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Handheld Compass for Wading at Night and in Fog

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Fly Swatter

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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?

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71mxeYQJJFL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

  • 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

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30 mins ago, squidder 329 said:

71mxeYQJJFL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

  • 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.

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  • 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.
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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.

"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

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