Buzz
Discover how to find north and navigate your path in the wild
In wilderness survival, a compass is an indispensable tool. When paired with a reliable topographic map of your location, mastering compass use will prevent you from getting lost. By learning to identify the key parts of the compass, accurately read your bearings, and practice basic navigation techniques, you'll gain the confidence to navigate any terrain. Start with Step 1 to get started with your compass.
What’s the method for using a compass?
Hold your compass flat in your palm, with your hand centered in front of your chest. Use the magnetic needle to guide you—it will only settle unless you're facing north. Align the direction-of-travel arrow on your compass with the direction you're heading to get accurate readings.
Navigation Steps
Grasping the Essentials
Familiarize yourself with the compass's key components. Though different compasses come in various designs, they all share the common feature of a magnetized needle that aligns with Earth's magnetic field. A typical baseplate compass has several important elements you should get to know right away:
- Baseplate: The transparent plastic platform that holds the compass.
- Direction of travel arrow: The arrow on the baseplate indicating your direction of movement.
- Compass housing: The clear plastic casing that contains the magnetized needle.
- Degree dial: The rotating dial surrounding the compass housing, displaying all 360 degrees of the circle.
- Magnetic needle: The needle that spins within the housing to point towards magnetic north.
- Orienting arrow: The non-magnetic arrow inside the compass housing, helping with alignment.
- Orienting lines: Parallel lines within the compass housing that guide alignment with the orienting arrow.
Properly hold your compass. Position the compass flat on your palm, with your hand in front of your chest. This is the ideal compass holding posture when navigating. If you're using a map, place it on a flat surface and lay the compass on it to improve the accuracy of your readings.
Determine your current facing direction. A quick exercise to help orient yourself is to figure out which way you're currently facing or moving. Observe the magnetic needle—it should swing away unless you're pointing toward North.
- Adjust the degree dial until the orienting arrow lines up with the magnetic needle, both pointing north. Then, check where the direction of travel arrow points to figure out your general facing direction. For instance, if the arrow is between N and E, you're heading Northeast.
- Check where the direction of travel arrow meets the degree dial for a more precise reading. For example, if it crosses the 23 marker, you're facing 23 degrees northeast.
Recognize the distinction between "true" North and "magnetic" North. While it may be confusing to have two types of "North," it's a fundamental concept that's easy to grasp and crucial for effective compass use.
- True North refers to the point where all longitudinal lines converge at the North Pole, represented at the top of most maps. Unfortunately, your compass won't point to True North due to the variation in the Earth's magnetic field—it points to Magnetic North instead.
- Magnetic North is the point influenced by Earth's magnetic field, roughly 11 degrees off from True North due to the tilt of the magnetic axis. This magnetic shift can cause a discrepancy of up to 20 degrees, depending on your location.
- Although this difference might seem minor, even a small error in direction can lead to significant miscalculations. For example, if you're off by just one degree over a mile, you'll be about 100 feet off course. Over longer distances, the error compounds, so it's crucial to adjust for magnetic declination.
Learn to adjust for declination. Declination is the difference between the direction of North on your map and the North indicated by your compass, influenced by the Earth's magnetic field. To make your compass usage more accurate, you can adjust for declination by either adding or subtracting the required amount from your bearing in degrees, depending on whether you're taking a bearing from a map or your compass and whether you're in an area with East or West declination.
- In the United States, the zero declination line runs through Alabama, Illinois, and Wisconsin, slanting slightly. East of this line, magnetic declination points West, meaning Magnetic North is to the West of True North. To the West of this line, the opposite is true. Be sure to check the declination in the area you will be traveling to compensate for it.
- If you take a bearing in an area with West declination, add the necessary degrees to match the correct bearing on your map. In areas with East declination, subtract the degrees instead.
Using Your Compass
Take bearings to confirm your direction. When you're out hiking or exploring, it’s helpful to periodically check your bearings to ensure you're heading in the right direction. To do this, align the compass so the direction of travel arrow points in the direction you've been moving and plan to continue. Unless you're heading north, the magnetic needle will likely veer to one side.
- Turn the degree dial until the orienting arrow aligns with the magnetic needle’s north end. Once aligned, this will show you the direction in which the travel arrow is pointing.
- To adjust for local magnetic variation, rotate the degree dial the appropriate number of degrees to the left or right, based on the declination. Then, check where the travel arrow aligns with the degree dial.
Stay on course in that direction. To keep moving in the right direction, hold your compass correctly, turn your body until the north end of the magnetic needle lines up again with the orienting needle, and follow the travel arrow. Check your compass regularly, but avoid accidentally shifting the degree dial from its set position.
Set your sights on distant landmarks. To ensure you’re staying on the correct path, glance down at the travel arrow, then pick a visible point ahead—like a tree, a telephone pole, or another landmark—to guide you. Avoid selecting overly large objects, like mountains, as they are not precise enough for navigation. Once you reach one guide point, find another using your compass.
- If visibility is poor and you can’t see any distant markers, work with a member of your group (if available). Stand still and have them walk in the direction shown by the travel arrow. Call out directions as needed to ensure they stay on track. When they reach the edge of visibility, wait for them to pause until you catch up. Repeat this as necessary.
Transfer your travel direction onto the map. Place your map on a flat surface, then position the compass on it so that the orienting arrow aligns with true north on the map. If you're aware of your current position on the map, move the compass along until its edge crosses your location, ensuring the orienting arrow still points north.
- Draw a line along the edge of the compass, passing through your current position. This line represents your path if you continue along your current bearing from your current spot on the map.
Learn how to extract a bearing from the map. To determine the direction you need to take, place the map on a flat surface and set your compass on top. Align the edge of the compass as a straight edge between your present location and your intended destination.
- Rotate the degree dial until the orienting arrow points to true north on the map. This will also align the compass's orienting lines with the map's north-south grid lines. Once this is done, you can safely remove the map.
- At this point, you’ll need to adjust for declination by adding or subtracting the necessary degrees. In areas with West declination, add; in areas with East declination, subtract. This step differs from when you're taking a bearing directly from the compass, so make sure you keep track.
Use the bearing to guide your navigation. Hold the compass flat in front of you, with the direction of travel arrow pointing away. Use this arrow to steer you toward your destination. Turn your body until the north end of the magnetic needle lines up with the orienting needle, which will align you correctly toward your goal on the map.
Getting Your Bearings When You’re Lost
Select three distinct landmarks that you can see and match them to the map. One of the more advanced, yet crucial, tasks you can do with a compass is figuring out your location when you have no idea where you are on the map. By identifying unique landmarks in your surroundings and finding them on the map, especially if they are spread out across your view, you can recalibrate your position and find your bearings.
Point the direction of travel arrow at the first landmark. If the landmark is not directly north of you, the magnetic needle will likely veer to one side. Turn the degree dial until the orienting arrow lines up with the north end of the magnetic needle. Once aligned, this shows where the direction of travel arrow is pointing. Be sure to adjust for declination based on your current location.
Transfer the landmark's direction onto your map. Lay your map on a flat surface and place the compass on top, ensuring that the orienting arrow is aligned with true north on the map. Then, move the compass so that its edge passes through the landmark on the map, while keeping the orienting arrow pointed north.
Triangulate your location. Draw a line along the edge of the compass through your approximate position. This will be the first of three lines you'll draw to determine your location by creating a triangle with the other two landmarks.
- Repeat this process for the other two landmarks. When you finish, you'll have three lines forming a triangle on your map. Your position lies within this triangle, and the smaller the triangle, the more accurate your bearings. With enough practice, you may get the lines to meet at a single point.
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To hold the compass correctly, position the baseplate perpendicular to your body by holding it with both hands (forming L shapes with your thumbs), keeping your elbows close to your sides. Stand facing your target, look straight ahead, and align yourself with the object you're using for your bearing. The imaginary line extending from your body will pass through the compass and align with the direction of travel arrow. You can steady the compass by resting your thumbs against your stomach, but avoid any nearby magnetic objects, like steel belt buckles, as they could interfere with the compass.
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Trust your compass: it's accurate 99.9% of the time. Many landscapes can appear similar, so always trust the direction your compass gives you.
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For best accuracy, hold the compass up to eye level and use the direction of travel arrow to locate landmarks and guide points in the distance.
