Fly Swatter Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 I have been in situations (fog) when a handheld compass would have been very useful and a potential lifesaver. I often fish areas where fog is a constant concern. My online searches for an appropriate compass make my head spin and the costs vary significantly. My thought is a compass which will provide an easily read, safe, straight-line path back to the beach/safety without having to memorize a specific bearing. What do wade anglers suggest - and use - when caught out on a flat as the fog sets in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonymo Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 (edited) Find mil-surp stuff( Sportsmans Guide) or Tru Nord brand (US made) or Silva which are reliable and have various price points. Edited August 9, 2020 by tonymo spell check interference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxfai Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 Wouldn't a GPS phone with map provide a good (if not better) solution? heyblue34, Dan Tinman and CapeDave 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squidder 329 Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 Rugged handheld navigator with preloaded worldwide basemap and 2.2 inch monochrome display WAAS enabled GPS receiver with HotFix and GLONASS support for fast positioning and a reliable signal Waterproof to IPX7 standards for protection against splashes, rain, etc Support for paperless geocaching and Garmin spine mounting accessories. Power with two AA batteries for up to 20 hours of use (best with Polaroid AA batteries) See high and low elevation points or store waypoints along a track (start, finish and high/low altitude) to estimate time and distance between points $88.00 Amazon MattieG 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 I carried/wore a Suunto M-9 Wrist Compass for 30 years for exactly that reason PSeggs, heyblue34 and JimP 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Tinman Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 My iPhone has both a compass and GPS good enough to do the job. However I wouldn't be out wading in places where there were no landmarks at night or in fog. Eventually something will happen and a search team will be involved. teddispahgetti, chisler and EricDice 3 - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Tinman Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 30 mins ago, squidder 329 said: Rugged handheld navigator with preloaded worldwide basemap and 2.2 inch monochrome display WAAS enabled GPS receiver with HotFix and GLONASS support for fast positioning and a reliable signal Waterproof to IPX7 standards for protection against splashes, rain, etc Support for paperless geocaching and Garmin spine mounting accessories. Power with two AA batteries for up to 20 hours of use (best with Polaroid AA batteries) See high and low elevation points or store waypoints along a track (start, finish and high/low altitude) to estimate time and distance between points $88.00 Amazon Certainly is cheap enough. - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxfai Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 There are also watches that provides a compass / Map function for around $150 or less for a decent one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 Still got this from the skishing days..... I don't skish anymore but it's still rock solid, paid like 40 bucks back then, they want a little more now bassmaster and Steve_M 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wok167 Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 Most of the inexpensive gps units (including the E trex) do not have an actual compass. You must travel a certain distance for the units to calculate your direction.This could get hairy if wading in the fog. You would probably be best served with a simple compass such as the Silva Polaris or Brunton Tag along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_M Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 3 hours ago, foxfai said: Wouldn't a GPS phone with map provide a good (if not better) solution? That works well but nothing works better as a simple compass as a backup. Always reliable. Slacker, Gulf Vet, PSeggs and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdiesel Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 (edited) One of this babies... Edited August 10, 2020 by Jdiesel PSeggs, Steve_M, RonG and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSeggs Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 I'd get a cheap pin on compass. Your not doing land nav, your just trying to not walk the wrong way. Work well enough for me in the dark woods. bassmaster and Steve_M 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWitek Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 Not sure what you mean by "without having to memorize a specific bearing." The compass will tell you where magnetic north is, but if you're trying to get from Point A to Point B, you still nead to know the bearing to your destination. Doesn't have to be a precise bearing, but at least you need to know whether you want to go north, east, southwest, etc. But no compass will tell you how to get anywhere; it points north, and you have to figure things out from there. Having said that, I'll second the notion of getting one of the inexpensive Silvas. Easy to use, reliable enough for your purposes, and cheap enough that if you accidentally drop it in the wash, you aren't out much casj. PSeggs 1 "I have always believed that outdoor writers who come out against fish and wildlife conservation are in the wrong business. To me, it makes as much sense golf writers coming out against grass.." -- Ted Williams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fly Swatter Posted August 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2020 Many thanks for the suggestions and recommendations. I will opt for a non-electronic manual compass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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