Best compass UK
Which is the best compass in 2025?
VIEW OFFERBest of 2025: Find the right compass in the UK
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 the UK (January 2025)
The bestseller list compares compasses from multiple brands
- Versatility: Ideal for trekking, mountaineering, and camping activities.
- Visibility: Luminous direction arrow enables night-time navigation.
- Durability: High-quality acrylic ensures sturdiness and longevity.
- Portability: Compact size with a red lanyard for easy carrying.
- Accuracy: Luminous design ensures accurate direction in the dark.
- Durability: Sturdy, made of premium material for long-lasting use.
- Portability: Carry with belt loop or securely in your pocket.
- Precision: Ideal for positioning and orienting on a map.
- Durability: Works in extreme weather and is shake-resistant.
- Portability: Enclosed in a clear box for easy carrying and storage.
- Versatility: Ideal for school, woodworking, workshop, and home; great for students and artists.
- Durability: Made of high-quality metal with excellent durability and impact resistance.
- Precision: Includes scales for 1:25000, 1:50000, 1:63360, and both metric and inch rulers.
- Visibility: Luminous markings ensure visibility for night-time navigation.
- Durability: Operates from -40°C to +60°C, designed to last with '365 Day' warranty.
- Portability: Comes with a durable nylon rope for easy carrying.
- Size: Compact and lightweight, measuring 4.53 x 2.17 inches.
- Durability: Made of quality acrylic, solid and sturdy for long-lasting use.
- Quality: Durable plastic construction ensures reliability in outdoor conditions.
- Accuracy: Provides precise directional readings essential for navigation.
- Portability: Fits easily in your pocket for on-the-go navigation.
- Portability: Lightweight at 110g with lanyard and carrying bag for easy transport.
- Durability: Premium aluminium body and foldable metal lid for years of use.
- Accuracy: Magnetic strength of up to 3000 gauss ensures precise pointing.
- Multi-function: Includes both compass and thermometer for versatility.
- Portability: Compact and easy to carry due to pocket size.
- Durability: Long-lasting and reliable build for outdoor conditions.
- Luminous: Glows in the dark for nighttime navigation and visibility.
- Precision: Multiple measuring scales for accurate map reading and navigation.
- Portability: Lightweight and compact size, ideal for carrying during outdoor activities.
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- Read the definitive compass buying guide
- View the compass picks and see how they rank in the top list
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 2025?
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 the UK?
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.