The Best Compasses of 2023

Yes, there are compass apps, but phones can break or die and there’s no beating the reliability of a tried and true compass when you head off the beaten path.

We’ve found the best compasses to fit every budget and use. Scroll through to see all of our recommendations, or jump to the category you’re looking for. For information on compass types, features, and usage tips, check out our comparison table and buyer’s guide. If you still had questions, take a look at our list of frequently asked questions at the end of this article.

The Best Compasses of 2023

Best Overall Compass: SUUNTO M-3 D Leader Compass

Best Budget Compass: TurnOnSport Orienteering Compass

Best Compass for Most People: SUUNTO A-10 Compass

Best Travel Compass: SUUNTO MB-6G Global Compass

Best Compass for Kids: Coghlan’s Function Whistle

Best Thumb Compass for Orienteering: SUUNTO AIM-6 NH

Best Hiking Compass: SUUNTO MC-2 Global Compass

SUUNTO M-3 D Leader Compass

As noted, SUUNTO makes a lot of compasses, and the M-3 D Leader hiking compass ($65) is a big step up to a powerful navigation tool for those who desire more precision.

Simple yet effective, this compass contains everything you need to find your way and nothing you don’t. Built for hiking, the M-3 D leader is popular with backpackers and hunters for its reliability and toughness.

It sports metric and imperial scales and is balanced for use in the Northern Hemisphere, with 2-degree increments. The adjustable declination orientation is smooth for easy adjustment but is firm enough to keep its orientation while you move.

A baseplate with a magnifying lens and glow-in-the-dark markings make it easy to use on a map, even in low light. And the detachable locking lanyard allows you to keep it handy and prevents drops while moving over rugged terrain. With optimal durability and functionality, this is the best compass on the market today.

TurnOnSport Orienteering Compass

Learning orienteering can be a daunting proposition to the uninitiated, and some of the more feature-rich compasses on this list can be intimidating for someone looking to learn to navigate without GPS devices. For beginners, we recommend a simple and inexpensive option on which you can learn the basics.

This orienteering compass from TurnOnSport ($10) has all the features needed for learning compass-and-map navigation without the restrictive cost of higher-end compasses. The durable acrylic baseplate sports an adjustable bearing, a compass ruler, a magnifying glass, and a 1:24,000 scale.

The liquid-filled needle case provides a quick, responsive magnetic north bearing, and the waterproof bearings mean you can use it in any weather.

This is easily the best compass we’ve seen for the price. Offering only the necessary features, it’s equipped to allow you to learn basic navigational skills with minimal investment. At this price, you can upgrade to a more feature-rich compass and keep this as a backup, or buy a dozen and teach a scout troop as a group.

SUUNTO A-10 Compass

Finnish company SUUNTO is best known for its GPS fitness watches. It also makes excellent analog navigation devices. The SUUNTO A-10 ($24) is far from the brand’s top-shelf compasses, but for the vast majority of users, this compass does everything they need at a great price.

First, it has a liquid-filled chamber that results in a “quick-damping needle.” This, according to GearJunkie founder and U.S. champion adventure racer Stephen Regenold, is the most important element in a compass. “It means it points north extremely quickly and is solid. Most of the features on a compass are just not really needed for common navigation. You just need to know which way is north.”

And the A-10 will point north reliably, consistently, and quickly. It’s proven reliable over thousands of hours of use. And it’s so affordable, you have no excuse to not put one in every kit to ensure you find your way home every time.

SUUNTO MB-6G Global Compass

Balanced for both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, SUUNTO’s MB-6G ($115) is built for use wherever your travels may take you. The high-grade steel needle provides specific navigational directions, and the integrated clinometer tells you the steepness of the hill you’re climbing, which comes in handy during avalanche season.

We love the matchbox design, which adds durability by not only protecting the compass from cracks and scratches when tumbling around in your pack or down a rock face but also by doing away with the weak point of the hinges that hold flip-top compasses together.

Additionally, the matchbox features a sighting mirror, which allows you to view the compass dial and the background at the same time, making it easier to take accurate bearings. If global excursions are in your future plans.

Coghlan’s Function Whistle

Keeping an eye on a child while camping is a full-time job. Coghlan’s Function Whistle ($10) is a great way to keep your kids safe and teach them the rudimentary aspects of navigation if they wander too far from the campsite.

The body of the compass is a whistle with a small compass on the top, a thermometer on the bottom, and a handy clip on the end. This compass is basic, but it will find magnetic north, allowing you to teach your kids how to figure out which direction is which if they get turned around.

The bright-yellow body makes it easy to find if they drop it, and the key clip makes dropping it less likely. Just clip it onto a zipper, and it’ll always be easy to find.

A key function of this compass is the whistle, which makes kids easier to find if they get lost. Just make sure they know to start blasting that whistle, and you’ll be able to zero in on them in no time.

SUUNTO AIM-6 NH

For orienteers or other racers, running with a compass means attaching it to your thumb, where you can easily reference your direction with a map. Regenold uses this SUUNTO AIM-6 NH ($70) during his frequent orienteering and adventure races.

While he admits these are a somewhat esoteric navigation tool, they provide a quick-to-read arrow to guide racers or others moving quickly through the landscape.

As with other compasses, you want a quick-damping needle to allow for fast reads. Light, powerful, and easy to read in low light, the AIM-6 NH (optimized for the northern hemisphere) is a strong choice for elite users.

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