The best compass overall
When choosing your first compass, you might be tempted to buy a high-end model with all the latest bells and whistles. But unless you intend to actually use all of these features, it's generally a good rule to keep things simple. When researching compasses, Suunto is a name you're going to see a lot, and our top recommendation for most people is this historic Finnish company's excellent M-3 Leader Compass.
Its baseplate design features a steel needle with a jewel bearing suspended in liquid for quick and stable readings. The clear baseplate has a handy magnifying lens along with scaled distance measurements in both kilometers and miles. The rotating bezel, or azimuth ring, is also marked in 360 degrees with two-degree increments to help you set a precise bearing.
Luminescent dial markings allow for use in low-light conditions, although you should still keep a good flashlight handy for using your map in the dark.
Made in Finland, the M-3 Leader boasts an ever-important declination adjustment as well. This allows you to correct for the difference between true north (the northernmost geographic point on the globe) and magnetic north (the magnetic pole towards which the metal compass needle is drawn). Built-in declination correction is nice to have, as the exact location of magnetic north shifts around and is relative to your location.
You can always manually correct for declination while making your calculations, but the M-3 Leader's built-in adjustment makes this easier and gives you one less thing to worry about on the trail.
Like many Suunto compasses, the M-3 is available with two needle options: One for the Northern Hemisphere (NH) and one for global use. The global model is a bit expensive at around $50, but if you're a globetrotter, that's the one you should get as the standard needle will not read properly when you're south of the Equator. The NH M-3 is highly affordable at roughly $30, however, making the Leader compass a solid value given its build quality, great design, and excellent suite of features.
Pros: Quick and accurate steel needle, metric and imperial distance measurements, 360-degree rotating azimuth ring with precise increments, a declination adjustment, and it's available with both NH and global needles
Cons: Global needle model is relatively expensive
Buy the Suunto M-3 Leader compass on Amazon for $30.22 (NH) or the global version from REI for $80The best budget compass
If you're on a tight budget, or if you just want a basic compass that's well-made and has the modern features a 21st-century navigator needs, don't settle for some cheap generic thing you found on Amazon. American maker Brunton has your back with its TruArc 3 compass, a no-nonsense baseplate design that offers an impressive suite of tools for its size and cost.
The fact that it's made in the United States is surprising enough at this price, but the value of the Brunton TruArc 3 really becomes apparent when you look at its many features. The rotating azimuth rings features 360-degree markings in two-degree increments, the compass has a tool-free declination adjustment, and the global needle is responsive, accurate, and good to go in either of Earth's hemispheres.
The only things this compass really lacks, at least when compared to other popular baseplate models like the Suunto Leader, are luminous markings and distance measurements. Although the TruArc 3 has rulers in inches and centimeters, they aren't scaled for map grids, so you'll have to do these calculations manually. This is hardly a deal breaker. Just be prepared to do a little basic math when figuring out the distance and plotting a course with your map.
Less than $20, you're simply not going to find a better value for a global compass than the Brunton TruArc 3. This baseplate model would be a great choice for a beginner or perhaps a young scout you know, but it's also perfect for any navigator looking for a good American-made compass that's easy on the wallet.
Pros: Metric and imperial baseplate measurements, accurate global needle, tool-free declination adjustment, an incredible value for its features and build quality
Cons: Non-luminous markings, baseplate measurements are basic inches/centimeters rather than scaled distance markers
Buy the Brunton TruArc 3 compass from REI for $15.95The best mirrored compass
Standard baseplate designs dominate the field of land compasses, but more advanced mirrored models are another popular choice, especially for experienced scouts with more demanding tastes and for those who need a compass built for quick navigation. A mirrored compass is essentially just a regular baseplate design with a mirrored lid that allows you to get a precise bearing and make quick course corrections using your natural surroundings.
A mirrored compass is used in like a lensatic, in that you are aligning the compass itself with a landmark and then using this reference point to set your bearing. Instead of a lensatic sight, a mirrored compass features a simple notch on the lid for alignment with your chosen objective.
Our pick, the Suunto MC-2, also has an additional sighting hole at the base of the mirror for use at high elevations, such as when you're referencing a low-lying landmark while standing atop a hill.
When you've aligned the compass with your target, hold it at eye-level with the lid tilted so you can see the dial in the mirror and rotate the bezel until the north marker is lined up with the needle. The straight vertical line running through the center of the mirror should at this point be lined up with your objective. Take note of the position of the mirror's sighting line relative to your azimuth ring and bingo — you've got your bearing.
Along with the sighted mirror, the Suunto MC-2 offers all of the tools you'd expect to find in a modern well-made compass: A steel global needle, a jewel bearing for smooth and stable needle movement, a 360-degree rotating azimuth ring marked in two-degree gradations for precise calculations, a declination adjustment, and Imperial and metric distance measurements on the clear baseplate protractor for plotting an accurate course with your map.
The MC-2 baseplate also features a clinometer for determining the incline or decline of a slope you're navigating. Like all Suunto compasses, the MC-2 is sturdily built in Finland and made to last. Although the mirrored lid is a potential weak point, it's far less likely to break with regular use.
Pros: Declination adjustment, global steel needle with a smooth-moving jewel bearing, metric and imperial distance measurements, clinometer for calculating inclines, durable Finnish construction, mirror with two sighting notches for quick and easy navigation
Cons: Mirrored lid is a potential breakage point
Buy the Suunto MC-2 mirrored compass on Amazon starting at $41.90The best compact compass
A full-sized compass is a must-have tool for making detailed calculations and plotting a precise course. Nonetheless, there will be many times when all you need is a basic reference tool for staying on track and a lensatic or baseplate might be overkill. A good compact pocket compass like the Brunton Tag Along Zip is a great alternative here, letting you gain your bearings at a glance.
The Tag Along is, admittedly, very basic. Measuring at two inches across, this palm-sized compass features a simple north-pointing needle surrounded by a non-rotating 360-degree azimuth ring marked in two-degree increments. Don't expect any declination adjustments or precise measurements here, although the two-degree markings are definitely a nice touch for a compass of this size given that similar models are typically marked in 5- or 10-degree gradations.
But what the Tag Along Zip does, it does well. It will point you towards magnetic north quickly, accurately, and reliably thanks to its fluid-filled housing and jewel bearing that keep the compass working smoothly. The lanyard hole lets you mount the compass onto a zipper, length of paracord, or any other attachment point that keeps the Zip handy. The needle housing is also see-through, so you can place it on your map and plot a rough course if the need arises.
At about the size of a silver dollar, it's highly usable without being too small, but the Brunton Tag Along Zip isn't a replacement for a standard baseplate or lensatic compass and it's not intended to be. What the Tag Along is, however, is a great backup or compact navigational tool for dead reckoning and keeping track of your bearing when you're moving and don't need (or don't want to bother with) all the complications of a full-sized compass.
Pros: Light and compact yet tough enough for rugged environments, accurate and responsive despite its size, two-degree bezel increments, and it's made in the U.S.
Cons: Azimuth ring does not rotate, made only for the Northern Hemisphere
Buy the Brunton Tag Along Zip compass on Amazon for $12.99The best military-grade lensatic compass
When it comes to hiking and camping, many people favor mil-spec kit, and for good reason: This gear tends to be very functional and built to incredibly demanding standards for use in notoriously harsh environments. A lot of USGI stuff, like the super-rugged CMMG Official US Military Tritium Lensatic from Cammenga, is also manufactured right here in the US without the fat price tag that often accompanies name-brand professional-grade equipment.
Pretty much all baseplate compasses have a housing filled with liquid, which helps to dampen needle movement for quicker and more accurate readings. Instead of a needle suspended in fluid, the Cammenga lensatic uses a flat dial that is kept stable using copper induction. This works in such a way that if the compass is damaged, the dial will likely still function just fine, whereas a fluid-filled compass might be rendered less operable (or entirely inoperable) if its housing cracks and fluid leaks out.
Liquid-filled compasses are also more prone to going wonky in extreme temperatures due to fluid expansion and contraction, another instance where a lensatic compass shines. It should come as no surprise, then, that lensatics are favored by military forces including the US Army owing to their resilient design.
One look at the OD green Cammenga is all you need to know that it's purpose-built for serious use. It's bulkier and heavier than your standard baseplate, but if you want a "go to war" compass (figuratively speaking), this is the one.
Aside from its tough-as-nails design, the Cammenga lensatic is also favored by troops due to its utility for navigating quickly through rough and potentially hazardous terrain. "Lensatic/prismatic" actually refers to the built-in sight, which you align with a distant landmark while calculating your azimuth using the flip-up magnifying lens to read the dial which is marked in both degrees and mils. Once you have a bearing, you move to the objective, similar to how a mirrored compass operates.
One drawback to this design is that it lacks a declination adjustment, so you'll have to control for this manually when plotting a course. It's easy enough to do: Know the local difference between magnetic and true north and factor this into your bearing.
It does have bright tritium self-illumination that never needs to be charged. At $70, the Cammenga lensatic is fairly expensive compared to our other picks, but it's worth every penny and competes with professional-grade compasses that cost twice as much or more.
Pros: Built like a tank, made in the US to demanding military specifications, lensatic sight is great for quick navigation, long-lasting tritium illumination makes it usable in the dark without charging
Cons: Heavy, lensatic design lacks a declination adjustment
Buy the Cammenga CMMG Official US Military Tritium Lensatic on Amazon for $86.71Check out our other outdoors buying guides
A good hiking pack is important for enjoying your next day hike or overnight camping trip and you need a reliable pack for multi-day treks, especially if you wander miles away from civilization. Here are our picks for the best hiking backpacks you can buy:
- Best hiking backpack overall: Osprey Stratos 50 Backpack
- Best backpack for mountaineering: Roamm Nomad 65 + 15 Backpack
- Best low-cost hiking pack: Teton Sports Scout 3400 Backpack
- Best hiking pack for hunters: ALPS OutdoorZ Commander + Pack Bag
- Best long-distance hiking pack: High Sierra Long Trail 90 Pack
By designing hydration packs with special compartments built to hold flexible water pouches, anyone has the ability to take liters of potable water with them wherever they go. Be it a five-mile day hike, a longer backpacking trek, or even a long-distance bike ride, there's a hydration pack available to satiate anyone's thirst. Here are our picks for the best hydration packs you can buy:
- Best hydration pack overall: Osprey Skarab 18
- Best hydration pack for runners: CamelBak HydroBak
- Best hydration pack for day hikes: Platypus Duthie A.M. 10.0
- Best hydration pack for cycling: Gelindo Insulated Hydration Pack
- Best hydration pack for commuting: Gregory Inertia 30
If you're headed out for a camping trip or assembling a disaster preparedness kit, always put a lighter and some emergency matches in there with the rest of the gear. But as lighters eventually run out of fuel or break, and as you can only carry a finite number of matches, it's a good idea to also bring along a fire starter. Here are our picks for the best fire starter you can buy:
- Best fire starter overall: Überleben Zünden Bushcraft Ferro Rod Fire Starter
- Best fire starter for ease of use: Zippo Emergency Fire Kit
- Best fire starter on a budget: SE FS374 All-Weather Emergency Fire Starter & Magnesium Fuel Bar
- Best fire starter for foul weather: UST Blastmatch Fire Starter
- Best solar fire starter: Cz Garden Supply Fresnel Lens Fire Starter
Effective mosquito prevention requires a multi-pronged approach in which you remove breeding grounds, kill off adult insects, and deploy products that repel these dangerous pests. If you had to choose just one item for your anti-mosquito arsenal, a wise choice would be time-tested OFF! Deep Woods Insect Repellent with its 25% DEET concentration that wards off mosquitoes, ticks, flies, and more. Here are our top picks for the best mosquito repellent products:
- Best mosquito repellent: OFF! Deep Woods Insect Repellent
- Best repellent for yards: Cutter Backyard Bug Control Spray Concentrate
- Best mosquito repellent wipes: Aunt Fannie's Mosquito Repellent Wipes
- Best bug zapper: Stinger Insect Zapper
- Best mosquito repellent candles: Light in the Dark Votive Citronella Candles
- Best mosquito traps for water: Summit Mosquito Dunks
- Best outdoor fan: Designer Aire Outdoor Standing Pedestal Fan
A sleeping bag is more than a matter of comfort. In extreme circumstances, having the right sleeping bag can be a matter of life and death. But that's no reason not to find one that's nice and cozy, too. The Hyke & Byke Quandary 15 Degree sleeping bag is warm and comfortable, lightweight and compactable, and it won't break the bank. Here are our picks for the best sleeping bags you can buy:
- Best overall: Hyke & Byke Quandary 15 Degree sleeping bag
- Best for extreme cold: Mountain Hardware Lamina Z Bonfire
- Best for a budget: Coleman North Rim Extreme Weather
- Best for casual comfort: Teton Sports Fahrenheit
- Best for couples: Sleepingo Double Sleeping Bag
When you're car camping, you only need to haul your gear a short distance from the back of your vehicle, so go ahead and bring along a big, bulky tent with all sorts of special features. Choosing the best car camping tent starts with simply considering the size of the tent you need and the environment you'll be in, as well as budget. Here are our picks for the best tents for car camping you can buy:
- Best tent overall: Coleman Carlsbad Fast Pitch Dome Tent
- Best tent for bad weather: Kelty Gunnnison 4 Tent
- Best affordable tent: Wenzel Shenanigans Teepee Camping Tent
- Best tent for three seasons: Slumberjack Roughhouse 4-Person Tent
- Best tent for big groups: Ozark Trail Family Cabin Tent