THIS is how to use a compass: (very) simplified 

Wow, I have never been able to understand the compass. So many people have tried to show me but I've never understood . I couldn't sleep last night so I came down stairs I put RU-vid on to learn something and I stumbled on your video explaining what's on a compass. Then I watched your next video how to read a compass, when I woke up this morning. I am so inspired by you and I'm so grateful, thank you so much. I have sent your videos to my friends this morning to teach their children.

I'll have to watch that again twice to get it really clear in my head. It's a very clear but information rich video. Thanks

I'm 64. About time I learned this. Thank you 🙏

As old Army map reading instructor it was nice to review and go over old lessons again....Great presentation

Great tutorial. Even though I am very proficient in this skill (24 yr career as a reconnaissance scout in the Army), I was curious how you instructed the subject so I watched it all the way through. Clear and concise intro to some of the basic skills of using a map & compass. While hikers/backpackers are always told they need to have a paper map and compass, most don’t and if they did, very few have a clue how to use them. I commend the poster for efforts to educate. Hopefully people first learn to: 1) read a topographical map - understand and envision the contour and elevation of the terrain depicted on the map 2) orient the map to the ground 3) identify where you and your destination are on the map 4) select a route and navigate using terrain association (following a straight azimuth is rarely the preferred way to get somewhere in the wilderness) If you can’t do the above, you should not venture off trail and probably only limit yourself to well marked day hikes. These can provide good opportunities to practice map reading and navigation skills but with mitigated risk of becoming lost.

This was a useful refresher. I tend to rely on my phone's GPS (usually not relying on signal for the map, as I'd have that downloaded already, but the GPS only requires a view of the sky), and when ultralight camping I ditch both the paper map and compass. If I was going anywhere where getting lost put me at serious risk, though, it would be wise to have the backup in case the phone dies.

I learned all this in the Cub Scouts and got a proficiency badge...over 50 years ago! I had forgotten so much of the fine detail of using a compass not having used it since. Thank you so much.

Nice one 👍🏻 you explained this so well , it's so easy to listen to your instructions very well demonstrated

I was taught to take two bearings before starting out. This way you always have a positive find and helps with triangulation which also helps with drift when walking on an azimuth direction you just showed that or illustrated this technique. It’s like a forgotten tutorial. Nobody shows that. And people get lost all the time. They don’t know triangulations techniques and still can’t find themselves on a map or position. I was taught in Boy Scouts, explorers club(US Army reserves cadet club) an extension of Eagle Scouts, JROTC, USMC to take two bearings when sighting a azimuth. SEMPER FI

The question of the ages, answered! I’ve bought compasses, had them given to me over the years, none of them came with instructions. So each time I got one, I’d try to fit out and then toss it into a drawer somewhere. So then your video popped up on my RU-vid screen randomly. This video answered so many questions! I know! Sounds stupid but when one doesn’t know well he just doesn’t know! Thanks. Subscribed.

Best educational video ever! Thank you for posting this video.

It is imperative to note where you are. So that you can use the compass to get back to where you were. I learned that in the Boy Scouts. Where you want to go secondary.

Thank you. I learned these skills even before army, but this video made it so much easier for me to explain it to someone who doesn't undrstand it at all.

I've watched several videos on how to use a compass, and watching your video it all finally clicked! Thanks!

Best compass/map tutorial I have seen. Liked it. Makes me want to go out hiking and practice.

Simply and pedagogically explained so that a Swede can easily understand, THANK YOU

In my younger days as a Boy scout, the only compass 'lesson' learnt was that (then had only one) needle that always pointed north. Never grasped the idea how to rescue yourself with only that information. There's so much more to using the compass as this video shows.

To find your position on a map, I was taught to take the reverse azimuth when sighting on a known terrain feature. The intersection of the two reverse azimuth lines from the known terrain features gave me the approximate position. I find that simpler than the method you described.

Nicely done. Wish this video or content like this was available 30 years ago before I joined the Corps. Would have made learning Land Nav much less stressful than the instructors were making it 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Fantastic tutorial for basic map & compass use. Thank you for taking the time to educate using clear and simple instruction.

I'm a lady in my 60's and have always wanted to know how to read a compass! Now I know. Great info, thank you so much!! xx

Thank you for that. I vaguely knew how to use a compass, but this has gone a good way to filling out that partial knowledge. As an aside, I grew up in Blackrod, so you can imagine the shock of recognition when Rivington Moor came up as an example map. I've been up in the gardens and along the ridge between the Pigeon Cote and the Pike more times than I can remember.

Very nicely done! Excellent

All of your videos are excellent and I have learned so much from them. This one is so clear and concise and understandable. I wasted a lot of time watching confusing, poorly done videos and some of them have misinformation in them. Had I started with this I would have been much better off! Thank you for creating this wonderful content.

As a former wildernes river guide (20+ yrs), this is one the best primers Ive seen. Clear, useful info, and most importantly; REALISTIC demos! Watched too many vids where a victim goes from a crumpled mess --"look, an eagle! "-- to on a backboard.❤"...map and compass dont lie." 😂😂😂

Most excellent video. Clear, concise, informative. Best compass video so far, thankyou !

Hey there bud, just came across your channel, excellent content very clear and straight to the point, and from someone I would assume knows this very well :)

very nicely put together. clear and informative. thank you.

You buy the Silva, Type 4 compass. That’s where you start, it’s not the cheapest , but you’ll always be using it. It will spend a lot of time in your hands if you’re new to ‘Map Reading’. It will or should last you years! Thanks for the vid, clear and concise.

Excellent presentation. Thank you.

Enjoyed this haven’t had time for one but always wanted to get one , definitely got some motivation now Great presentation, very through. Glad you popped up in my feed . Much appreciated 👍

I find some people have a general idea of direction and some have no idea about which direction north is from where they are standing. I have often told my children from where you are standing in which direction does the sun come up in the USA and will point in that basic direction so I tell them that must be east. If that is east turning 180 degrees must be west and so on. I have enjoyed watching and listening to each video you post and they all are very informative and interesting. I live 3 miles from the Gulf of Mexico and when someone asks me why they should have a compass and learn how to use I tell imagine you went fishing and the fog rolled in how would know which direction would lead you home? Thanks a million for sharing your knowledge and many years of experience with all of us. Jim Hill

I learned alot from all your videos, greating from the USA.

Excellent instructions and very clear to follow steps thank you

Good stuff……great explanations and examples!

Astonishing great explanation.Thank you

A very nice and clear lecture on compass, now I get to know how it works, thank you! ❤

Great job of explaining things, thanks.

I love these videos, really interesting. I have to say that this guy looks incredibly like Scott Tracy from Thunderbirds.

Great stuff, thank you for the clear explanation.

What an excellent video. Thank you

I really love your videos, well presented and very easy to understand. Hats off from Germany !

Fantastically clear and concise explanation, thank you!!!

Brilliant brilliant. Well simplified.

THE BEST video, THE video with the most CLARITY, I have seen in 6 to 8 months. I finally have learned to use my compass!!!! Thank you so much!!!

Great info!

Great instructions, thankyou

This is FANTASTIC! Thank you!

was taught how to use a map compass by the south wales borderers back in the 1960 s as a cadet ,of course time has moved on and we now have satelite Navigation which can tell you where you are within a few feet ,its still good practice to use the methods described in this video just in case sat nav failure. Good video chap for those who wish to learn how to Navigate .

What a GREAT teacher! I will have to watch a few times to understand but am excited to learn how to do this stuff. Thank you so much for helping me understand... :)

Thank you gor your quick reply, much appreciated.Jeff

very informative! thanks for sharing your knowledge!

Thanks for the deets! It was very educational and exciting to gather new knowledge and wisdom. Cheers to more blissful moments!

Lovely lesson . I’m going to give it a try

Outstanding instructional vid. Thank you Sir.

A fantastic film thank you, I need to watch it a few more times then I will understand the technique better. Much appreciated, thank you.

Fantastic review!! Thank you!

as a totally absolute beginner i found the vid very helpful i may need to watch a few more times but its a real help thanks

Great video, reminds me when I was young we learned to use a compass before there was GPS. A good skill to have, thank you

I've never been proficient at reading maps let alone performing compass readings. Your explanation was just what I needed. And as I now have varifocal lenses I can now see where I'm going while reading a map. 👍

Thank you very well explained.

Really informative! Subscribed.

Thanks for this, I bought the Silva Ranger 3 a good while ago and have never used it. I know my way round Rivington so I will give it a try sometime, I may wait while next summer now. Chris PS i may have to watch this a few times to get it in my head to figure out the declination bit.

This has been very helpful! THANKS!

Great reminder, have done a lot of walking in the 1970s it was good to revisit forgotten principles.

Thank you, very inspirational

Good video! One thing needs to be added...keep the compass away from any metal when taking your bearings.

This video is very informative and covered many things simply. Thank you for this.

Such a great instruction video so well presented many thanks

Excellent tutorial!

I need three things. A compass. A large area of fields and trees and streams. The excellent fortune to be graced alongside of you. With a bit more thought, you'll notice I'm already los----- uh no I 'm already uncertain of my current location and what would truly be needed. You are an amazing person and great teacher. Thanks for these. I love the whole process and hope in some way will get to put it to use. Thank You.

Great informative video thanks for sharing.

This is the best explanation of how to use compass. I understood the first part easily but the 2nd part about declaration went over my head. Guess need to rewatch it.

Excellent tutorial legend 👍.

An excellent explanation, and how great to see Anglezark on a map once again.

great video You made it so easy to understand and very clear explanation of all aspects of using a compass and a map.

Well done, great tutorial, very easy to follow and understand especially the declination section. I've seen a few tutorials on this and most will explain how to set the declination but not show it as clearly as you have.

Great guide. Thank you.

Great info, an awesome skill to know. New friend here.

Such a excellent teaching voice

Thank you so much for this excellent video. I will continue to study these excellent instructions until I can fully understand the whole process. Once again thank you so much.

Good knowledge thank you for sharing 🙏 God Bless

Wonderful information delivered perfectly, thank you for sharing this with me

Brillant video 👍

Wow. This is great. Thank you.

Great use of lighting to highlight and explain

Superb explanation and tutorial. Thank you 🙏 🗺️ 🧭

Very clear explanation, well done.

Excellent video and super clear

Great video. Thank you.

I just wanted to say that this was well done.

Thanks, very helpful.

Great demo, thank you!

I never really ever learned a compass correctly. I have hiked all over , wander I never got seriously lost . Thanks for the leason .

Excellent information thank you

Very simplified and so clear! 10/10

excellent video. Thanks.

I thought I knew how to use a compass. Today I learned that I did not. Now I do. Great video and thank you for the great and thorough video!

great job! thanks.

A very good explanation. Thank you.