Coghlan’s Outdoor Compasses – Lightweight, Durable Navigation Tools for Hiking, Camping, Orienteering & Survival with Map, Wrist, Lensatic, LED, and Carabiner Options

I have a number of compasses. They never leave the house. Most of the time I have no need for one and if push comes to shove, there is always the cell phone. However, this one is different. It clips onto something with ease and on those occasions where it helps me to figure out where I'm headed, it is very valuable. I was in a state part the other day with only a sketchy map. There were lots of trees, so you couldn't see very far. I was trying to find ruins. By keeping an eye on my direction they were easy to find. Do you need a compass for that? No. Was it useful to have one? Yes. This thing works well, seems accurate enough for those small tasks, is well built, and is simple, small, and light enough that you might as well take it with you. When I go for a walk, I now take this with me, just in case. I'm not exactly on rescue missions and never really in an area where I could get seriously lost, but heading back to the parking, or re-calibrating which way I was headed has its uses.

I have ADHD and am absolutely horrible at directions. I got this to keep on my keys so I always have it, so if somebody tells me to go in a direction, I won't screw up. It works great, is the perfect size, and easy to read/see. It's also really sturdy- I imagine if you ran it over with a car it probably wouldn't like that very much, but if you're just carrying it around, I doubt you'll encounter any issues.

I bought this Coughlan Map Compass almost two years ago (in May 2014). I had no use for it immediately so I left it in its package until today, when I opened it to use to align my TV antenna.The good points are: (1) it's cheap, I paid five dollars and forty-seven cents for mine and now the price is only five dollars and two cents which is a real bargain for what you're getting; (2) it's 5.5 inches long -- plenty long enough to reach between most map points when plotting; (3) it has a magnifier lens in the middle to help you see small parts of the map in greater detail; (4) the bezel rotates relatively easily and stays where you set it; (5) it comes with a poly/nylon cord that's long enough to slip over your head and thin enough to not cause problems when using the compass on a map; (6) it comes with basic printed instructions in English and French; (7) the needle points North, moves freely, and so far hasn't gotten stuck; (8) it is very accurate.Now the bad points: (1) false advertising: it says "Liquid dampened needle" but there is no liquid in this compass; (2) the bezel rotates easily which COULD mean that it won't stay where you last set it, although for my needs I may never experience this; (3) false advertising: it says "Scales: inches" but there is no inch scale on this compass; (4) it does not have a magnetic declination setting so you'll have to make this calculation in your head or on paper when necesssary.I would have given this compass a 5-star rating if it weren't for the two "false advertising" points noted above -- especially the non-existent "Liquid dampened needle" since this was an advertised feature that made me decide to buy it. I hate it when manufacturers don't bother to update their product descriptions or flat-out lie about a product's features. Fortunately this compass has a LOT going for it, and in fact it works well enough -- even without the liquid dampening feature -- that it deserves a 4-star rating.When the manufacturer and Amazon stop making false claims about this product I may have a reason to come back and give it another star, but I honestly do not expect either of them to change a thing ... although it would be nice if they surprise me!

This compus is nice, very well made , and works great. Comes with a lanyard,and a very reasonable price . I WOULD RECOMMEND. ....

I have two Silva compasses, and I ordered Coughlan's Standard Map Compass as an inexpensive alternative for my grandkids. I wasn't expecting it to be anywhere near as good as my Silva compasses, but I was happy to discover that I was wrong! Coughlan's Standard is absolutely outstanding in build quality, simplicity, accuracy, and durability, and I expect it to last for years.But I don't understand the significant price fluctuations over a period of about ten days. In early September 2023, it was a little over six dollars. A week later, it was less than five, and it was at that point that I bought four of them. I was so happy with it, I was planning to buy a couple more, but the price had gone up to over ten dollars! It started at 6.50, then 4.75, then 10.50. Or in terms of percentages, there was a 27% decrease followed by a 120% increase. Meanwhile Coughlan's DELUXE Map Compass is just over six dollars. This is just plain nuts! I guess I'll have to upgrade to the Deluxe version if I want to save money!One final note: Throw away the "directions" that come with the compass. Apparently they were written in French and very poorly translated into English. Even allowing for the language differences, they are needlessly complex, thoroughly confusing, and just plain wrong in places. "Be Expert With Map and Compass" by Bjorn Kjellstrom (3rd ed.) is a good introduction to using a compass.

I don't have a lot of confidence in the build quality of the clip, and once it breaks the device is pretty much useless.

This small compass is a great tool to carry as a keychain, and it accurately points to magnetic north. However, it only works well when left to settle—if you hold it while walking, it doesn't provide reliable readings. Overall, a handy and functional piece for those who need a portable direction guide.