Discussion: Map Running and Compass

Hey, first time writer, long time reader. A question for the more experienced. I have enjoyed reading the discussion threads over the past year and have enjoyed the wit and wisdom, and as it appears they are not mutually exclusive.

Last year I turned 40, decided to get back in shape and discovered Orienteering all in the same week. My learning curve has been vertical and I’m looking for a little help on two things.

1. When I do an easy training run with map in hand (as you guys recommend), I notice that I am much more fatigued than an easy run at the same pace over the same distance without a map in hand. Is it all in my head? Or is this just part of my learning curve?
2. Looking for your recommendations on a thumb compass. What and where to buy? Hopefully something with a magnifier as the eyes are going faster than the legs at this point.

I have only done local klub events so far but I’m dedicating the rest of the year to more intense training so I can do some “A” events next year. Your input would be greatly appreciated.

2. At about age 50 (now 55), I switched to bifocal glasses and they've been fine for me. Rain is the only disadvantage. Eye protection is a plus over contacts. I've never tried contacts, but lots of orienteers can give you advice on those. I am curious how 'running' orienteers adapt to use of the magnifier. Also, I find it much easier to read details on my map out-of-doors (even cloud covered) than in-door lighting.

click here is the USOF site and lists several reliable O-equipment dealers. As an intermediate, Moscow thumb compasses have been fine and reasonably priced.

I tend to slow down and tense up while trying to read a map, in order to keep the map steady. If you do the same thing, and if you're tense for most of your run, I'd imagine you'd be more fatigued at the end. It gets better with practice.

If you want to use a magnifier, you may prefer a baseplate compass. I've found that it's very hard to get an entire leg in the magnified area. That means that you have to shift your thumb position away from where you are to do your route planning - which completely defeats the purpose of a thumb compass.

I also find that (and this is a minority view) reading the compass and reading the map are two different activities that I may want to do at different times. I run with the map in my left hand and the baseplate in my right. I've never had a problem orienting the map based on a reading I just took a few seconds earlier - you don't have to have the map aligned to the nearest degree - just enough that you can read the features without having to rotate the map in your head.

Finally, if your A-meet itinery includes the Flying Pig, you may find that the baseplate has a secondary function as a climbing device. On more than one occasion I've watched others helplessly slide back down into a greasy reentrant while I forge ahead by jamming the plate into the mud to form a nice handhold.

I do like the thumb compass and find that the immediacy of having my compass on my map at all times helps me prevent the mistake of finding that my natural sense of north has become off(usually based on going through some sort of thicker vegetation where it might be difficult to go straight and takes effort to get through). I currently use a moscow compass that I like but have had several people recently recommend the Silva jet 6 (I think that is what it is called) to me as well. The Silva compasses that I've seen tend to have a thicker needle which might be easier to see. Before you buy one, be sure to note which hand you prefer to carry your map in when on a course so that you buy the compass for the appropriate hand. I wore my first thumb compass on my left hand because I didn't realize that I had a preference and then was often suprised to find part of the way through a course that my map had ended up in my right hand. After I realized that my next compass was for the right hand so that compass and map are naturally in the same place.

Good luck and I hope that you can get to some good A meets this fall or next spring.

Another point with thumb compasses. Each manufacturer uses a different angle between your thumb and the edge. Depending on the angle at which you naturally hold your hand, this effects how closely the compass shows the bearing you want without you having to twist your wrist around. I used a Moscow compass for a while and then switched because I was always off-bearing with it.

I highly recommend the thumb compass with magnifier that Scarborough Orienteering puts together. It swings away for route planning; swings back for detailed navigation; so no need to move the compass away from your location on the map. Rain, fog, and sweat are a problem, as with bifocals, but it's a lot easier to wipe off without breaking your stride. And it gives you a much larger area of the map with clear vision than the bifocals. Works great with a Moscow compass.

I must confess I haven't yet managed to work any magnifier smoothly into my technique. Perhaps if I needed one in areas that weren't exceptionally detailed, my motivation would be higher. However, I have experimented some with carrying a Silva Thumb magnifier (separate from the compass - the Compass Point sells them online) on my non-map-holding hand. It's definitely out of the way until and unless you choose to place it over the map and you can place anywhere you like without having to move your thumb compass from your current location.

Thanks for all your comments. I agree with the tense running concept. Relax and enjoy.
The SO magnifier is a good find. Gives you the option of using it or swinging away. May become bulky or break off easily with a roll down a Flying Pig reentrant. I will try it both ways. Thanks again.