Watch: Basic Compass Use for the Weekend Hiker

With all the modern technology available to us for outdoor adventures we tend to forget the basics. We have become reliant on technology and have forgotten the skills of the past. This is especially true for navigation and using a compass. GPS technology has become a staple in our lives; from our smart phones to wrist mounted GPS watches for running and hiking. What happens when the batteries run dry and you don’t have spare batteries? What if you become submerged in water and your GPS unit shorts out? What if it cannot sync up with enough satellites due to cloud cover or the weather? I have done an article previously on my navigation kit. What you’ll notice is that my kit consists of topo maps for my local area and a K&R Sport compass. There are a few easy compass skills you should know if you spend any amount of time in the woods hiking. These skills are easy to learn and practice in your back yard.