Is a Compass Essential When Backpacking?

Yes! they are essential equipment, unless your hiking in a state park with paved trails. Especially if your plans include trails in a wilderness area or an area that doesn’t have well marked trails. Being somewhere that has well marked trails can still disorient many people.

A map of where you plan to hike is a must. Sure you can use your phone’s GPS or download a map from “All Trails” or another source but phone batteries can die, the same with and electronic  devise you may choose. When electric means fail you still need to continue to where you planned. Sign posts and trail markers can disappear. Blaze marks on trees may not have been maintained. There are many was to find yourself lost!  “Leave No Trace” states that you should be about 200 feet (or 80 paces) from a trail to dig a cat hole. That means you should be far enough in the forest to make it difficult to find your way back to the trail. If you’re solo, there may not be anyone near enough to hear you call out.

The simple solution is to use your compass to guide you into the forest and then follow it to return to where you left the trail. If you’re walking to the West to find a good spot to dig a cat hole. When you have finished you simply follow the compass to the opposite direction, East. Even if you wandered a bit while finding  the perfect spot. You still are West of the trail, easy to return by going East.

If you have never used a compass, buy one. It doesn’t have be an expensive one, you can find for less than $10. It is pretty easy to look online to find directions for using a compass. Stay safe and enjoy getting out into nature. Practice using your compass when you’re out there.

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