Always on the right track with a compass
In the great outdoors, it is important that you always know where you are and in which direction you are travelling.
This is especially true for long length trekking tours. Depending on the weather and region, getting lost can quickly become dangerous. A compass is essential to help you find the right path again at all times, especially if the technology fails. A GPS device can sometimes have no reception between high trees or in a valley. In such situations, it's always good to have a compass in your pack. It shows you which direction you should head in so that you can reach your destination quickly and safely.
Compass: for exact measurements
To ensure that your compass can reliably show you the right way when you're out and about, it should fulfil a few criteria for outdoor activities.
You can recognise a good compass by the following features:
- It is very light and fits in any luggage thanks to its handy size.
- Depending on the version, it is suitable as a simple emergency compass or as a functional marching and bearing compass with useful additional functions. You only use the simple emergency compass if you are acutely lost and want to find your way back. The highly functional marching compass is suitable for anyone who wants to criss-cross through the wilderness.
- It offers you an exact display of the cardinal points that you can always rely on.
- The compass is made of very robust material (e.g. plastic, acrylic or metal), making it ideal for the demands of various outdoor activities. The display, for example, is optimally secured with extremely stable sapphire glass or plastic.
- The material is rustproof, very stable and as waterproof as possible, so that no moisture can penetrate inside even in a rain shower.
- The compass always lies securely in the hand thanks to its non-slip shape.
- Thanks to the fixable clip, you can attach the compass to your map bag with compass hiking maps so that you have your hands free. It can also be attached to your backpack, the strap of your clock or the sleeve of your jackets. Alternatively, there are also compass models that can be attached using a carrying cord or carabiners.
- Integrated luminous markers and a clear 360° display make it easy to read the compass day and night.
- A good compass can also withstand extreme temperature fluctuations (e.g. -30 °C to +60 °C).
- Some models have an inclinometer, the option of declination correction using the enclosed mini screwdriver, a bearing hole for optimum accuracy, a base plate with magnifying glass or a fold-out mirror with conversion table in the lid.
How does a compass work?
A compass works thanks to the earth's magnetic field, to which the metal compass needle reacts.
As soon as you hold the compass steady, the needle aligns itself according
to its position in the northern or southern hemisphere, reliably showing you the position of all points of the compass.
Compass at Transa
Here at Transa you will find numerous good analogue compass models. For example, the high-quality micro compass, the precise analogue map meter with round instrument, the mirror compass in a sturdy plastic housing, the floating mirror compass or the map compass with built-in magnifying glass for detailed map reading. The mirror compass in matchbox format for the northern and southern hemispheres and the small, spherical compass for attaching to a key ring are also available here in the Transa online shop.