Digital Compasses Review - Best Digital Compass Watches

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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 innovative 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
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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.

This way you can buy a nice watch and a digital compass at the same time.

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 T42681 Expedition Adventure Tech Digital Compass Rubber Strap Watch
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.
Amazon 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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Origo Gannett Peak Series Navigating Black Watch with Orange Azimuth Ring
Primus Gannett Orange Digital Compass By Primus
Amazon Price: $70.00

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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No Amazon products found

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 back-light -- 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.
Compact and full of advance functions, Highgear's Axis watch is not just an ordinary watch.
Amazon 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 WA0020-013 Lance Armstrong 4 Watch
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.
Amazon 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 Men's Pathfinder Triple Sensor Altimeter/Barometer/Digital Compass Watch #PAG40-3V
Casio watches are technologically advanced and equipped with functions that meet the requirements of all kinds of sports and all kinds of people.
Amazon Price: $200.00

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
This altimeter/compass/wrist heart rate monitor will help you keep track of your outdoor activities and keep your training goals in sight. The AXN500 takes all the features from the AXN500 and adds a compass for directional information.
Amazon Price: $449.95

Polar Digital Compass

May not be the most comfortable 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 T33759859 T-Touch Titanium Watch
In addition to precise, Swiss-manufactured timing features, the Tissot T-Touch also offers an altimeter, compass, thermometer, and barometer for tracking meteorological trends.
Amazon Price: $677.00
List Price: $895.00

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 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 Case-back 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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Digital Altimeter Watch with Compass

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.
Amazon Price: $69.95
List Price: $99.95

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More Digital Compasses:

Coghlan's Outdoorsman Digital Compass
Amazon Price: $17.88
List Price: $25.98
Coghlan's Big Screen Digital Compass
Amazon Price: $19.88
List Price: $31.98
Coleman Digital Compass
Amazon Price: $6.76
List Price: $24.99
Brunton Nomad V2 Digital Compass
Amazon Price: $25.00
List Price: $78.00
Handheld Digital Compass with Thermometer & Alarm Clock
Amazon Price: $19.55

Comments

Hmrjmr1 profile image

Hmrjmr1 Level 3 Commenter 2 years 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 Hub Author 2 years 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 2 years ago

Meu Amigo de Portugal retronou.

Nice to have you back, funride.

Keep on hubbing!

funride profile image

funride Hub Author 2 years 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 2 years ago

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

funride profile image

funride Hub Author 2 years ago

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

Artemus Gordon profile image

Artemus Gordon 2 years 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 2 years ago

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

Bernie 22 months ago

Whatever you do, DON'T buy an "OUTDOOR PRODUCTS" digital compass, they JUST DON"T WORK. Each time they point to a different direction, even after calibration. Altimeter is also no good. Just a piece of junk.

I bought mine at Wallmart for $20.00 +

funride profile image

funride Hub Author 22 months ago

Hey Bernie, thanks for your feedback. Sometimes the low price really means something...

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