SLEDsmart! USA Knowledge Base

Can you use a compass as well as a GPS? Sure, a GPS is easy to use and it’s a great tool to have in a remote location… but only until the battery drains and the screen goes blank. So, go ahead, get the latest and greatest gear, but be a smart rider and teach yourself how to use a compass. Knowing how to kick it old-school might just come in handy if your technology powers down or gets destroyed out there.

First, understand that mapping with a compass, or ‘orienteering’, is a serious skill. You’ll need to get some practice time in and lock it down before trying it out in a remote location.

Got it? Ok, now you’ll need a compass. Don’t buy the first one you see. Make sure it has the features you need.

A good orienteering compass should have:

• A clear base plate with straight edges (if the edges have a ruler, make sure you’re familiar with the measurement system).
• Index or ‘direction of travel’ lines (these are parallel lines on the base of the baseplate).
• An orienteering arrow (the non-magnetic arrow on the bottom of the compass housing).
• Parallel meridian lines (these lines will match up with the north-south lines of a topographic map).
• A liquid-filled capsule (housing that contains the needle and damping fluid).
• A magnetic needle (the red end always points north). 

RIDER SAFETY TIP: WHAT IS DECLINATION?

There’s a difference between ‘true north’ (north on your map) and ‘magnetic north’ (north on your compass). This variance is called ‘declination’. Basically, your topographic map will be drawn to align with ‘true north’ (aka: the North Pole) and a compass will point to what is called ‘magnetic north’ (aka: The Hudson's Bay area of Canada). By aligning ‘magnetic north’ with ‘true north’, your compass will reach 0° declination and point to ‘true north’.