We've discussed practically every piece of equipment for every day carry, but I rarely hear of anyone carrying a compass as part of every day wear, or how they do it. I carry a serious compass and a back up for wilderness trips, but I sure don't carry them every day.<br><br>I have one of those Brunton survival card kits that includes a tiny plastic compass disk intended to float (by surface tension, it's not buoyant) on water. I have to admit I'm pretty skeptical- clearly, this isn't going to work at all if you're in a hurry, in the wind, hard rain, or in the dark, or if you just don't have water handy, and it is so small that, detached from the card it came on, it would be hard NOT to lose it even in a shirt pocket... but it's the only compass I've seen that can be carried in a wallet. Almost exactly the same objections apply to the magnetized needle idea- it would certainly fit in a wallet, but either floating it or hanging it by a thread will often range from very inconvenient to impossible depending on conditions.<br><br>(As an aside- I wonder if you could cut something from the magnetic strip area of an old credit card, magnetize it (or, more accurately, re-magnetize it uniformly), and get similar functionality? Just a thought). <br><br>I personally often find a small compass handy even in the city.. maybe even more often in the city, because line-of-sight is so often limited. I'd like to have a convenient way to have one on my person routinely.<br><br>I've seen butane lighters with compasses built in- most would seem, from the price at least, to be of suspect quality for either role... but I may try it. I've also seen key-fob compasses, but all that I've run across are either inconveniently large (brass ships-wheel ornaments with a compass hubs in nautical stores, thermometer-compass fobs in outdoor stores) or very cheap and fragile looking... and I worry about the wisdom of attaching a compass to a bunch of metal keys and such. Besides, anything carried with the keys wears badly.<br><br>Anyone got a better solution, something that's not bulky, out of the way, but easy to use when you need it?

well you can try those small compasses with fit on watch straps or just use the watch it self with the sun ( if you cant see the sun look at the shadows ) or try a keychains with compass and fit it on the side of your belt away from keys and stuff.. i usually throw my martching compass in the side pocket of by BDU trouwsers, plenty of space in those pockets...

I carry one of the combo whistle/compass things in my off side (non-key) pocket along with a lighter and space-pen. Niether is the best, both are not too bad and far better than nothing. <br><br>It's reasonably flat, so doesn't make an obvious bulge and it's reasonably comfortable as well.<br><br>An idea for you: Buy one of the mini key-chain compasses and pull the compass out (I did that for my mini-PSK). I haven't tried mounting it for everyday use, though.

If the sun is shining. An analog watch. That is my primary compass when I am in the woods. I do not like "button" compass'. They rarely seem to work properly. I keep some needles, some thread, a very small cork, and a very small magnet in my tin for making a compass. I see no reason that I couldnt put such items alone in a very small container in my pocket. Maybe a pencil lead box? It wouldnt be the most convenient, but I dont know how to get any smaller.

If you're talking backup and don't want a button compass, why not buy one of the basic Silva/Brunton orienteering compasses and cut away most of the baseplate? I suspect someone makes them this compact anyway (Silva Model ?9?). Ends up about the size of a matchbook and only slightly thicker.

Thanks for the suggestions so far... I guess one of my main criteria is not to have yet another item to have to track.. that's why I like carrying stuff in my wallet or keys. Low "fuss factor".<br><br>Everyday dress for me is business casual, so no BDU pockets or such, and I really don't need anything else hanging from my belt. A compass on the watchband would be a little out of place... besides, I have three "dress" watches that I wear regularly.<br><br>I have a couple of button compasses pulled from fobs/zipper pulls, and it seems like they would work just fine, mounted.. somewhere.<br><br>Back in the late '60s, early '70s sometime, when it was fasionable to wear wide belts, I met a guy who had a compass glued to the back side of a round, sort of domed bronze belt buckle. That sort of thing is no longer fashionable, and I change belts almost daily... and unbuckling your pants on a city sidewalk to get oriented might not be a great idea.<br><br>A button compass inside some sort of protective case might work on the key chain, but the case would have to be very small not to neutralize the advantage of the small compass. Still working on it.

Lost,<br><br>Suunto makes a wrist sighting compass (the M-9, IIRC) which works pretty good. I have not mastered it, it takes me awhile to use it for fine navigation, but it works...with more practice who knows? I have mine attached to my watchband.<br><br>Take care,<br><br>Andy

I just picked up THE 2 OZ. BACKPACKER by Robert S. Wood by ten speed press www.tenspeed.com this is a wonderfull book with some interesting insights. The author points out that 1 degree of error in a mile amounts to 92' My Brunton surveying compass is 1 degree accurate. Most dedicated hiking or orienteering compasses are accurate to 2 degrees and the smaller units 5. My Brunton button unit is @ 10. I've used the button compass in the city with good results. There are many tools in navigation; charts,compasses, known landmarks and that intangible inner sense.The button has been most usefull in calibrating my "inner compass" with the other tools.

My EDC is a fairly complete kit in a camera case with shoulder strap that's 7"X4"X4" with two pockets stuffed full. It doesn't attract attention (lots of tourists here). The kit and everything in it is my backup to a backup to my primary kit. My little about town kit has one of the whistle, magnifying glass, compass, thermometer combo's and it's good enough to point me in a general direction, alert someone I'm in trouble and start a fire on a sunny day. I also have a mil. spec lensatic compass in my fishing vest kit and am waiting for my birthday to receive a newer compass, but don't know which one she bought yet, lol.

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>If the sun is shining. An analog watch.<p><hr></blockquote><p><br><br>Or even when the sun isn't shining. A trick we had to learn in Labrador, 40 years ago, where sun compasses were used, because of the severe magnetic deviations around the iron formations: make a fist with your thumb folded over the top and thumb nail facing upward. Take your knife blade and hold it upright, with the point sitting on your thumb nail. Slowly turn the blade until the shadow made on your thumb nail by the blade is the *thinest*. The blade, with aligned shadow, is *pointing* toward the sun. This will work on even very overcast days. Then make the conversion for the analog watch.