love your compass and it will love you

i was not aware of this " trend " [ cos i am still using 20 year old outdoor kit ] - but it has become " fashionable " - to use magnetic fasteners in outdoor clothing recently

the idiocy of this SHOULD be obvious - but ...............................

" they " have decided to replace velcro etc with magnets

what can possibly go wrong .........................................

err - compass errors - fook - thatt was obvious

source for this = source

I think we've been walking in circles.

W
Do you think that peiple that need to wear the latest most stylish outdoor gear actually use a compass?

I have to take compass readings several times a day for work. I wear my bushcraft knife under my armpit with a lanyard over my shoulder and it causes the same problem, probably because I opted for a softer steel blade which is more magnetic than stainless.

I still occasionally use a compass when I am out on the hills. The art of map reading is threatened by the ubiquitous smartphone, but sometimes it's just nice to read a map and use a compass. My son can read a map courtesy of Duke of Edinburgh.

As far as I know all my kit is magnet free and would think sticking magnets onto clothing just adds weight anyway?

a reply to: skunkape23

through design or negligence ?

deliberatly walking in circles [ correctly - for search or rescue - is actually harder than it sounds ]

a reply to: Kukri

actually - yes - they at least ATTEMPT to .

annecdote : i came across 2 free-range idiots balancing thier map - and compass - on top of a galvanised steel gate post wondering why they could not orrient the map to the terrain

a reply to: paraphi

NO NO NO - just NO

this is a pet peeve of mine

map , compass and routecard are the navigation starting block

phone should be used for entertainment only [ like using the new OS "augmented reality " app that tells you the names of mountain tops , lakes and towns visible as you survey a panorama ]

and GPS = backup - i only ever look at mine to confirm that the NGR i THINK i am at is really where i am stood

far to many MRT call outs are due to :

no compass // map

no headlamps // torches

didnt check weather forecast // inadequate clothing

The magnetometer in your cell phone would almost certainly react erratically if it was near any of those magnets, some of which are the rare Earth Neodymium type that are real strong. Compass apps would go nuts.

Trust your compass.

I bought a new compass, an Engineer Lenstatic compass, the type with a small lens and sights. I set it to account for the few degrees magnetic north is off from true north in my area.

I was out at my friend's place trying to find his southeast corner property marker. While we were traveling through the bush, he was totally rejecting my compass readings and saying his sense of direction was better. I kept telling him to, "trust the compass" even though I hadn't tested it before.

Well, I found it based on my readings (not him, he was way off). We had a hard time finding it because it was one of those iron supports use for chicken wire fencing and it was bent down to the ground. Had it been up right we would have probably found it earlier as it was about 3 foot tall from the ground.

Of course, my friend has a hard time taking anyone's advice and will believe his own ideas no matter how flawed his logic. I proved to him the value of trusting the compass, I hope. Too bad he wouldn't accept any of the other common sense advice I have to give. He's ten years older than me and pretty much refuses to believe I have any practical wisdom to impart.

originally posted by: ignorant_ape
a reply to: Kukri

actually - yes - they at least ATTEMPT to .

annecdote : i came across 2 free-range idiotswon'tseeme"lancing thier map - and compass - on top of a galvanised steel gate post wondering why they could not orrient the map to the terrain

Ok now that's funny. You do see some whacky # while out for a stroll. Reminds me of when I came across a supposd deer hunter sitting in a wallow and I asked him why he set up there, he said " the deer won't see me". Ijust walked away shaking my head.

I also find it funny how survival guides are made from paper and cant handle water at all.

Though this is a stupidity that's beyond me. Not they are making clothing like this but that people will actually buy crap like that.