Discussion: Upgrade to Apple Watch Ultra?

I have a Garmin 235. Should I upgrade to an Apple Watch Ultra? I guess it depends on what you need... do I NEED an Ultra?

Just kidding! But seriously folks, did anyone watch the Apple Event yesterday and notice that it has a "Compass App" with an "orienteering view"? That's right, they said the word "orienteering". As someone who is used to blank or puzzled looks when I say I do "orienteering", I think this is great publicity that only the largest corporation in the world by market capitalizationcan can bestow. Maybe in the future people will say, 'yeah, my iWatch does that'.

Maybe Orienteering USA could convince the folks at 1 Infinite Loop to sponsor Sharon Crawford and put her in one of their adds? I can dream...

I have heard from some that wearing an Apple watch on the same arm where you hold your compass does not work well.

^ can confirm — however if you wear your watch and compass on opposite arms or are willing to switch ur watch arm before every orienteering event, shouldn’t be a problem

So I need three arms for my watch, compass and SIAC?

^ the person confirming is the person I first heard it from. :-)

Mention of a compass app reminds me of the year I did the London City Race and started alongside someone, whom I suspect had limited orienteering experience, who was using a compass app on his phone. I confused him spectacularly by asking him whether the app was pointing to true or magnetic north.

I think your joke is even funnier if you know the difference is around half a degree!

With its release, Apple has officially entered the sport watch market—trail runners, triathletes, adventurers, etc. It’s available in three venue specific straps—trail, alpine and water. Lots of metrics for endurance and elite athletes.

The orienteering view shows Compass Waypoints and Backtrack. Backtrack incidentally works when off the grid. I guess for orienteering that could be similar to a safety bearing—return to Start. Also has a siren that could be used a kin to a whistle in orienteering.

Mr Pedant here. Apologies. Today at Greenwich in London mag variation is 1 degree 36 minutes East.

Yes, but Mr. Pedant should be quoting the declination on Sep. 10, 2016. (Whether he is correctly styled "Mr Pedant" or "Mr. Pedant" is a transatlantic frippery.)

My source must be out of date!

No, I think I am in error. I just tried it again and got 0.68 East. I may have to take my socks off to help with the calculation

Who would trust a website that says (and I paste) Answer: +0.61° (1°36')

Looks like they round to the nearest integer instead of rounding towards zero for the degrees. Otherwise, it's solid!