Megatest- which of 6 compasses for Mountain Navigation

Put through their paces in the English Lake district, I compare two military style lensatic, 2 base plate and 2 electronic compasses. This will help you should you be considering purchasing one.
After the intro I trial them in the mountains over 4 categories with scores out of 5 to score a maximum of 20 . The categories are:
Taking a bearing on the map, following a bearing, taking a sighting bearing and practicality .
The contenders are a
Bresser lensatic compass
Proster sighting compass
Silva ranger base plate
Suunto MC-2
OS locate android app
Compass app on the garmin fenix 3 watch
Further information
• The 4 Ds navigation te...
further navigation training here:
nnas.org.uk/
www.mountain-training.org/qua...
getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co....
www.chrisensoll.com/mountain-...

[@tyronepowerless3128]

Great video, very informative and a nice bimble around the Lakes. I have a few older Silva compasses, quality seems to be hit and miss since they moved production to China. Suunto MC2 is my choice nowadays

[@adzcraig]

Great video, Dave. Well done for filming and reviewing while out with family - they are patient with you! I found the Suunto Mirror compass was great for ski touring (long range sighting while on glaciers or featureless terrain with huge peaks around in the distance) when I bought it in 2003. Another plus - I bought it in 2003 and it's still intact and fully functional. It has the slope angle thing which is handy for assessing avalanche risk, but you get key ring cards that can also do that... So all the other negatives of the mirror compass (faffing to open the lid with gloves on, awkward measuring scales with lanyard in the way, rain messes up the sighting mirror anyway, not all 3 romer scales) means I prefer the latest expedition 4 from Silva for UK mountain use and would probably only carry the sighting compass when ski touring. This is because the distances covered can be much greater in shorter periods of time when descending, and more accurate sighting to triangulate on a large plateau is useful if not using GPS and the sighting compass does that better IMO.

[@Fellmandave1]

Hi Adam, thanks for sharing your experience. Ski touring is on my bucket list. Since makING the video I have bounced back and forward with the suunto, in fact I am in the lakes this week. I found it great yesterday when up the bleak lands around wether hill, but recall it being stressful last winter with gloves. That click closure is just too firm! On the plus I like the fact that the bearing is likely to stay on your mark when it is in and out of the pocket. I keep looking at the silva 4 as many have recommended it. Perfect for me would be those features with a much bigger magnifier. Thanks again!

[@Ajajambo]

Great video and assessment of different compasses. It's fair to say that you like Silva 👍 it's a great compass, but equally, the Fenix 3 has fews tricks under its sleave.

[@trrific1]

Hi! Thanks for such a nice video. Your input was very well taken.

[@Fellmandave1]

Glad it was helpful!

[@stuartcowper1164]

Great vid dave,silva compass for me.Been using them since the mid 80s.Also a fantastic company to deal with if you have any problems regards re magnitising or liquid leakage.Am also lucky enough to have a mate thats a compass adjustor.👍

[@Fellmandave1]

Thanks Stuart, thats definitely more useful than being a pheasant pluckers mate. That Silva compass was just replaced for the second time by silva for reversed polarity, so yes, great customer service.. Thanks again for commenting.

[@stevesdaysoff2759]

Good video and really enjoyed watching. Atb Steve.

[@Fellmandave1]

Thanks Steve, which compass for you?

[@stevesdaysoff2759]

I have the Silver

[@hissingman]

Спасибо большое, было очень наглядно и познавательно!

[@Fellmandave1]

пожалуйста

[@spartanj2957]

The MC 2 ALL THE WAY.THE GLOBAL VERSION NEEDLE STICKS ON A FEW AS OF LATE .TBE MC2 IS JUST FINE .

[@TOMHEANEY100]

Is that your work shirt? Love the OS Locate (that's two really good app tips I got from you in two videos) thank you. You need to update that Garmin, even I have the Fenix 5 X Plus. Good to see you tackle this subject as many of the younger boys wouldn't have a clue. A real pity not to get more views but we all have to try different things and your channel is building up some strong and diverse content. ATB Tom

[@Fellmandave1]

Hahaha work shirt, I even had the buttons done up mismatched. Definitely on holiday mode. Yeah keep thinking about updating the watch but I am waiting for something with a higher contrast, brighter screen. Yes views are low but I am doing it for the quality chat and journey Tom, rather than the numbers. Which is just my way of burying that dark thought of nobody likes me! Thanks again for the encouraging comment Tom. Btw the attempts to return the ledlenser H15R core via Amazon Slovakia failed twice, so Amazon refunded me anyway. So I will do a test of that versus the silva 4xt and see if I am going to keep or sell. Will do the review in the Heaney style of course. I have even been practicing the 5 to 9 stance!

[@outlawedlandscapes]

Silva Expedition MK4 for me on recommendation of Glenmore lodge. Simple, effective and means I can work with 1:25k / 1:50k / 1:40k no bother. It doesn’t do slope angle though I’ve never actually needed that. Primarily use the map and compass with a dedicated GPS for backup/route recording and spot heights (Garmin etrex/Suunto 5 watch) plus the phone with OS maps/locate as a backup. 👍🏻

[@Fellmandave1]

Excellent system!

[@robch4414]

Military lensatic-type compasses are just too heavy and bulky for my purposes. I have the same Suunto mirror compass which is well-featured (declination adjustment and slope reading) and excellent for accurate sighting and position-finding, but IME not ideal for keeping in the hand while you follow a bearing or map course and make quick course adjustments on the move. For that I have an old Silva Expedition 4 baseplate compass, simple, lightweight and it just goes on and on whatever you put it through. When out, I try to conserve phone battery for possible emergencies, so apps and GPS are out. Recommendation, keep it simple, and whatever you use, practise before you rely on it in earnest.

[@Fellmandave1]

All good stuff Rob. Thanks for commenting

[@andystaveley237]

Thanks Dave 😊 I've always just used a Silva, although some have had issues. Been old school (or just old) I have never owned a GPS watch but have been thinking about it. My question is, can you use the GPS location given by the watch to pinpoint your position on a paper map ? Sorry if this is a stupid question but it's the only reason I can think of that I would need one. Cheers

[@Fellmandave1]

Absolutely yes Andy. Though the OS locate free app is excellent for that too.

[@andystaveley237]

@@Fellmandave1 Thanks Dave 😊. Not sure the OS locate app works here in Australia ? Ok, so been able to pinpoint my location gives me a reason to buy one. Can I ask which watch you are using at the moment Dave please ?

[@Fellmandave1]

@@andystaveley237 garmin fenix 6x pro

[@andystaveley237]

@@Fellmandave1 Thanks Dave, appreciate it 🙏 Maybe a good subject for a vid? Smart watches for old f**ts ! Cheers

[@michaelmartin9010]

Andy, the OS Locate app works everywhere and will give you global grid reference in Latitude and Longitude as well as altitude I believe.

[@Rbg1542]

Dude, get a tripod so you can use both hands. Free your hands up.

[@Fellmandave1]

Yes very good, but I have to confess the time I can give to these things with an impatient family is limited.

[@ibragim_on]

Suunto compass has awful quality now(

[@Fellmandave1]

Hi Ibragim. I have bought an A30 and an M3 recently and they seem ok. What do you base this on?