GearNavigationSuunto
Suunto M-3 NH
A northern-hemisphere baseplate compass with adjustable declination — the tool the Level 1 navigation module is taught on.
“A baseplate compass with adjustable declination, balanced for the northern hemisphere.”
L1-NAV-01 requires a baseplate compass with adjustable declination, because declination in Canada ranges from roughly 20° west to 20° east and a fixed-declination compass forces students to do arithmetic in the field that they will eventually get wrong. The M-3 NH is zone-balanced for the northern hemisphere and adjusts with a key.
What it does well
- Adjustable declination set once and forgotten
- Northern-hemisphere needle balance — no dragging needle in Canadian latitudes
- Readable in low light
What to know before you buy
- No sighting mirror; less precise than a mirrored compass for distant bearings
- Baseplate scratches easily in a pocket with a knife