FitBit - the Compass Killer! Mountain Navigation Skills

If you wear a FitBit or similar fitness band whilst navigating with a compass you need to watch this! The magnet in the fitness band will affect your compass needle significantly and your navigation will be way out!

[@MickLay]

Good work! Thanks!

[@BeyondTheTrail]

No worries. Thanks.

[@ibraheemtalash5094]

It's known as deviation of compass. It's different on each heading unlike variation.

[@petemartin4503]

Just tried my Garmin Fenix 6. You'd have to hold the compass close and directly above before any movement in the needle. A great reminder that gadgets, even turned off can make your navigation off course, nice one.

[@BeyondTheTrail]

That's interesting and reassuring that it would need to be close up to cause a discernible effect.

[@petemartin4503]

@@BeyondTheTrail Yes, on top of it, held in the hand, no change at all.. I've post the video to a group to see of there are any differences in makes and models of the watches, I'll let you know the outcome...

[@BeyondTheTrail]

@@petemartin4503 nice one.

[@annp322]

Yep, my Apple Watch will do the same. About 5 degrees if I’m holding the compass with the same arm as the watch, a lot more if I hold the compass right next to the watch. Also, when I was trying to test this, it was hard to test because the iPad that I was watching the video on was throwing the compass off. In other news, when I walked into my kitchen, my Suunto compass became convinced that my Mazzer coffee grinder was magnetic north, and could not be dissuaded. At least it has good taste.

[@BeyondTheTrail]

I'm in agreement with the Suunto 😁 Thanks for commenting on this. It's clearly an issue to be very aware of.

[@fraserkyle72]

Just thought I’d check my GPS watch. It was fine, must be due to the fact it has a clasp charger (not magnetic). However my TAG automatic watch knocked it out by 15°. Quick google check reveals using a compass is a good way to check if the inner mechanisms in your watch have become magnetised over time!. Thanks for this, I’ll need to be careful taking a bearing.

[@BeyondTheTrail]

Cheers for posting that Fraser. It's becoming quite an interesting subject. I would expect manufacturers of GPS watches to have addressed the risk where as fitness bracelets may not have the same considerations. Cheers.

[@SeymourPhoto]

I knew about the phones, but this was a surprise. I wear a Garmin, which I imagine is similar. Really useful information - thanks! That’s me subscribed!

[@BeyondTheTrail]

Hi Steven, thanks for subscribing. I haven't taken the time to check more devices, will you please see what effect your Garmin has, if any?

[@SeymourPhoto]

Beyond The Trail Just checked. I’m wearing a Garmin Vivoactive 3. The effect is less pronounced than with the Fitbit in your video. Maybe a couple of degrees at 3 inches distance. Still something to be aware of and avoid, though.

[@BeyondTheTrail]

@@SeymourPhoto great, thanks for having a look. I'm sure that will have been looked at in their design phase. Well, I hope you get a chance to enjoy the hills soon. Cheers.

[@davidmckechnie1]

Fascinating stuff. I bet that could affect a load of people.

[@BeyondTheTrail]

Worth checking out with different devices to be sure. Good to hear from you Dave.

[@wingman1392]

Great point. We now take for granted all the electronics we carry. And they are all to some degree magnetic or generate Radio Frequencies that will affect the pointer on your compass. They will also effect your electronic compasses on your phone or GPS to varying degrees. Other things that can effect your compass, would be underground pipes and power cables, rocks with high metal content. We have a major gas pipe, part of the national gas pipe network, running through a local wood, and we get our trainee SAR recruits to walk over it with their compasses to show the deflection. A bit more of an issue here in the Home Counties, than out in the boonies where you are. Great nav series of videos keep it up.

[@BeyondTheTrail]

Thanks for contributing 👍 Interesting point about cables and pipes. Which SAR team is that? I have the privilege of being on the Ogwen Valley team.

[@wingman1392]

@@BeyondTheTrail LR Midshires

[@shaunlast3436]

I had a similar issue when out with some scouts. One scout continually had a slightly different bearing from the others. It turned out there was a metal component on his compass lanyard that was creating the deviation error.

[@BeyondTheTrail]

Really important to watch out for.

[@chrismedlin7930]

While teaching land nav to Civil Air Patrol ground teams today, I found my Apple Watch threw the compass off by 90 degrees.

[@BeyondTheTrail]

Wow! That's huge. It really is a factor that can be so easily missed considering the devices are on our wrists, so close to our compasses in our hands. Where were you teaching?

[@RE-io8qo]

Yikes!