The best modern base plate compass is the Suunto M3D Leader model

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The best modern base plate compass is the Suunto model M-3D

Question: You teach Backcountry Navigation. Which compass do you use (and why)?

The Suunto M-3D Leader Compass meets my detailed traditional requirements:

1. A reasonably long transparent plastic base-plate for pointing the compass at objects in the field and for joining points on the map (- that's what the rubber feet are for), with a prominent index mark indicating the direction of travel.

2. A big rotating compass needle housing marked in two degree increments. The housing has a transparent base which is marked with true north-south meridian lines which, together with the long compass edge, form a protractor for use on the map.

(With one exception, the base plate compass is a protractor when it lies on the map - the needle is disregarded. The one exception is when the housing is dialed in to true north and the compass is placed on the edge of the map to orient the map in the outdoors, to north and south using the magnetic needle.

3. An adjustable "north indicator arrow" (the red shed), independent of the true north-south indicator lines. Your compass can be adjusted for the magnetic declination in your area! You make your adjustment by turning a "micrometer" screw on the bezel, accurately setting you current declination to one degree using a separate scale marked on the reverse side of the bezel. This virtually eliminates dangerous math in the field. (The 30 year old Silva Ranger was, for many years, the only compass to have this special feature.)

4. The compass needle is designed for specific locations of the globe (M3D is North America) and liquid dampened to slow oscillations and allow fast accurate readings. (Compasses designed for other areas of the globe may suffer drag from "needle dip".)

5. The big rotating compass housing dial is marked in 2 degree increments, from 0 to 360 degrees, clockwise (an azimuth compass). (Beware the "quadrant" compass marked in 90 degree increments which requires lots of dangerous math in the field)

6. The base plate edges are marked with mile (and meter) scales based on the USGS 1:24,000 quad map scale.

7. It has a base plate graphic marked with a scale for the 1:24,000 UTM/UPS (military) 1,000 meter grid system squares.

8. It has a magnifying spot for your bad eye.

9. The base plate is ergonomically rounded at the back end that is held in the hand (to discourage attempts to hold the compass backwards) and an adequate hole provided for a waist length lanyard to go around the neck (beware of choking!) The lanyard should also hold your loud plastic whistle, near your mouth. Lose the shorty red cord.

10. The compass is simple, well made and light weight.

The heavy Silva Ranger compass, with bezel enclosed by a plastic cover and glass sighting mirror, is not the clear choice today. Backcountry users should not depend on a sighting compass, which is virtually unusable in the dark and in high winds, rain or driving snow. Learn to take accurate compass bearings from your waist. This enables you to look straight down on the needle to the "shed". This eliminates parallax.

11. The M3D has a reasonable cost: The Suunto M-3D compass costs $29.95. The Silva Ranger compass costs $70.00!

Suunto M3D Leader compass

Note: The Silva Ranger compass adds only a heavy sighting mirror (which can not be used in dark and storm) The Ranger costs a lot more, but hey, it is "Top of the Line". But if you decide not to buy a Silva Ranger and buy the Suunto M3D compass instead, please donate half of your savings to TraditionalMountaineering.
Use our Pay Pal Donate Button! We'll even arrange for you to have a free class! --Webmeister Speik

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WARNING - *DISCLAIMER!*
Mountain climbing has inherent dangers that can, only in part, be mitigated

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