Compass for Southern Hemisphere recommendation?

[jpr9954]

I have a number of compasses from Brunton, Silva, and Suunto. I even have a Chinese (Eyeskey) knockoff M2 transit. That said, I'm looking for a decent compass that works in the Southern Hemisphere. Specifically, I want one to take on my trip to the Eastern Cape. I realize it is not "needed" as the PH will do all the navigation.

Along those lines, does South Africa produce topographic maps along the lines of those of the US Geological Survey or the UK's Ordnance Survey maps? It would be nice to have one from the area I will be hunting if only to frame it as a reminder of the trip. I have seen some older maps in digital form online from both the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Red Army but I'd like something on paper.

Thanks

 

[Primal]

Check all of your existing compasses and see if any are called "Global" or have a "global needle". If so, then you already have one that is weighted for use in the southern hemisphere.

I have a Suunto Global. It's nice and light. You don't even notice you have it on you, until you need it.

Suunto also makes their little Clipper model that can go on a watch band, in version for use in the southern hemisphere. If you just need to get your directional bearings for curiosity sake that might be all you'll need. It can be found on Amazon for under $20 last I knew.

 

[mdwest]

Over the years Ive carried probably a dozen different models from probably a half dozen manufacturers.. anything global from suunto, brunton, silva, etc is going to be reliable and well made..
that said.. Ive still got a couple of old military lensatic compasses.. and honestly, nothing I have ever bought does a better job than what I was issued.. sure there are silva/suunto, etc models that are a little smaller, or a few ounces lighter, etc..
while its not necessarily "globally balanced", the military lensatic is a deep well design and works fine in the southern hemisphere (its northern balanced.. but the design allows the compass to work in the southern hemisphere, you just might have to slightly tilt the compass forward to get it to work properly)..
and its bomb proof.. you cant kill it if you try..
if you go the lensatic route rather than a typical baseplate compass, dont buy a knock off.. the USGI model made by Cammenga is the actual issue compass.. its not cheap.. but.. it will last you a lifetime and work anywhere you choose to go on the planet.. well worth the investment..

https://www.amazon.com/Cammenga-Waterproof-Navigation-Backpacking-Orienteering/dp/B00389O4AM?th=1

 

[jpr9954]

Over the years Ive carried probably a dozen different models from probably a half dozen manufacturers.. anything global from suunto, brunton, silva, etc is going to be reliable and well made..

that said.. Ive still got a couple of old military lensatic compasses.. and honestly, nothing I have ever bought does a better job than what I was issued.. sure there are silva/suunto, etc models that are a little smaller, or a few ounces lighter, etc..

while its not necessarily "globally balanced", the military lensatic is a deep well design and works fine in the southern hemisphere (its northern balanced.. but the design allows the compass to work in the southern hemisphere, you just might have to slightly tilt the compass forward to get it to work properly)..

and its bomb proof.. you cant kill it if you try..

if you go the lensatic route rather than a typical baseplate compass, dont buy a knock off.. the USGI model made by Cammenga is the actual issue compass.. its not cheap.. but.. it will last you a lifetime and work anywhere you choose to go on the planet.. well worth the investment..

https://www.amazon.com/Cammenga-Waterproof-Navigation-Backpacking-Orienteering/dp/B00389O4AM?th=1

I think which compass you prefer - lensatic or baseplate - depends a bit on what you were trained or learned on. In my case, I have no military background and learned how to use a Silva baseplate compass in the Boy Scouts (when it was still BOY Scouts).

I know I still have that Silva compass with the BSA imprint somewhere. I also have a Suunto that I bought in Helsinki while on Fall Break from my senior year in college. Likewise, somewhere...

I'll probably go with one of the Suunto Globals for now but probably will end up get the Cammenga one day just to have it. As my wife would say, boys and their toys, etc.

UPDATE: Looking on the Cammenga website, I see you can get a Southern Hemisphere model for $1 more.

 

[mdwest]

I actually originally learned land navigation and orienteering in the boy scouts as well... and flip flopped between a variety of different compasses in the military.. for the first several years I was always looking for ways to lighten my load, shave off ounces in gear, find smaller pieces of kit that would more easily be carried, etc.. and paid a fortune for things like compasses, knives, even personal hygiene gear, while in search of the next best thing.. I probably carried baseplate type compasses over the entire course of the time I spent in the military than I did lensatics..

I just ultimately landed on the lensatic compass vs different options in the end because.. It worked well.. couldnt be broken (I am not particularly easy of gear).. and.. best yet.. it was FREE lol...

I finally had to break down and ask myself why I was standing in the middle of "Ranger Joe's" or "ARCO" yet another time, staring at a wall of land navigation gear (everything from grease pencils and waterproof map covers to compasses, etc).. when the compass, map cover, and grease pencils Uncle Sugar had given me were all working perfectly well... And convince myself I didnt spend another $50 on yet another compass that I really didnt need.. that I could apply that money to something else I really didnt need (but really wanted) like another cool knife or something else lol...

 

[Flipper Dude]

Extend the line between the upper and lower stars of the Southern Cross until it intersects with a line extended perpendicular between the two pointer stars. Directly underneath this intersection is south.

Cloudy nights and daytime? I can’t help ya.

My apologies. I just couldn’t help myself.

 

[jpr9954]

Extend the line between the upper and lower stars of the Southern Cross until it intersects with a line extended perpendicular between the two pointer stars. Directly underneath this intersection is south.

Cloudy nights and daytime? I can’t help ya.

My apologies. I just couldn’t help myself.

That would be great if I could identify the Southern Cross in the Southern Hemisphere sky. I suck at astronomy.

 

[spike.t]

How to Use an Analog Watch as a Compass: 8 Steps (with Pictures)

If you ever find yourself lost in the wilderness or adrift at sea with no way to tell which direction you're traveling, an analog watch (or any similar clock face) can act as a compass and help you get your bearings. All you'll need for...

www.wikihow.com

 

[jpr9954]

How to Use an Analog Watch as a Compass: 8 Steps (with Pictures)

If you ever find yourself lost in the wilderness or adrift at sea with no way to tell which direction you're traveling, an analog watch (or any similar clock face) can act as a compass and help you get your bearings. All you'll need for...

www.wikihow.com

I learned in Scouts that another way to tell direction is that moss grows on the North side of a tree.

Would it be the same in the Southern Hemisphere or just the opposite. I.e., moss grows on the South side as that would be the darker, moister side.

 

[jpr9954]

Based on the advice here esp. that of Primal, I bought the Suunto M3-G compass as well as the Suuto Clipper SH compass. One of these days I'll probably break down and buy a Cammenga lensatic compass but not today.

I probably could have gotten away with the Clipper but what the hell, why not get both.

 

[Newboomer]

I actually originally learned land navigation and orienteering in the boy scouts as well... and flip flopped between a variety of different compasses in the military.. for the first several years I was always looking for ways to lighten my load, shave off ounces in gear, find smaller pieces of kit that would more easily be carried, etc.. and paid a fortune for things like compasses, knives, even personal hygiene gear, while in search of the next best thing.. I probably carried baseplate type compasses over the entire course of the time I spent in the military than I did lensatics..

I just ultimately landed on the lensatic compass vs different options in the end because.. It worked well.. couldnt be broken (I am not particularly easy of gear).. and.. best yet.. it was FREE lol...

I finally had to break down and ask myself why I was standing in the middle of "Ranger Joe's" or "ARCO" yet another time, staring at a wall of land navigation gear (everything from grease pencils and waterproof map covers to compasses, etc).. when the compass, map cover, and grease pencils Uncle Sugar had given me were all working perfectly well... And convince myself I didnt spend another $50 on yet another compass that I really didnt need.. that I could apply that money to something else I really didnt need (but really wanted) like another cool knife or something else lol...

Yep. You just can't beat the old GI issue lensatic. I still have and use one that somehow followed me home from a deployment back in the 60s. I even used it as a backup on my boats to check accuracy of the boat compasses.

 

[Ray B]

That would be great if I could identify the Southern Cross in the Southern Hemisphere sky.

When at a latitude where southern stars are visible, set a camera on a tripod. Point the camera south and put the shutter on long exposure. When dark, trip the shutter and let record for at least an hour. The stars will appear to rotate- at the center of the wheel will be the Southern Cross.

 

[V.Veritas]

I will add my 2 cents just in case someone will find the information useful in the future:

- SUUNTO MC-2 Global works great world-wide for map and compass navigation;

- the best compass it is useless without a map and the skills to use it correctly (Cliff Jacobson's book - Map and Compass can be a very useful guide on this topic).

 

[mark-hunter]

Can somebody explain the difference between north and south hemisphere magnetic compass?

I graduated on nautical college, i am certified deep sea master, unlimited, sailed around the globe, passed all major canals, panama, suez, and during all my years of expereince and training and certification i never heard about difference of north and south hemisphere magnetic compass.

 

[Nkawu]

Can somebody explain the difference between north and south hemisphere magnetic compass?

I graduated on nautical college, i am certified deep sea master, unlimited, sailed around the globe, passed all major canals, panama, suez, and during all my years of expereince and training and certification i never heard about difference of north and south hemisphere magnetic compass.

It’s got to do with the balance point on the needle. If you are standing in South Africa the most direct route to the North Pole is into the ground, so a compass balanced for the N Hemisphere is going to struggle to rotate freely.

 

[Nkawu]

Don’t forget to adjust for magnetic declination in South Africa. Port Elizabeth in the EC is -29.48

 

[mark-hunter]

It’s got to do with the balance point on the needle. If you are standing in South Africa the most direct route to the North Pole is into the ground, so a compass balanced for the N Hemisphere is going to struggle to rotate freely.

There is no north and south. North and south is artificial geographic term. There is only magnetic field, that is loosing its horizontal vector close to the pole.
So, it is the same problem, equal for both hemisphere on extreme latitudes

Johanessburg is at 26 degrees south, Windhoek is at 22 degrees south, so there should be no issues for general type, approved type of compass. (reputable brand)
There should be no issues, till 60 degrees, north or south at least, unless in case of local magnetic anomaly.

I carried my compass, no name brand, to namibia, without issues.

 

[Nkawu]

Global Compasses

MapworldNZ, maps, digital mapping, GPS, wristop computers, guidebooks, atlases, compasses, beacons, globes

www.mapworld.co.nz

 

[BigJohnx13]

The first time ever I hear of a North or South compass. Our military use the normal Silva flip top compass made in England. Direction is the magnetic field west of North pole. Remember the magnetic declination moves from East to West to maximum point and then back to East to maximum point over a span of about 25 years. According to the age off your map and magnetic field movement you can calculate the offset and then add or subtract the degree offsett. A compass shows magnetic North and a map True North. Hence the difference to calculate mag declination.

Don't break your head on it. Reading general North and having a general idea of direction will get you there. No compass that shows South, unless you use the white (not red) needle as a reference point. LOL. On no course has I ever heard to make sure you have a South compass. Even all our boats that is built and fitted overseas comes with compasses sold in that country and point North and works perfect in the Southen hemisphere. All our outdoor and sports shops sell a normal/vehicle compass that is freely available anywhere in the world that point North. We use the same map reading tactics as in the Northern hemisphere. So any of your compasses will work fine in our country.

This is a newer Mills (not Degree) compass

SA BORDER WAR PERIOD ARMY ISSUE COMPASS-M-73 MILLS MADE IN THE UK-WORKING | bobshop.co.za

Buy SA BORDER WAR PERIOD ARMY ISSUE COMPASS-M-73 MILLS MADE IN THE UK-WORKING for R350.00

www.bobshop.co.za

The military use normal 1:50 000 topographic maps. These maps were freely available and can be purchased at the Government Print. Unfortunately I don't know what current state of the Government Print is, probable the same as Eskom, Transnet, SAA etc.

 

[jpr9954]

Don’t forget to adjust for magnetic declination in South Africa. Port Elizabeth in the EC is -29.48

Thanks. I was wondering about that.