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Digital Compasses review

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By funride


Compass

A compass it is an orientation instrument which allow us to orientate ourselves just using the Earth's magnetic field as a way to indicate the exact direction to the Earth's magnetic poles.

This magnetic tool has been used as a way to determine directions supposedly since the 11th century. Invented in China in the early 2nd century, the compass was then exported to the Western world where it was used mainly as a navigational instrument. With some innovations through the years the compass it is still used as a very important orientation instrument.

Beside being mostly a navigational instrument the compasses has also been very important to help humankind orientating while looking at the stars (astronomy), every time we are under the earth and unable to orientate ourselves (mining) and even when constructing buildings. In a less professional field, compasses has been very useful for lots of sport and leisure activities where orientation is needed.

Even though there are already other more inovative instruments today, like the Global Positioning System (GPS), the compass still appears as a complement of those moderns orientation instruments.


Photo by pixelbase at www.sxc.hu
Photo by pixelbase at www.sxc.hu

Digital Compasses

Even though magnetic compasses still keep their great qualities (cheap, durable, easy to carry and not requiring any kind of energy source to functioning), they have been overtook by other type of modern compasses - the digital compass.

With many other functions besides the ability to indicate the North, the digital compasses have another big advantage as they are not influenced by other sources of magnetic fields. This makes them much more reliable specially when operating them near any kind of electrical power circuits or nearby masses of ferrous metals.

The purpose of this hub is to showcase and describe some of the best hand-held digital compasses available today and to make them available to you as cheap as possible. The fact that this digital compasses watches can always be carried without any difficulty no matter where you are going make them an indispensable tool to have with you all the time.

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Timex Men's Expedition Adventure Tech Digital Compass Rubber Strap Watch #T42681 Timex Men's Expedition Adventure Tech Digital Compass Rubber Strap Watch #T42681
From the mountains to the sea, this Timex has no boundaries. The Timex men's Expedition watch belongs to the great outdoors. The case is made from resin and the digital gray dial face is prominently embellished with easy-to-read digital numerals. The bezel is adorned with directional coordinates to accompany the compass feature.
Price: $47.95
List Price: $69.95

Timex Digital Compass

Like most other Timex watches, the Expedition with digital compass is a watch that can survive a lot of punishment while still providing excellent time keeping.

Slightly larger than a basic digital watch, the major feature of this model is the fact that it includes a digital compass that can be set with the declination of your location. The compass is fairly accurate and provides heading and bearing information.

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Gannett Orange Digital Compass Gannett Orange Digital Compass
Primus Gannett Orange Digital Compass By Primus
Price: $60.00

Primus Digital Compass

The Ranger Peak is a digital compass with 16 cardinal point segments display.

Digital direction indication in degree with 1 degree interval.

Declination angle adjustable.

Time with hour, min, sec, month, date, and weekday.

12/24 hour display, hourly chime, 1/100s resolution chronograph with 24 hours working range, chronograph with split function & bar graph animation, 1 second resolution count down timer with 24 hours working range, dual time, EL back light, water resistant to 50 meters.

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Origo Men Watches Granite Peak Sleek Stainless Steel Bezel Digital Compass EL Backlight New Origo Men Watches Granite Peak Sleek Stainless Steel Bezel Digital Compass EL Backlight New
Special Features: Weather Forecast, One-Touch Altimeter graph with past 8 hours trend, One-touch direct access digital compass with bearing lock.
Price: $99.00
List Price: $200.00

Origo Digital Compass

  • Yellow Digital Compass, Watch, Multiple Alarm, Chronograph
  • 99 lap memories stored in a maximum of 99 runs -- 2 daily alarms
  • Soft blue EL backlight -- Battery Life: up to 1 year -- Water resistance: 50 feet
  • One-touch direct access digital compass with bearing lock -- Declination adjustable -- 1/100 second chronograph with lap and split time

The big problem with this watch it is the size, which make it uncomfortable and uncool whenever you want to wear it casually.

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Highgear Axis Model 20037 Watch with Altimeter, Barometer, Digital Compass, Chronograph Mode, Temperature, Graphite Black. Highgear Axis Model 20037 Watch with Altimeter, Barometer, Digital Compass, Chronograph Mode, Temperature, Graphite Black.
Compact and full of advance functions, Highgear's Axis watch is not just an ordinary watch. This indispensable tool features an altimeter, barometer, digital compass, and temperature reading.
Price: $149.99

Highgear Digital Compass

It has a nice fit and feature a digital compass, a barometer, an altimeter, and a chronograph.

It is also water resistant.

Specially designed for hikers and trail runners.

It misses a heart monitor.

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Nike Men's Lance Armstrong 4 Watch #A0020-013 Nike Men's Lance Armstrong 4 Watch #A0020-013
Ride like the wind with the Nike Lance Armstrong 4 digital watch, which offers a number of powerful sport timing features and an easily readable display to keep you up to date on your progress as you race down the road.
Price: $259.00
List Price: $259.00

Nike Digital Compass

Very attractive watch with a comfortable band. Everything works fine except for the altimeter which everybody who used it says it is inaccurate.

Another frequent complain about this digital compass is about its manual - very small and lacking information.

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Casio General Men's Watches Protrek Triple Sensor PRG-110-3VDR - WW Casio General Men's Watches Protrek Triple Sensor PRG-110-3VDR - WW
Casio Watches - Casio watches are technologically advanced and equipped with functions that meet the requirements of all kinds of sports and all kinds of people. Casio watch - the watch for everyone!
Price:

Casio Digital Compass

Since its beginning in 1974, Casio has always been an innovative company which delivers high quality products.

And there is no exception when we look at all the Casio products that offer digital compass.

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Polar AXN700 Altimeter, Barometer, Temperature, and Compass Polar AXN700 Altimeter, Barometer, Temperature, and Compass
The Polar AXN500 altimeter/wrist heart rate monitor will help you keep track of your outdoor activities--from mountaineering to kayaking to spelunking--and keep your training goals in sight. The AXN500 takes all the features from the AXN500 and adds a compass for directional information. a WearLink fabric transmitter, heart rate rest test, and a slope counter for skiing.
Price: $449.95

Polar Digital Compass

May not be the most confortable digital compass watch but its features work properly.

  • Wireless ECG accurate heart rate
  • Weight management
  • Altimeter
  • Barometer
  • Compass

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Tissot Men's T-Touch Titanium Watch #T33.7.598.59 Tissot Men's T-Touch Titanium Watch #T33.7.598.59
Tissot brings its tradition of technological innovation to the T-Touch titanium men's analog/digital watch, which offers eight separate functions that are easily accessible via the watch's touch screen. In addition to precise, Swiss-manufactured timing features, the T-Touch also offers an altimeter, compass, thermometer, and barometer for tracking meteorological trends.
Price: $469.99
List Price: $850.00

Tissot Digital Compass

Solid build and great construction quality as usual on Tissot watches.

The pressure-sensitive glass surface is scratch resistant.

The compass uses the hour and minute hand and is easy to read.

The altimeter and barometer stays accurate if calibrated.

The thermometer uses the bottom plate as sensor, thus is only accurate when the watch is not worn.

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Victorinox Swiss Army 24837 St 5000 Mens Watch Victorinox Swiss Army 24837 St 5000 Mens Watch
Price: $593.89
List Price: $595.00

Victorinox Swiss Army Digital Compass

Perhaps too expensive for what it offers but no doubt a great digital compass watch.

Excellent construction and materials make this watch a fine piece even though it does not look like it worth almost $600.

Made in Switzerland with precision Swiss analog quartz movement; Titanium case (42 mm) with Caseback Screws; Shatter-Resistant, Anti-Reflection Hardened Mineral Crystal; Water Resistant to 5 ATM (50 meters/165 feet); Digital Compass with desired Heading Memory; Rotating Compass Rose Indicating Cardinal Points (N,S,E,W), Intermediate Points (NE, NW, SE, SW) and 360 Degrees in 15-Degree Increments.

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La Crosse Technology XG-55 Digital Altimeter/Compass Watch
La Crosse Technology XG-55 Digital Altimeter/Compass Watch
La Crosse Technology XG-55 Digital Altimeter/Compass Watch La Crosse Technology XG-55 Digital Altimeter/Compass Watch
Designed to be versatile enough to wear while hiking the trails or exploring a new city, the XG-55 has sophisticated electronic sensors to measure altitude, direction, barometric pressure, temperature and weather forecast.
Price: $53.00
List Price: $99.95

Digital Altimeter Watch with Compass


Coleman Digital Compass Coleman Digital Compass
Price: $24.06
List Price: $19.99
Digital Compass Digital Compass
Price: $39.00
List Price: $59.95
Brunton Nomad V2 Digital Compass Brunton Nomad V2 Digital Compass
Price: $42.20
List Price: $59.00
Handheld Digital Compass with Thermometer & Digital Clock Handheld Digital Compass with Thermometer & Digital Clock
Price: $26.95

Comments

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Hmrjmr1 profile image

Hmrjmr1  says:
5 months ago

Funride- good review I have a ProTrek that has done some very good service during my time in Iraq and kept us from getting lost while driving in Cyprus, England, and Others,while on R&R. Highly recommend them in general and the ProTrek in particular

funride profile image

funride  says:
5 months ago

Hi John, thanks for commenting and for sharing your experience with the Casio ProTrek digital compass. Which model do you have?

eovery profile image

eovery  says:
5 months ago

Meu Amigo de Portugal retronou.

Nice to have you back, funride.

Keep on hubbing!

funride profile image

funride  says:
5 months ago

Eheheheh... Eu nunca fui embora :P

It´s nice to be back. At least being able to publish some hubs... the last months were very busy with lots of work and I never had time to write ;)

Thanks for passing by ;)

BrianS profile image

BrianS  says:
5 months ago

One of these would be great for setting up a satellite dish.

funride profile image

funride  says:
5 months ago

That´s right, these digital compasses can be very useful for numerous activities and tasks ;)

Artemus Gordon profile image

Artemus Gordon  says:
2 months ago

So many now carry a GPS so I do not understand why you would want a seperate digital compass. A analog model would be the better backup to your GPS in an emergency.

Mitch King profile image

Mitch King  says:
2 months ago

Thanks for the review. I have been considering getting one of these to keep in my backpack.

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