How about a wrist watch with a digital compass included? I have been using a Casio model for a couple of years,mostly to keep track of time, but I can switch to compass mode and get a bearing. I have only played with it, haven't had to use it in earnest, but it seems to be acceptably accurate.....

I have one as well. As a backup it's perfectly acceptable, probably a bit easier to read and to use than a button compass.

I also have one, Casio Pathfinder, nice watch, compass seems accurate enough, but it only stays on a short while and then goes back to watch mode. It's okay to get a snap bearing, but I like that the Suunto wrist compass is always in compass mode.

Thanks for the tips guys, But as i said it has to go inside a PSK tin, the same size as an Altoids tin. That would rule out wrist watches. However, it's good info that has me digging around for my old Casio triple sensor to throw in my bug out wear. Thanks again.

I have no sense of direction. Just knowing which quadrant is north can help me. I used to EDC a button compass but now I have a Casio Protrek which I consider to be about as good. For example, when I've been dropped off at one corner of a public square, I've used it to find my way back to the same corner.

I like having a watchband compass. It's there if I have no other landnav gear or even (gasp!) a PSK, and when hiking/whatever its there as a backup. It's also convenient to be able to quickly look at the wrist to verify general direction, quickly orient the map, etc. without retrieving the main compass.

I wear a Suunto Clipper on my watchband every day. IMO the Clipper is superior to any similarly sized button compass. For a tin-based PSK I would just throw a Clipper in there.

I also have the Suunto M9 wrist compass. This little unit is surprisingly accurate due to its gunsight style sighting system. For testing I have gone into the field with the M9, a Silva Type 54 prismatic, and a Suunto MC2-Global mirrored compass to compare azimuth accuracy. I found that I could sight with the M9 to within a couple degrees of the bigger compasses. I used a GPS with known waypoints in an area for which I have very accurate maps as a control/comparison.

One caution: the M9 has a strong magnet and with it on your wrist, it will affect the bigger compass in your hand. During my testing I noticed that the readings taken with the big compasses were different than readings with the M9. Then I realized that when sighting with the M9, no other compass was nearby to it but when holding the other compasses the M9 was on my wrist, a few inches away. When I removed the M9 the readings of all the compasses jived.

I did not see the same behavior with the Clipper so I believe it has a less powerful magnet.

My complaint with the small compasses is their lack of accuracy. These compasses will give you a trend of direction such as I am heading north and that's about it.

I concur with the comments about the larger Sunto & Brunton Baseplate compasses. They are far more versatile and accurate.

I have a small compass on my watch band and I am just not that impressed.

Blake