Have you ever been lost in the wilderness and thought “Man! I so wish I had a compass right now!”? I think many of us have.
About 5 years ago, my husband and I got lost on a nature trail (a very LARGE and SECLUDED nature trail that, at that time, we had never visited before). We realized that we were lost when we came across the same area of the trail twice after thinking we were going in the right direction towards the exit. We looked at each other as we were losing light and said “looks like we may end up setting up camp here tonight”. But, despite losing light, we decided to keep walking (which I don’t recommend if you’re losing light). We eventually turned a corner and we suddenly saw the exit. It was as if the angels were singing! We finally made it back to the car and had a good laugh!
But, being lost is NOT a laughing matter and could end up being a very serious matter if you are ill prepared. Our situation could have been avoided if we had a compass with us. We now carry one and, in my opinion, everyone should.
There are alot of different compasses out there but one of the most commonly used compasses is the baseplate compass.
Here is an instructional video on how to use the baseplate compass.
If you’re ever stuck without a compass there are other ways to tell directions. Here is an awesome how-to video on different techniques you can use. (Wish my husband and I knew about some of these techniques at the time we got lost that day! We do now though, thank goodness!)
No matter where you are, if you get lost, a compass is a must have! Like the lady said in the compass instructional video, GPS devices and cell phones can die on you. So having a compass with you at all times can truly be a lifesaver!
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[…] Being lost in the wilderness is no laughing matter. A simple day hike can turn dangerous if you are unable to find your way back, and you can’t always rely on your cell phone GPS to save you. That’s why learning primitive navigation techniques is essential. Click here to read our article on using a compass. […]