, containing the all-important magnitised needle. On a good quality magnetic compass, the housing will contain a clear fluid, which dampens (slightly slows and steadies) the needle as it spins, allowing it to settle in place once it has a fix.

The housing is topped with a rotating circular bezel, inscribed with the cardinal points of the compass – N (north) S (south) E (east) and W (west) – along with graduation markers indicating degrees (0-360).

On the bottom of the housing is an ‘Orienting Arrow’, which moves when the bezel is rotated but permanently points towards the ‘N’ (north) on the housing. Running parallel to this you’ll see ‘Orienting Lines’, which also rotate with the bezel and are made to align with the vertical North–South grid lines on maps. As with the needle, the top half of both the Orienting Arrow and the Orienting Lines are coloured red, to indicate north.

Lastly, you will see an ‘Index Line’ (or ‘Dash’) marked on the top edge of the compass housing, beneath the degree markings on the housing, which aligns with the direction of travel arrow on the base plate. This doesn’t move, so it indicates the bearing set when the bezel is rotated.

As well as base plate compasses, there are various other types of compass, such as thumb compasses, solid state compasses and non-magnetic varieties, like GPS compasses.

How to use a compass: setting your map

At the outset of any walking adventure it is a good idea to establish which way is north and to ‘set’ your map, so it’s facing the same way as the physical terrain in front of you.

To do this, turn the bezel until the orienting arrow and the red N is directly above the index line (dash), pointing up towards the direction of travel arrow. Hold the compass flat in the palm of your hand and slowly turn on the spot until the needle also aligns with the orienting arrow, N and the direction of travel arrow. You are now facing due north.

If you repeat this process while holding the compass on the map with orienting lines aligning on the compass housing aligned with the map’s North–South grid lines, your map will be correctly ‘set’. If you can see a peak or some other notable feature directly in front of you, you should also be able to identify it on the map. Ideally you should do this at regular intervals during your trek, to make sure you know where you are and which direction you’re travelling in.

How to use a compass: finding your bearings

One of the most common compass-reading techniques used by hikers traversing wild terrain is to take a map-to-land bearing, then following it to reach a desired destination. If you know how to triangulate your exact location, this is an important first step. Once you've pinpointed where you are on the map you can start to take a bearing.

1.    Find your current location on the map (call it point A) and identify a feature (for example a peak or campsite) you want to reach (call it point B). Place the long edge of your compass so it points in a straight line from point A towards point B, ensuring the direction of travel arrow is pointing at your intended destination.

2.    While keeping the baseplate still, rotate the bezel so the orienting lines on the compass align with the north–south gridlines on your map, and the Orienting Arrow is pointing towards grid north (the top of the map). The number indicated by the index line (dash) is your bearing.

3.    Take the compass off the map, hold it longways, flat in the palm of your hand, with the direction of travel arrow pointing away from you. Rotate your body until the red end of the floating needle settles exactly in the red orienting arrow on the base of the housing. You’re now facing in the direction you want to walk in. If you can’t see the feature you’re trying to reach, pick out something distinguishable that lies in same direction and walk towards it – repeat until you get to where you want to go.

Knowing how to take a bearing will help you navigate in the dark or when visibility is compromised.

How to use a compass: magnetic variation/declination

If you’re following a bearing over a short distance, it’s fine to keep it simple. If you want to plot a really accurate course of travel over a lengthy distance, however, you need to take something called ‘Magnetic Variation’ (called ‘Declination’ in the U.S.) into account.

The reason for this is that Earth's Magnetic North Pole (which your compass needle points to) is not quite the same as ‘true north’ (the direction of a meridian of longitude, which all converge at the North Pole), or Grid North (the direction of a grid line which is parallel to the central meridian on the National Grid). Knowing how to adjust for magnetic declination can help you to solve this issue.

Unfortunately, the Magnetic North Pole doesn’t stay still – it fidgets about a lot as the Earth's magnetic field changes. Over the last century, it has shifted over 1,000 kilometers towards Siberia, so the newer your map is, the more accurate the stated Magnetic Variation information will be. Maps usually state the annual change in Magnetic Variation alongside the publication date, so you can figure it out even if the map is old.

How to use a compass: compass zones

Because the pull direction of the planet’s magnetic field changes according to where you are on Earth (it pulls vertically at the poles, but more horizontally towards the equator), most magnetic compasses are balanced according to the part of the world they’ve been designed for use. So, a magnetic compass intended for use in Britain will not work so well in Australia.

There are no industry standard zones, but Silva is the dominant player and many manufacturers use their zones. If you have a Silva magnetic compass – such as the stalwart of the compass world, the Silva Expedition Type 4 – have a look at the bottom of the baseplate, beneath the housing and in line with the Orienting Arrow, and you should see two letters. Compasses designed for use in the UK, North America, Europe and most of Asia will have the letters ‘MN’, meaning ‘Magnetic North’. Compasses for use in Australia and New Zealand will have MS (‘Magnetic South)’, but there is also an ME (‘Magnetic Equator’) zone that takes in much of Africa and most of South America.

Some brands, for example Suunto, produce a universal magnetic compass that should work well anywhere on the planet.  

Satellite communicators allow you to stay in touch anywhere on Earth. It doesn’t matter if there’s no cell phone signal or Wi-Fi, as long as you can see the sky, these devices will let you send texts and make calls using a network of satellites. So you can be completely off-grid but still stay in touch, with GPS functionality also pinpointing your location. 

In an emergency, a satellite communicator could save your life by sending an SOS to search and rescue services. The rest of the time, they are invaluable for sending texts or making voice calls, usually using the Iridium or Globalstar satellite networks. As with your cell phone, you need to buy a data plan to access this privately owned service. Battery life is a vital consideration when you’re likely to be a long way from a wall socket, and it should be measured in days rather than hours for this kind of device. Here are the satellite communicators we recommend.

Bottom line

If you’re planning to adventure off-grid in the wilderness, you need to think about packing a satellite communicator. They could be your only way of getting help in an emergency and are a great device for staying in touch wherever you are on the planet, with no concerns over network coverage or Wi-Fi signals. We recommend the Garmin inReach Mini GPS satellite communicator for most people. This unit does everything you need it to in one compact, rugged unit and has useful weather and mapping functions. It would be reassuring to have one in your pack when you’re in some of the most remote areas on the planet. 

For a phone that you can use anywhere on Earth, the Satellite Phone unlocked IsatPhone 2.1 satellite phone is a good choice. It means you can communicate with loved ones or the emergency services whenever you adventure and we like the way it switches to Wi-Fi or cell networks for seamless coverage. 

Suunto M-3: first impressions

The Suunto M-3 has Nordic cool on its side. When it comes to the best compasses on the market, there are two big brands duking it out at the top, and both hail from Scandinavia. The first – and the market leader – is Silva, a Swedish brand (though their compasses are now made in China). The second is the Finnish brand Suunto, whose compasses are still made in Finland. 

The M-3 is Suunto’s answer to Silva’s Type 4. It’s a sturdy and practical base plate compass (see types of compass if you’re unclear what that means) that, if we’re honest, feels better-built than the Type 4, with chunkier plastics, clearer markings and generally a slightly more premium feel. It certainly has a superior bezel, with easy-grip knurling, 360-degree luminescence and numerical degree markings every 20 degrees, plus 2-degree hashing. It’s also marked with both cardinal and inter-cardinal points. 

The M-3 has the edge over most rivals when it comes to base plate markings too. Admittedly, it lacks the user-friendly, two-way ‘eastings and northings’ Romer scales of the Type 4 and the Alpkit Williams compasses, and also lacks a 1:40k scale. For that reason, it wouldn’t be our recommended compass for use with 1:40,000 Harvey maps or similar (see how to read a map and how to use a compass). 

On the other hand, the M-3 does have both 1:20k and 1:24k scales, which while being of limited use in the UK, are extremely useful in other countries, where these scales are commonly used for national mapping.     

In the field

The Suunto M-3 is slightly shorter and squatter than most full-size base plate compasses, with a rounded and slightly raised ‘butt end’ that sits snugly in the palm. It’s a very practical design that employs chunky, robust plastics. 

The oil-damped needle spins freely but settles quickly, with a red-painted and lumed north indicator. It is weighted for the northern hemisphere. The capsule can also be adjusted for declination where this applies, meaning that once set you can forget about it for the duration of your trip (unless you move to a new location with a different declination, of course). 

It has clear red orienting lines too. In low-light conditions, the M-3 is definitely the best compass of all those tested here. It has a luminescent bezel that is very easy to read, plus a lumed needle, bearing indicator and direction of travel indicator. 

Friction feet on the underside of the base plate means it stays firmly planted on your map, without sliding around. And the supplied lanyard is a good-quality cord with a plastic clip, an adjustable neck slider and a metal key that is used to adjust the declination (so keep it safe).

Silva Ranger: first impressions

Another popular compass from the famous Swedish brand, the Silva Ranger is a compact base plate compass (see types of compass if you’re unsure what that means) that minimises weight and bulk while giving you all the essentials you need in a navigational tool. This includes 1:25k and 1:50k measuring scales plus ruled mm, a magnifier for use with a paper map, a lumed direction of travel indicator and an easy-to-read bezel with a rubberised, high-grip knurled housing. 

There’s a clear bearing indicator and orienting arrow, as well as two-colour orienting lines within the capsule, along with a declination scale. The oil-damped needle is clearly marked and weighted for northern hemisphere use, settling quickly. You also get a useful scale lanyard, which can be placed alongside non-linear paths and tracks on the map to measure distances more accurately – see how to read a map and how to use a compass for more information about these important navigational skills.

In the field

One of the lightest and smallest base plate compasses available, the Ranger slips easily into a trouser pocket or the lid of a backpack. It’s made from the same plastic as other base plate compasses in the Silva range, but has a slightly curved butt end so it nestles easily in the palm of your hand. The bezel is undoubtedly superior to the Silva Type 4 in most conditions, thanks to that rubberised bezel that is easy to grip even with gloves on. 

The high-contrast green dial is also easier to read. The only time it doesn’t compare as favourably to the Type 4 is when dusk falls, as the limited lume on the base plate and dial doesn’t lend itself particularly well to navigating at night. 

Otherwise, however, the Silva Ranger is very user-friendly. The crisp, clear dial is marked in degrees, showing the four cardinal compass points plus numeric 20-degree increments, with hashing every 2 degrees. This makes it easy to read off an accurate bearing. Orienting lines are marked in two colours, and are clear and true. 

There’s also a declination scale marked inside the capsule, which you’ll need to remember to use to allow for magnetic declination where this applies. The scale lanyard is also a great little extra.

Highlander Deluxe Map Compass: first impressions

This low-cost baseplate Highlander Deluxe Map Compass is likely to attract value-conscious hillwalkers as well as those on a tight budget. Do you get what you pay for? In short, yes – but that’s not to say it’s a bad product, which is why it features in Advnture's best compass buying guide.

With baseplate markings in mm and inches as well as scale measurements in 1:50k and 1:25k, it works well enough with Ordnance Survey maps (see how to read a map). The magnifying aperture also makes it easier to read place names, contours and spot heights or discern landscape features. The black-bordered bezel isn’t perhaps quite as easy to read as more expensive compasses, and the small degree markings also need closer study. 

There are basic orienting lines inside the capsule in lieu of an arrow, but unusually inter-cardinal compass points are marked in addition to the four cardinal points. There’s plenty of lume on the dial, including a big splodge on the chunky needle. This possibly isn’t quite as elegant or precise as slimmer needles, but hey, it points north, and that’s the most important thing. If you don’t know why, then you really need to know how to use a compass, or read our guide to adjusting for magnetic declination.

In the field

The rectangular baseplate has rounded corners that make it a little more comfortable to hold, but it isn’t as ergonomic as higher-priced models (see types of compass). On our test sample, the bezel was also a little bit stiff to turn, though it started to loosen up over time. 

The needle itself settles relatively quickly, and didn’t seem to jump around too much, suggesting that this compass is oil-damped rather than liquid-filled, though we were unable to verify this. It does have the occasional tendency to stick – probably because of that chunky arrow-shaped needle, but if something seems awry, a light tap on the housing invariably set it spinning freely again. 

It’s also a little more important with this compass to ensure it is perfectly level in order to ensure a consistently accurate reading. But it did the job in the hills perfectly well, and at this price we can have no real complaints.

Alpkit Williams Expedition Compass: first impressions

One of Advnture's best compasses, the Alpkit Williams Expedition Compass comes from a British brand that has built a reputation for turning out high-quality, competitively-priced kit, and it doesn’t buck the trend. It’s a classic baseplate compass of the type most commonly used in conjunction with a paper map on the hills, almost identical, in fact, to the Silva Expedition Type 4. 

It works really well with the most common UK maps – namely, the Ordnance Survey Explorer and Landranger series, as well as BMC and Harvey ranges of maps – since the Romers are helpfully given in 1:50k, 1:40k and 1:25k scales. These also run in both directions (eastings and northings) too. This makes it easy to give 6-figure grid references, which could be vital in an emergency situation. Learn more in how to read a map.

There are also distance markers down the sides of the baseplate in 1:50k and 1:25k scales respectively, to aid route-planning with a map. This is arguably an improvement on the mm and inches rulers of the Type 4. A circular magnifying aperture also makes it easier to read place names, contours and spot heights or discern landscape features. Discover more about the different features compasses offer in types of compass.

In the field

This compass is exactly the same size and shape as the classic Silva Type 4. As such, it sits easily in the hand. The needle is easy to read and settles reasonably quickly, since (again, like the Type 4) the housing is filled with viscous damping oil rather than liquid. 

The needle itself is reflective but not lumed (though the central jewel is, presumably to help you line up the compass with the direction of travel). The upper section of the bezel is also lumed, to aid navigation in low-light conditions. The crisp, clear dial is marked in degrees, showing the four cardinal compass points plus numeric 20-degree increments, with hashing every 2 degrees. This makes it easy to read off an accurate bearing – discover more about taking a bearing in our expert guide. There are also secondary ‘mils’ markings inside the bezel (for military-style navigation), though no declination scale. Orienting lines are only marked in red, and though they are perfectly useable we slightly prefer to two-colour lines of the Type 4. 

In terms of niggles, our main observation is that all the components are made of plastic, so although the bezel turns easily and smoothly, it isn’t quite as easy to grip as those with rubberised housings, especially if wearing gloves. The baseplate also scratches fairly easily and lacks friction feet to help prevent it from sliding around when placed on a map. Lastly, the cheap cord lanyard also lets the compass down a bit, though it would be easy enough to replace with some higher-quality and more durable paracord or similar.

First impressions

At £35, the Decathlon Geonaute Racer 900 (one of Advnture's best compasses) is at the top end of the compasses tested here. However, compared to other specialist thumb compasses, that price point is extremely competitive – for example, rivals like the Suunto AIM-6 or Silva RaceJet are closer to £60. (Learn more the advantage of a thumb mount in our types of compass guide.)

Uniquely among the compasses we tested, the Racer 900 also comes supplied with a sturdy protective case, ideal for storage and transport. So, it feels like you get plenty for your money. 

The compass itself is compact, lightweight and easy to hold, with a familiar and proven design. It’s made of sturdy acrylic with a rubberised, high-friction grip inlay and an adjustable elastic thumb strap to keep it firmly attached to your hand. The capsule has a rotating bezel marked with orienting lines, while the needle is well-balanced and settles quickly – vital when moving quickly over uneven ground. 

The plate extends beyond the thumb, with a graduated scale that can be used easily with 1:50k or 1:25k maps (in the first case, each marker would equate to 250m on the ground, in the second, to 125m). This could be useful when racing if you wanted to ascertain the remaining distance to your next attack point or checkpoint, or the end of the leg. The Racer 900 is also available in both right- and left-hand models, depending on which hand you prefer to hold your map and compass in. Discover more about using your compass in conjunction with a map in how to read a map and how to use a compass.

In the field

This compass works well when used with an orienteering map, even when moving quickly over difficult terrain. The rubberised high-grip insert under the thumb keeps both map and compass securely locked together, so if you’re thumbing your map with the corner of the extended plate you won’t lose your location. 

We found the rubber gripper to be far superior to cut-out designs we’d used in the past, since it doesn’t put your often-rather-sweaty thumb in direct contact with the map. Perhaps most importantly for an orienteering compass though, the needle settles quickly and reliably. It also features diagonal orange markings that align with corresponding orange marks on the orienting lines, which makes finding north and setting your map even easier. 

Some might find the distance markings on the plate superfluous, but arguably the fact that they can be used to calculate distances on both 1:50k and 1:25k maps adds considerable versatility. 

Of course, you don’t get the other features of a conventional baseplate compass, but then this is a different tool altogether – and a very effective one too. In fact, the only feature that bugged us slightly was the comparatively thick black housing around the bezel, which can sometimes obstruct details when overlaid on an orienteering map.

When you’re reliant on your trusty red north-facing needle, compass bubbles can be a little bit irritating. This is especially as the situations in which they most commonly arise are at high-altitude or when it’s very cold – so not the best time for a navigational emergency! However, a small bubble or two in your compass housing shouldn’t affect the needle’s ability to point you in the right direction and, better still, there are ways to fix the issue.

Most of us carry a traditional baseplate compass. This is often the best compass for most rambles or treks, from short adventures to multi-day backpacking adventures. It’s made of transparent plastic and comprises a magnetic, north-facing needle that is free to rotate in a circular chamber. This chamber is called the compass housing and it is filled with liquid.

The liquid allows the red north-facing needle to rotate freely but also limits oscillations, which keeps it steady as it points towards magnetic north. This makes your readings more accurate. Bubbles are a common occurrence in this kind of compass and can get in the way of the magnetic needle, making navigation more difficult.

Why do compass bubbles form?

You’ve ascended above the snowline; the temperature has dropped significantly since the valley and you pull on a thick down jacket to keep yourself warm. The views are immense. There’s a real sense of magic about being up at this kind of altitude, in freezing conditions and yet being so cosy in all your winter gear. Your body is working hard to regulate its temperature, but you’ve given it a great helping hand with your layering system.

You reach into your daypack to find your water pouches have frozen solid. No matter, you’ve still got a flask of coffee to enjoy, and your water will melt once you’re back at a milder altitude. You unzip the top pocket of your pack and reach for your compass. A large bubble is floating around in your compass housing. How irritating.

The bubble has formed because of changes in temperature or in atmospheric pressure at altitude. 

In this example, it could be a mixture of the two. When a liquid cools, the molecules within move slower and slower, which causes it to contract. The plastic casing of the compass housing contracts far less, which leads to a gap – hence the formation of a bubble. This phenomena should be familiar to most people: it's how a traditional liquid thermometer works. As the liquid gets hotter, it expands and moves up the tube and as it cools in contracts and moves back down.

Altitude also plays its part. As elevation increases, atmospheric pressure decreases, which leads to the formation and expansion of bubbles. You don’t necessarily have to be on a high-altitude trek for bubbles to form – a change in temperature or a change in atmospheric pressure on a normal hike can bring this change about too.

Do compass bubbles stop a compass from working properly?

Despite being a bit of an irritation, compass bubbles don’t hinder a baseplate compass too much, unless the bubbles grow to a significant size. Due to this, it’s important not to just ignore a small compass bubble, as it will grow in extent if left to its own devices. Fortunately, you can certainly do something about them beyond having to buy a whole new compass.

What can you do about compass bubbles?

The formation of compass bubbles is not due to an irreversible chemical reaction. Instead, as with freezing and melting, it is a physical change and is therefore reversible. As the most likely reason bubbles formed in your compass was cold temperatures, it makes sense that you’ll need to place it somewhere warm to get rid of them. This will allow the liquid to expand once more and take the place of the bubble.

If you’ve taken your best hiking shoes for a pleasant day walk, pop your compass somewhere warm when you return to your home. Somewhere like a sunny window ledge is ideal. Whatever you do, don’t place it on heating appliances, as even a fully operational compass isn’t worth the smell of melting plastic or the potential for a house fire.

If you’re on a thru-hiking expedition and unlikely to be returning to anywhere remotely balmy for a while, pop your compass in a pocket close to your body. Your internal heat will hopefully warm the liquid back up and allow it to displace the bubble once more.

First impressions

Silva’s Expedition Type 4 is one of the best compasses you can buy arguably the definitive baseplate compass (our guide to different types of compass explains the benefits), used for everything from Mountain Leader training courses to international expeditions. The design has stayed largely unchanged over the years, and the reason for that is that it simply works, brilliantly. 

It’s particularly effective when used in conjunction with the most common UK maps – namely, the Ordnance Survey Explorer and Landranger series, as well as BMC and Harvey maps (check out our handy "how to read a map" guide) – since the grid ref markings on the baseplate are helpfully given in 1:50k, 1:40k and 1:25k Romer scales. All the scales also run in both directions (Eastings and Northings) too. This makes it easy to give 6-figure grid references. There are also distance markers down the sides of the baseplate in mm and inches, respectively. It takes some simple maths to convert these to distance on the ground in kilometres. 

A circular magnifying aperture makes it easier to read place names, contours and spot heights or discern landscape features. Usefully, the back of the baseplate has three rubberised ‘friction feet’, which prevent it from sliding around when placed on a map.

In the field

On the hill, this compass is lightweight and sits easily in the hand, thanks to a rounded ‘butt end’. The needle is easy to read (there’s even an idiot-proof ‘N’ to indicate North on the red half) and settles reasonably quickly, since the housing is filled with viscous damping oil rather than the usual liquid, reducing wobbling and skittishness. 

The needle itself is reflective and has a lume bar. It is weighted for use in the northern hemisphere. There are also lume dots either side of the orienting arrow, as well as on the direction of travel and the upper section of the bezel, to aid navigation in low-light conditions. The crisp, clear dial is marked in degrees, showing the four cardinal compass points plus numeric 20-degree increments, with hashing every 2 degrees. This makes it easy to read off an accurate bearing. Orienting lines are marked in two colours, and are clear and true. There’s also a declination scale marked inside the capsule, which you’ll need to remember to use to allow for magnetic declination where this applies. 

The bezel turns easily and smoothly, though unlike some other Silva models it lacks an easy-grip rubberised housing. Lastly, the cheap cord lanyard lets the compass down a bit – we wish it came with a distance measuring lanyard like the Silva Ranger. 

Old-school outdoors-goers are always keen to point out the limitations of newfangled tech designed for backcountry use. In the case of a GPS device for hiking, the most common contentions are that the devices are too heavy, subject to electrical or mechanical failure, water damage, or battery death. While all of the above detractions can’t be denied, there’s also no doubting that GPS device for hiking can do an awful lot that a standard map and compass simply can’t, including backtracking, providing barometric altimeter readings, heart rate monitoring, and relaying a wealth of information that lets you do your navigation on the hoof, without having to waste time fiddling around with cumbersome topo sheets, taking bearings, triangulating, and remembering to adjust for magnetic declination.  

So, while we’d always recommend you learn how to read a map and carry the best compass (and learn how to use a compass) as either a backup or primary navigation system, a GPS is a worthwhile investment for anyone who’s a fan of tech (if that’s you, see our best hiking technology), data, or simply likes to do their navigation with a minimum of fuss. 

Having established that a GPS device for hiking is something worth having, all that remains to do is choose the best model from the veritable smorgasbord of options available. In this article, we aim to help you with this by providing the lowdown on all the features and attributes that go into the making of a great GPS device for hiking.   

How to choose a GPS device for hiking: features and factors to consider 

Extensive lists detailing all of the specifications and features on a GPS device for hiking can be intimidating. To simplify your search, we’re narrowed our criteria down to the most important factors: weight, ease of use, battery life, screen size, and functionality.  

Weight

One of the main drawbacks to carrying a GPS device for hiking in addition to your map and compass is the added heft. While a map and compass will weigh you down by no more than an ounce or two, a hand-held GPS can weigh anything from 5 ounces (141g) up to 8 ounces (225g) without batteries, which is around the same weight as a large cell phone. 

When buying, the most important thing to keep in mind is that added weight usually means added functionality and/or a more eye- and finger-friendly interface. As such, it’s a good idea to draw up a list of must-have features and decide which of these you’re willing to forgo or compromise on in order to keep weight to a minimum.

Ease of use

Buttons or touchscreen? While this is largely a matter of personal preference, we’d recommend a touchscreen unit if you want to be able to able to access data and navigate quickly and a button-operated unit if you plan on using the device on winter hikes, when using a pair of the best hiking gloves will make operating a touchscreen device tricky, if not impossible without removing the gloves. 

Battery life

The battery life of handheld GPS devices ranges from circa 20 hours to circa 40 hours. For day hikers or weekend adventures, those at the lower end of the scale will suffice; if you plan on heading further afield, consider buying a model with a longer battery life or factor in the weight of spare batteries when weighing up the options and creating a shortlist. 

Screen size and display quality

The screen size and display quality you’ll need in a GPS device very much depends on your eyesight! Some basic models, like the Garmin eTrex 10, offer only monochrome visuals, 128 x 160 pixels, and a screen measuring 2.2 inches diagonally, which is about a quarter of the size of your average modern smartphone. The Garmin Montana 700, on the other hand, offers a full-color display with 480 x 800 pixels and a screen measuring 5 inches, all of which makes at-a-glance reading far easier and saves you having to squint at the screen. As you might have guessed, the difference in RRP between these two models is sizable, so finding the ideal GPS device for your needs may ultimately come down to how much you’re willing to pay for superior visuals.   

Features

Some of the non-standard features to look for when buying a GPS device for hiking include the following: 

Barometer/altimeter: All GPS units give altitude readings based on data provided by satellites. However, those with a barometer/altimeter feature offer more accurate readings by combining satellite data with barometric data. A barometric altimeter also gives you a heads up on changes in the weather: if it displays a higher altitude than the actual one, then the air pressure has dropped, which means weather conditions are deteriorating; if it shows a lower altitude than the actual one, then air pressure has increased and the weather’s improving; if it stays the same, then weather conditions are stable.  

Digital camera: While rarely a dealmaker or dealbreaker, this handy feature could allow you to save weight by leaving your regular camera at home and also comes in handy for geotagging. 

Electronic compass: When you’re on the move, any GPS unit will be able to tell you the direction in which you’re traveling. When you stop, however, only those with an electronic compass will be able to tell you which way you are facing. While this might not seem like a big deal, it allows you to plan the next stage of your journey, take bearings, or cross-check your GPS’s data with a spot of triangulation (see: how to triangulate).

Geocaching features: Many GPS devices have geocaching capabilities that let you tag the caches you’ve located and take photos to prove you’ve found them.

Memory: This is usually measured by the number of waypoints the device can store. In short, the more data it can store, the less time you’ll have to spend deleting routes to make room for new ones.

Preloaded maps: All handheld GPS devices for hiking come with some form of basemap, though the detail that basemap provides can vary significantly from model to model. Some devices also include detailed topographical maps with the purchase, so be sure to factor in the additional cost to buy these separately if not included (warning: they ain’t cheap!).

Third-party maps and software: GPS maps made by GPS device manufacturers can set you back over $100 per region. This being so, many GPS users opt to go down the third-party map route. This involves trawling the net for free or low-cost digital software in the form of GPX files (What is a GPX file?). The downsides to using third-party maps and software are that they require a working knowledge of tech to upload and doing so could void your device’s manufacturer warranty.

Two-way messaging: If you plan on venturing off the grid, this feature will let you roam deep into the wilds without losing contact with your loved ones. Satellite communicators like the Garmin inReach Explorer+ also have an SOS function that lets you call for help if things go south while out getting your wander on. While this can add a hefty whack to the RRP, for many hikers – and their families – it’s worth having for the added peace of mind.

Wireless data transfer: This lets you share data (tracks, waypoints, photos, and routes) with other wireless-enabled GPS devices – ideal if you belong to a crew of tech-loving hikers.

How to choose a GPS device for hiking: FAQs

Do I need a GPS for hiking?

It depends. We always recommend carrying a map and compass as your primary navigational tools, but carrying a GPS device will allow you to stash these in your backpack as a backup and navigate while you’re on the move. In short, carrying two navigational tools is always the safest option. If one of these is a map and compass, a GPS device is a better pick for a second than a cell phone app, mainly because, unlike cell phones, GPS devices don’t lose signal in remote terrain, are more robust, and use batteries that can be changed in the field, which will save you having to carry a large (and heavy) powerbank. 

How does GPS work?

GPS devices for hiking use information relayed by multiple satellites to determine your location. Simply put, the GPS device transmits a signal to the satellites, and then the satellites compute latitude, longitude, and altitude by triangulating your position on the Earth’s surface. 

Is it worth getting a GPS?

This depends on where you plan on doing your hiking and how long you plan on spending on the trail. As mentioned above, the main benefit of a GPS device for hiking over a map and compass is that a GPS lets you navigate on the go, without having to stop and set your map, take bearings, or triangulate your position (more on these in how to triangulate and how to take a bearing), which brings a sizable upgrade in terms of convenience. In a head-to-head with cellphone navigation apps (see our list of the best navigation apps), GPS units are standout winners owing to their superior ruggedness, longer battery life, and ability to receive a signal in remote terrain. That said, if you do all of your hiking in areas with good signal and rarely venture on any all-day epics, then an app on your phone should suffice – as long as you don’t drop the phone or get it wet!  

Navigating with a map and compass is a not only an essential skill, it's also very satisfying. In the modern age of GPS units, sports watches and navigation apps, many hikers are tempted to leave the compass at home. We think this is a mistake, as the best compasses and the ability to use them give you a safety net should anything go wrong with your devices. However, with quite a few different kinds of compass out there, which is best for outdoor adventures?

A good compass tells you what direction you are travelling in, usually with a needle that points north and, when combined with a proper topographical map, can help you take a bearing and head in the right direction in poor visibility.

There are broadly two families of compass, magnetic compasses and non-magnetic compasses, and both deserve a place in your hiking backpack. This is easily achieved, as you probably already carry at least one with you everywhere you go...

We asked our navigation expert to detail the different types of compass and their uses.

Types of compass

There are a range of magnetic and non-magnetic compass types. 

Magnetic compasses comprise a magnetic element which aligns itself with the Earth's magnetic field. Arguably the best type of compass for outdoor adventure is a base plate compass, a type of magnetic compass. It features a magnetic, north-facing needle that's free to rotate in a circular chamber filled with liquid and a bezel, which displays all four points of the compass and a 360 degree scale. 

Here are two other common varieties of magnetic compass:

• Thumb compass – ideal for trail runners thanks to low weight and size
• Solid state compass – uses magnetic field sensors to feed into a microprocessor

The most common form of non-magnetic compass is a GPS compass, which use GPS data to point in the right direction.

Other non-magnetic compasses include gyro compasses and astrocompasses.

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Magnetic compasses

Magnetic compasses comprise a magnetic element (such as a needle or card) which aligns itself with the Earth’s magnetic field in order to point north. However, there are different varieties of north: true north, grid north and magnetic north. True north is the imaginary line that runs from your position directly over the North Pole. Grid north arises from the vertical lines that make up the squares on a topographical map. Magnetic north is what magnetic compasses use and its exact location gradually changes with the Earth’s magnetic field and, for precise navigation, it is useful to know how to adjust for magnetic declination.

Base plate compass

Knowing how to use a compass, particularly a base plate compass, is an essential hiking skill. This is your classic hiker’s compass and is ideal for any kind of ramble or trek, from short adventures to multi-day backpacking adventures. It can be worn around the neck or slipped into your best waterproof jacket pocket or best daypack when you're done. It’s made of transparent plastic and comprises a magnetic, north-facing needle that is free to rotate in a circular chamber filled with liquid.

In a circle around the chamber is the bezel, which displays all four points of the compass and a 360 degree scale. The bezel can be used to take a bearing between two points or landmarks on a map. This is handy when there’s poor visibility and you know where you are and where you want to be but not in which direction to go.

Other features on a base plate compass are the distance scales along the edges, which can be used to calculate distance on a map and many include a magnifier for close study of features on the map.

Thumb compass

A thumb compass is a smaller and simpler tool than a base plate compass and is ideal for trail runners or for hikers on familiar trails. As its name suggests, it attaches to the users’ thumb and takes up very little room in a hydration pack (see our buying guide for the best hydration pack). While not as sophisticated as a base plate compass, it is useful for quickly orientating yourself to a map.

Solid state compass

The solid state compass is increasingly popular with sea-going vessels and is present in digital clocks, mobile phones and tablets. They use magnetic field sensors to feed into a microprocessor that displays data about the device's orientation.

Other magnetic compasses

Card compasses are used on boats and employ a fixed needle and a compass card mounted in fluid, which rotates according to orientation. A prismatic compass is a sophisticated device that comprises a glass prism or lens that allows the user to read required bearings while seeing distant objects.

Non-magnetic compasses

There are places where a magnetic compass simply won’t hack it. The magnetic quality of certain rock types can play havoc with a traditional compass needle, while non-magnetic compasses usually find true north, rather than magnetic north, so are in theory that bit more accurate.

GPS compass

In this day and age, most hikers carry a GPS compass in their smartphone or on a separate GPS device (see our list of the best navigation apps). Reliability and the fact they remove human error are obvious advantages. Many apps also display things like exact coordinates and elevation too. The main disadvantage is that there’s always the possibility of running out of battery. It’s worth noting that when your phone’s location services are turned off, its compass doesn’t use GPS but instead becomes a solid-state compass and orientates to magnetic north rather than true north.

Other non-magnetic compasses

Large ships use gyro compasses: rapidly spinning discs that use the law of conservation of angular momentum and the rotation of the Earth on its axis to determine true north. Finally, an astrocompass uses the direction of celestial bodies, triangulated with times and position data, to determine true north. Astrocompasses come into their own around the poles, when magnetic compasses go haywire and gyro compasses stop working. You too can navigate by the stars, if you know how to read the night sky.

Never get lost again. With a handheld GPS (Global Positioning System) device you will always know where you are. Modern GPS units have an accuracy of 10-20 ft and will show your position on a preloaded map and help you navigate along your route. 

Unlike the SatNavs most of us have in our cars, handheld GPS isn’t designed to give you step-by-step instructions along roads, but they are invaluable for navigating outdoors while hiking and walking. Although you should always have a map and a compass when hiking as a backup, good battery life is important. Pack some spares too. Large screens are easier to read and it’s good to be able to store routes in your device. Some GPS will connect to your phone to add functionality. Here are the handheld GPS units we recommend.

Bottom line

A good handheld GPS unit is essential for all hikers and walkers. You can’t rely on your phone when you’re in the wilderness and these dedicated units are tougher and have a longer battery life. We recommend the Garmin eTrex 10 Worldwide Handheld GPS Navigator. It’s a classic GPS from the brand that dominates the whole sector and good value for money. It does everything you want a handheld GPS unit to do and won’t let you down or let you get lost on the trail. 

For a failsafe way to communicate without any phone signal or wi-fi, the goTenna Mesh cleverly gives you your own network where you can share your GPS location and other information between the units. It adds another vital function to a GPS unit that a phone can’t match. 

The best compasses give you something very important for any outdoor adventure: peace of mind. While navigation has been revolutionised by GPS, which is now built into your smartphone, a compass and map are a failsafe way of finding out where you are and showing you to where you want to go. They don’t need recharging or lose signal, won’t break easily and are always on hand to show you the way. Lightweight, compact and reliable, we wouldn’t go on a hike without one.

Being able to use and read a compass is also enjoyable and allows you to understand the landscape of where you’re hiking and find points of interest you would have otherwise missed. There are three most common types of compass with a magnetised needle to point you in the right direction. Small basic models will fulfil the compass’ most important function – showing you where north is and let you check you're heading in the right direction. Sighting compasses are designed to let you take a bearing from a distant object. Often used by the military they can be very accurate but you need to know how to use them. The orienteering or baseplate compass is the most flexible type. The clear baseplate means you can lay it on a map and the measurements help you accurately judge distances and set a heading. So for any outdoor activity where you need to navigate from hiking and walking to cycling and sailing, with a compass you really can’t go far wrong. 

Bottom line

A compass is an essential tool for anyone who wants to navigate outdoors. While modern GPS technology can also show you where you are, it’s not as reliable or enjoyable to use as a compass. And not having to worry about battery life or dropping it in a river can make your hikes much more relaxing. For everyone who needs a compass, we would recommend the Orienteering Compass. It’s clear, accurate and dependable to use with a map. It does everything you need a compass to do and won’t let you down.

If you’ve mastered the baseplate compass and enjoy navigation, the COSTIN Multifunctional Compass is a good addition to your kit. It’s well-made from durable metal and once mastered, will give you another navigation aid you can rely on.

Asking 'why learn navigation?' is reasonable, especially in 2026, when we can use all manner of digital tools to accurately pinpoint our location. In an age of Google Maps, easily accessible GPS technology, near ubiquitous phone signal and multiple navigation apps, plus easy and affordable travel routes, finding your way into remote places is easier and requires less time, resources, and experience than ever. 

Ironically, this could actually be making exploration more risky, allowing adventurers to access potentially dangerous places that would have previously been much more challenging to reach. When the technology suddenly fails – and it does, especially in winter – people are suddenly left without the skills to effectively navigate their way out of trouble.

Besides the safety benefits of being able to effectively navigate with a topographical map and compass, it's also a wonderfully rewarding and fun skill to learn and practise, adding a whole other dimension to your outdoor exploits. So, next time you shoulder your hiking backpack, do so with the intention of adding to your nav skillset. Let's get into the reasons why you should...

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Everyday adventurers

• Some outdoor environments should not be approached with complete reliance of power-dependent technology
• Batteries can run out, signal can be lost, electronic devices can fail

Previously the title ‘explorer’ was reserved for someone who had acquired an arsenal of skills through their experiences. Now anyone armed with a smartphone and a GPS watch can decide they’re an adventurer, regardless of their capability in the outdoors. 

On one level that could be seen as a positive. The outdoors should absolutely be open and accessible to everyone, and any level of escapade in the wilderness is a bona fide adventure. But some skills are definitely worth having. And some places shouldn’t be approached flippantly, with complete reliance on power-dependent tech.

Of course, even the explorers of old had to start somewhere, and earn their experience somehow (and even then, many were defined more by their disastrous failures than their glorious successes). But we can be sure of one thing – when Roald Amundsen found his way to the South Pole, he wasn’t relying on battery powered devices and navigation apps to work out which way to go. Amundsen (along with his chief navigator, Helmer Hanssen) used a compass. And a sextant. And the sun, reflected in a tray of mercury.

Now, we’re not suggesting you pack a sextant or a bottle of mercury the next time you go for a walk on the wildside, but we do highly recommend you learn how to navigate with a map and compass, as well as availing of the wonderful technology now available to us. Because, as great as such gadgets are, they can fail. Batteries run out. Signal can be lost. And when that happens, a compass can get you home. If you know how to use it.

Natural navigation

• Learning navigational skills is interesting and fun
• There are loads of natural navigational prompts out there

Besides being able to read a map and use a compass, having some rudimentary navigation knowledge based on nature is also a valuable asset, and something that might one day help you out of a tricky situation (or at the very least impress your fellow explorers). Simply being able to point out which way is east and which is west (and, by extrapolation, north and south) by observing where the sun is rising and setting is a start. 

Or you could learn how to identify Polaris (the North Star), by lining up the two pointer stars in the easily identifiable Plough (Big Dipper) constellation. Polaris is the one celestial point in the northern hemisphere’s dark sky that appears to stay put all night, because it’s right above the North Pole, so you can be confident that if you walk towards it, you’re heading north. 

You could go a step further and learn how to use your watch as a compass, but then again you probably swapped your analogue timepiece for a smartwatch with an actual digital compass on it ages ago. We won’t labour the point, but suffice to say, little pieces of natural navigation know-how are interesting as well as potentially lifesaving. 

But it’s not just about safety. These skills – whether they’re with a map and compass, or based on nature’s signposts – also boost your confidence and enhance your enjoyment of the outdoors all at the same time.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step

• Learning everything to do with navigation can seem daunting
• Take it a step at a time – just learning the basics is incredibly useful

The prospect of learning how to navigate can seem daunting, and you may find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer variety of techniques and the perceived difficulty of using them to work out your direction of travel, so try to keep it fun – you are supposed to be engaged in a leisure pursuit, not a life-or-death brawl with the elements.

And let’s face it, most days you’re probably not attempting to reach one of the poles, traversing a cruel desert or hacking you way through a remote jungle, so don’t feel you need to absolutely master the art of steering via the sun, moon and stars before you dare go out the house. 

Simply having some basic navigation skills – like the ability to read a topographical map, knowing how to orientate a map, or understand the basic working of a compass – is a good way of reducing risk and increasing your confidence and knowledge. But learn as you go, in areas that pose no real danger, such as parks with clear signage that you can fall back on if you do get lost, before putting those new skills to the test in the wilderness. As you become more confident, you can start to practise more advanced skills like taking a bearing.

Keeping it real

• Reliance on technology threatens to denude us of skills that have been in use for centuries
• The ability to garner information from a map and navigate effectively gives a well-placed sense of security while in the wild places

Our reliance on technology is understandably growing, with our devices becoming smarter, smaller, and more interactive by the day. Learning how to best use these superb tools is all part of our evolution as explorers, but complete dependence on technology threatens to denude us of skills that have been in use for centuries (probably millennia, in the case of natural navigation).  

The search for excitement and adventure should be an enjoyable one. Possessing the ability to read the lay of the land, and having the confidence to transverse it safe in the knowledge that – should your electronic devices fail, and contact with the outside world be lost – you would still be able to navigate your way back to safety with nothing more than a map and compass, is a good way to ensure the fun factor isn’t lost.

Garner information from a map, and then attributing that info to your physical location (or vice versa) is a great way to dispense with many of the anxieties linked to going into the outdoors, because being able to find our way around is fundamental to feeling a sense of freedom, as well as security. Not having that ability can leave us feeling vulnerable and exposed, at a time when we should be enjoying the environment and taking in all the beauty around us.

As someone who is a lover of modern technical gear, as well as tried-and-tested tools for navigation, it’s a difficult decision being asked to choose between a map and compass and a GPS unit.

To help make the choice, I’m going to consider a few of the pros and cons for each, starting with the long-established map and compass.

Old school

One of the best bits of kit you can pack for an adventure is an up-to-date map, but of course you need the basic knowledge of how to read it. Using a detailed map alongside a compass is a great way to explore a new environment or to revisit an old one. The tactile act of orienting a map and compass to the terrain encourages you to look around, pay attention to your journey and make observation in regards to distance and time – all of which automatically means you take in details that you might otherwise miss, if you were using a GPS system.

Like many people, I think there is a certain level of trust that comes with a printed map and a supporting compass: they will never run out of power; they’re as useful in a valley as they are at the top of a mountain; and if you invest in a waterproof case, the weather conditions pose little risk to your materials. 

When you hold a printed map and a magnetic compass, you’re hands-on invested in a very personal experience, tapping into tools and skills that have literally been used by explorers for centuries, and the mental exercise of navigating like this can help form long-lasting memories of a journey.

However, it is only fair in this comparison to acknowledge that a compass, despite its well-earned reputation as a proven and trusted tool for navigation, is not completely failsafe either. Although it’s relatively rare, like any device they can fail as a result of conditions or if they’re not looked after properly. Keeping a compass too close to mobile phones, power lines or other electronic or magnetized gizmos can cause it to suffer reversed polarity, which can lead to false readings. 

• How to use a compass: learn this essential hiking skill
• How to read a map: never get lost on a hike again
• Trail tech: the latest gear to help you find your way
• Why learn navigation? We tell you the reasons

Ever evolving tech

In contrast to the hands-on, mentally demanding approach using a compass encourages, once they have selected a destination, users of smart tech such as GPS are typically given a set of 'step-by-step' instructions, and the process then requires little additional input. 

Again, this is not flawless. A GPS unit will tell you approximately how long it ‘should’ take to cover a given distance, but this can sometimes be inaccurate, as the device cannot always take the conditions underfoot into account. This could lead to the user feeling a sense of pressure at the very time they should be feeling a sense of relaxation.

It can also create a sense detachment between the walker and the wilderness they’re passing through – similar to when you punch a destination into your car Sat Nav and then take absolutely no notice of road signs and the places you’re passing through. 

Even the latest devices equipped with extra features – such as the ones that allow the user to share a route, add notes or select the option to ‘view the path ahead’ – can create distance between the user and the experience of being in the outdoors.

At this stage, it may sound like I’m favoring the printed map, but let’s look at GPS units. They’ve come a long way since the release of the first devices back in the early 1980s – and particularly since accurate Global Positioning System (GPS) technology was made available to the public by the US government (which still controls it – and can, in fact, turn it off in certain areas if they so desire), when selective availability was lifted in 2000. 

On modern units you can obviously still do the basics, like selecting a destination with any number of waypoints along the way, working out your current location and the distance you have traveled, but now they are so much smarter and offer an awful lot more too. 

The latest GPS units have a much longer battery life. You can collect and share data along your chosen route, which means you can receive up-to-the-minute accurate updates about changes in everything from path closures to detailed weather reports – something a printed map could never offer. There’s location sharing capability, and we now have the option to download a seemingly endless number of apps with countless more functions.

Verdict

In short, I still love a traditional map and compass, and I also really enjoy the functionality of a good GPS system. Basically, I don’t think you should have to choose between the two. I think they compliment each other best when they are used in conjunction with one another and not in an ‘either or’ scenario.