(Part 2) Best compasses according to redditors
We found 100 Reddit comments discussing the best compasses. We ranked the 61 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
There is a lot wrong with this list, so I'm just going to work down it one by one with my thoughts on the matter.
USB flameless lighter? Why? That is going to be unreliable, at best. Throw a few BIC lighters and some stormproof matches in there and be done with it. IF you want to be fancy, get something built to be rugged, that will stand up to use in the field:
https://www.amazon.ca/Ultimate-Survival-Technologies-Floating-Lighter/dp/B00C85NBA6/ref=sr_1_2?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1482173178&sr=1-2&keywords=camping+lighter
Speaking of, I didn't see any sort of firestarting material. Warmth is going to be important, and you need as few steps as possible between you and fire. Get some quality firestarters. I am trying to keep all my links relevant from amazon.ca, so some of the brands I'm most familiar with aren't there. But these work well (though there are options from Wetfire and other brands that take up less space):
https://www.amazon.ca/Ultimate-Survival-Technologies-Fire-Stix/dp/B00C6SHODK/ref=sr_1_20?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1482173338&sr=1-20&keywords=emergency+fire+starter
What is with the mall-ninja "tactical" hatchet? That is a lot of weight and not a lot of utility. You'd be better served with a reliable and lightweight folding saw, and a good full-tang fixed-blade knife. Something like a 7 inch Corona saw:
https://www.amazon.ca/Corona-Cutting-Tools-RS-7041/dp/B00004R9YN/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1482173467&sr=1-1&keywords=corona+folding+saw
If you insist on carrying a hatchet (and their function in a bugout situation is debatable, especially for the weight) get something quality like an Estwing:
https://www.amazon.ca/Estwing-E24A-14-Inch-Sportmans-Sheath/dp/B00BNQR4SG/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1482173510&sr=1-1&keywords=estwing+hatchet
Nothing wrong with duct tape, but you'd do well to wrap just maybe 3-4 meters of it around a small core (like from doggy waste bags, or even just around itself).
The self-crank radio/flashlight/phone charger is shit. You also don't need four lights, especially if all of them are crap. Buy one good flashlight, and maybe one good headlamp.
A flashlight like a Nitecore P12 or something that runs on an 18650 and offers long runtime would be ideal. If you buy a diffuser cap for it, you can replace the lantern. Pick up some spare, high quality 18650 cells, as well. The P12 has SOS and beacon modes, which will run for days at a time, in addition to a nice throw and excellent brightness on Medium and High.
https://www.amazon.ca/Nitecore-Flashlight-Lumens-Meters-Distance/dp/B00PQE1D2E/ref=sr_1_2?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1482173859&sr=1-2&keywords=nitecore+P12
As for headlamps, those don't need to be super bright. You want something with enough brightness and floodiness to work around camp. But ideally you also want a red-light or low-light mode for night time, when you don't need to destroy your night vision just because you need to take a piss or something.
https://www.amazon.ca/TACTIKKA-CONSTANT-LIGHTING-HEADLAMP-DESERT/dp/B00GCGIGHK/ref=sr_1_14?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1482173989&sr=1-14&keywords=petzl+headlamp
The powerbank thing in the crank radio is crap, only 1000mah. Not enough to charge most modern smart phones even 25%. Figure that of that 1000mah, ~25% will be lost just due to inefficiency in the charging process. Get a 10,000mah or bigger high quality battery, with 2.1A ports, and be done with it:
https://www.amazon.ca/Anker-PowerCore-Portable-Ultra-Compact-High-speed-Charging-Technology/dp/B0194WDVHI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482173708&sr=8-1&keywords=anker+usb+power+bank
Combine the money you'd spend on the shitty folding knife and the shitty Gerber multitool, and buy a proper multi-tool. You don't need two folding knives.
The Leatherman Wingman is a good value, though I prefer a nicer quality one like the Charge TTi, but at four times the price it may not be worth it just for an S30V blade.
https://www.amazon.ca/Leatherman-2996-831426-Wingman-Multi-Tool/dp/B005DI0XM4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482174264&sr=8-1&keywords=leatherman+wave
Ditch the camp toilet paper, that stuff is like wiping your ass with cardboard. Get some biodegradable camp wipes from an outdoor store. You can now use these to clean your ass, and they also are useful for wiping your hands, or taking whore baths.
Same with the camp soap. Are you bugging out or camping for a week? Nothing you are going to do in a bugout situation is going to necessitate body soap. Toothbrush, floss, deodorant.
Ditch the giant first aid kit full of crap you don't need. Those things are heavy and 80 of the 85 pieces are just different sized bitch stickers. Build your own first aid kit tailored around the likely injuries you would face: sprains, cuts, burns. Maybe throw some Quik Clot Z-pack gauze or a tourniquet (CAT or similar) in there for larger trauma, if that is a concern to you. Limit the bitch stickers to 5-10. All gauze, tape, trauma pads, alcohol wipes, tincture of iodine, moleskin for blisters, tweezers, surgical shears, gloves, maybe burn cream. Small containers of medications you might need: aspirin, antihistamines like Diphenhydramine, anti-diarrheals, etc.
That survival paracord bracelet thing is garbage. You already have 100ft of paracord in your list (which you could probably cut down to 50ft). You don't need some shitty firestarter, whistle, and compass thing. Buy a real lensatic sighting compass. Not going to do you much good without a map and the ability to understand it, anyway.
https://www.amazon.ca/UST-Survival-Essentials-Lensatic-Compass/dp/B005X1YI3Q/ref=sr_1_5?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1482174799&sr=1-5&keywords=compass
You have both a cookset AND a mug/pot. This is extra redundant and not needed in a bugout situation. Stick to food you don't have to prepare. Caloric density is your friend. Jerky, EPIC bars, Clif bars, etc.
If you need to boil water, use a single-wall metal canteen (NOT a thermos). Remove the plastic lid, fill with water, set in your fire. Widemouth canteens like those by Klean Kanteen are multi-purpose (multipurpose is your friend). You can sterilize water, you can cook and eat food out of it (because of the large opening), and you can fill with hot water, wrap in a sock, and warm your sleep system.
https://www.amazon.ca/Klean-Kanteen-Stainless-Bottle-27-Ounce/dp/B0027W6WHE/ref=sr_1_sc_4?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1482174908&sr=1-4-spell&keywords=klean+kanteen+widemouth
You don't need a can opener if you have a good multitool.
Lifestraws suck ass. They only work as a straw, and I am going to guess you don't want to get your water by drinking out of puddles exclusively. Get a Sawyer Squeeze mini filter. This can be used in-line with a hydration bladder, can be used like a Lifestraw, or can be used to filter an fill your water storage containers/bladder:
https://www.amazon.ca/Sawyer-Products-SP128-Filtration-System/dp/B00FA2RLX2/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1482175065&sr=1-1&keywords=sawyer+mini
One seriously lacking area for you is your sleep system. A tarp and a space blanket are not going to keep you functionally warm. You might survive a night, but you won't be useful the next day.
At the BARE minimum, you should get a good, reflective, breathable bivvy sack, like this one from SOL, AND a sleeping pad. A bivvy will reflect heat back onto you, helping with heat lost through convection, but no sleeping bag will help with heat lost through conduction (you touching the cold ground). That is why a sleeping pad is mandatory. I have used the Escape bivvy and the Klymit pad linked here together, and both kept me comfortably warm to about 50 degrees F. Below that, I've had to augment with base layers or jackets, and that still sucked. If you are hoping to sleep in below freezing temperatures, you'll need a properly sorted ultralight sleeping bag.
https://www.amazon.ca/Adventure-Medical-Kits-Escape-Bivvy/dp/B00EVGD0FQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1482175280&sr=1-1&keywords=SOL+escape
https://www.amazon.ca/Klymit-06SVGR01C-Camping-Mattress-Green-Grey/dp/B007RFG0NM/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1482175199&sr=1-1&keywords=sleep+pad
Other recommendations of mine would be to take survival, medical and foraging guides and put them on a smartphone, along with a GPS mapping software and pre-downloaded offline topographical maps at 1:24k resolution of your main bugout areas and 1:100k resolution elsewhere. Something like Gaia GPS for iOS or Backcountry Navigator Pro for Android:
>A note about knives - I prefer a small, fixed blade knife as opposed to folding knives as they will not jam and are easier to clean & sharpen.
Silva Starter 1-2-3 High Visibility Compass https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009PM82XQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_AUtYAb1R5TD8V
Something like this would be small enough to pocket on a walk, but functional enough to use for map work if you ever wanted to make that jump.
Silva is a worthwhile brand.
Can't see a picture yet, but if it looks like a wheel on the end of a pen, with an attached watch-dial, that's a map wheel, or to be really obscure, an opisometer.
This compass keyring would be awesome, AS I'M A PIRATE AND A FISH AND NEED TO NAVIGATE AND STUFF.
CRICKET.
Have a nice
eveningweekentire lifeIf you want a basic, inexpensive compass with adjustable declination, this Brunton compass will do the trick. I have also had good luck picking up vintage Silva Ranger 15T compasses on eBay for under 30 bucks.
Amazon link for the K&R compass
This plus glue.
I saw Chris Costa had one on his watch and immediately had to get something similar. I did a little research and came across this.
Some reviews were bashing the quality but I took the chance. The plastic has a pretty distinct smell that takes a while to wear off. The compass was pretty disoriented after coming out of the package (we're talking, off by 30" N) but after taking some time to settle away from super-magnetized metal, it's matching my other Orienteering compasses.
Definitely worth the 5 bucks though. And good luck on the exam!
I appreciate the compliment. My Glock has a whole slew of modifications that I figured /r/EDC wouldn't care about. Glad you appreciate it. And for a 6 dollar bottle of white nail polish from Walmart, it turned out pretty well if you ask me. The magazines have a little residue leftover, but who cares, they're durable.
https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Company-Compass-Bicycle-Handlebar/dp/B00H1DUJQO/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=motorcycle+compass&qid=1556677995&s=gateway&sr=8-2 ?
​
It's a simple bicycle compass, but I see no real need for anything fancier
Here is a small one that might work for you.
Here is a cheap but well-featured one that will work now and for map-wayfinding later.
Yea! Happy cake day! Pumpkin...
True global compasses have a system which allow the needle and the magnet to float independently. These will perform well anywhere in the world.
Here's one such compass: ScubaPro FS-2 Wrist Mount Compass
Most dive compasses aren't designed this way. That said, there's usually some overlap, and a northern hemisphere compass will generally work through most of the tropical south and visa versa.
Sun Company ZiprComp - Micro Ball... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FA6B64I?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf
Just heads up I think when I keep my phone on that shoulder pocket it interferes with the compass. But other than that works decent for quick general direction finding.
One that looks better yet but is affordable...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NDRJW6A?psc=1
On the cheaper end but still a legit compass: Brunton (not jewlery, just a compass. Also nice and small, about 1.5")
One of these on a ring on a chain would be functional and a bit fun to play with.
That Brunton Gentleman's Compass looks nice.
Suunto makes excellent compasses. You might as well get a baseplate model with adjustable declination. This one seems like a good option: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XANJRHG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_aITYAb90PSVRC
Didn't check German Amazon but since Suunto is European they're probably available.
The mirror really isn't necessary IMO unless you are following precise bearings a lot.
Buying new:
Zoop = 200
SPG = 60
Compass = 25
Total = 285
-
AI comp = 370
-
I got my SPG second hand for about 30 USD, don't think there's a second hand market for computers or compasses though. Maybe the AI console could be had cheaper second hand. I'd need to refresh myself on what components degrade in what ways.
What do you mean "standard military watches"?
The official standard military watch is the MIL-W-46374 which does not now, nor has it ever had a compass.
Now, you can buy a wrist-mounted compass for pretty cheap like this dive compass, but again, as someone that's used those (certified PADI and NAUI diver for 13 years), you can get a general bearing on them because they're designed for high visibility (vis gets really shitty in some waters) but you're not going to quickly (within a second like the original guy I responded to was talking about) get a precise bearing off of them.
I get that compasses would be a good thing in Tarkov. Hell, I've wished for them plenty of times myself... but the way the guy I originally responded to was talking about, isn't going to be a thing. We're not going to get some instant-bearing compass wheel like in PUBG. The last confirmation from Nikita was that we're going to get a physical compass we have to pull out and use. Until that changes, or someone else from BSG comes in and says, "Hey, we're putting in a HUD/UI compass," talking about using a compass for making callouts in the middle of a firefight is a dream. If you want to say, "The southside door," you learn which side is the south beforehand so you're not grabbing for a compass while you're getting shot at.
https://www.reddit.com/r/EscapefromTarkov/comments/8zvrrj/compass_you_never_lose_just_like_player/e2m9sdw?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x