Best compass Australia
Which is the best compass in 2024?
VIEW OFFERBest of 2024: Find the right compass in Australia
Anyone who loves exploring the great outdoors would agree that a compass is a must-have piece of navigational equipment. The best compasses offer exceptional accuracy time and time again, all while being durable enough to handle rough outdoor environments. However, with so many features and functions on a compass, finding the right one for your needs isn’t always straightforward. Check out the handy buying guide below for all the information you need to know to find the best compasses for hiking, camping, or whatever other outdoor activities you enjoy!
The 10 best compasses in Australia (September 2024)
The bestseller list compares compasses from multiple brands
- Utility: Excellent for outdoor navigation in various conditions.
- Accuracy: Advanced packaging ensures high sensitivity and measurement precision.
- Design: Retro copper build and 360-degree bezel for unique style.
- Portability: Lightweight and includes a lanyard for easy carrying.
- Precision: Accurate readings with azimuth bearing and 360-degree rotating bezel.
- Durability: Ensures compass longevity for all outdoor adventures.
- Visibility: Fluorescent interface glows in the dark for nighttime navigation.
- Durability: Military construction is waterproof, shakeproof, and designed for tough conditions.
- Accuracy: Lensatic function ensures precise readings with rear sight lens magnification.
- Usability: Easy-rotate bezel with degree marks and orienting arrow.
- Functionality: Clear baseplate with ruler & scales for topographic map reading.
- Accuracy: Lightweight and precision made.
- Portability: Includes waterproof pouch and lanyard for easy carrying and storage.
- Versatility: 360° scale, adjustable prism lens, shakeproof for diverse activities.
- Durability: Military-grade, waterproof, and thermoelastic for reliable, long-term use.
- Accuracy: Enhanced sensitivity for precise navigation.
- Fluorescence: Glows in the dark for continuous use.
- Design: Metal copper, acrylic mirror, retro nostalgic style.
- Versatility: Ideal for trekking, mountaineering, and camping activities.
- Durability: Made of high-quality, robust acrylic material.
- Visibility: Luminous arrow aids in night navigation.
- Usability: Clear baseplate with ruler, scales, and easy-rotate bezel simplify map reading.
- Portability: Detachable neck cord and compact design for hassle-free carrying.
- Precision: Azimuth bearing and 360-degree rotating bezel ensure accurate navigation.
- Personalization: Engravable; ideal for personalized gifts.
- Size: Compact dimensions, perfect for portability.
- Quality: Premium handcrafted brass; ensures durability and elegance.
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- Read the definitive compass buying guide
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compass buying guide
Do you want to buy a good compass? This is all you need to know.
A short explanation: What are compasses?
A compass is a device used for navigation and orientation. Most common examples include the classic dry magnetic compass, while other popular choices include digital compasses that use sensors to determine the direction the user is facing. They are often combined with other devices such as binoculars to create a product called a compass binocular, which doubles up as a compass for use outdoors.
What are the benefits of good compasses?
Being the perfect tool for outdoor excursions is a great reason to buy a compass. Many love the great outdoors but often get lost when exploring a hiking trail, so a good compass can help deduce direction and avoid this from happening. Also, because it works off magnetic forces, a compass does not need a power source, making it a very reliable tool. Whether you want to do some old-school orienteering or are worried about getting lost on a camping trip, a compass is a fantastic tool for anyone spending time outdoors.
How to choose the best compass in 2024?
While there are many types of compasses to choose from, certain compasses will be better suited for your needs. Consider some of the following to help find the best compass for your needs:
- Navigation Task: Understand what navigation task you need the compass for, which will help you decide what compass to get. For example, if going on a hike and want to ensure you don’t get lost, then a traditional orienteering compass will be a great help. If you want a compass that will help if you get lost on a trail, then a digital compass on a sports watch will be suitable. Without the best compass for the task at hand, it may be difficult to use, defeating the purpose.
- Size: Compasses come in various shapes and sizes, so consider what will be the most comfortable to use in your hand. For example, most pocket knives have a small round handle, so a compass that can slot into the pocket with the knife is a good idea. However, if you have a small pocket, a folding compass could be a better idea than a sheath compass.
- Features: All good compasses come with various features that may be useful. For instance, a sighting hole is good for taking headings more accurately, while a rotating bezel allows the user to line up magnetic north. While the basic features of a compass are often the most useful, there is no question that having more features makes it more easier to use.
Which types of compasses are available to buy in Australia?
There’s a great selection of compasses to choose from, with many types of a compass designed for specific outdoor activities. Some of the more popular types of compasses available to buy include:
- Baseplate Compass: Ideal for using with topographic maps, the best compasses with a baseplate are easy to hold stable, which makes it easy to take bearings from the map. The baseplate compass features a transparent bottom with a marked ruler, while the rotating compass dial is marked with the cardinal points.
- Thumb Compass: Small and lightweight, a thumb compass is worn around the hand with the capsule holding the rotating dial resting against the thumb, making it one of the easiest compasses to use. It’s great for people that struggle to use a map and compass simultaneously.
- Sighting Compass: A great compass for taking highly accurate bearings, you aim the compass at your target and read the bearing off the dial, which is set using a mirror for extra accuracy. It’s quite easy to use, making it the compass of choice for most orienteering experts.