Finding your way: map and compass, phone GPS and the sun compared

What do I use to find direction and position?

Map and compass, smartphone or GPS unit, and rough direction-finding with the sun compared. Ratings describe typical use by people who know the method; devices and conditions can differ widely. Accuracy and battery-life figures are deliberately not given.

Starting situation

Legend
Method	Without power	Shows your own position	Reliable direction	In poor visibility	Little practice needed	Robust in cold and wet
Taking and following a bearing with a baseplate compass	Yes	Partly	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Navigating with phone and GPS: offline maps, battery, limits	No	Yes	Depends	Yes	Yes	Partly
Roughly estimating direction from the sun	Yes	No	Partly	No	Yes	Yes

Legend:● Yes◐ Partly◇ Depends○ No* = note available

Taking and following a bearing with a baseplate compass

Effort:: Moderate; practice needed
Needs:: Current topographic map, baseplate compass, declination from your own map

Without powerYes
Compass and paper map need no power.
Shows your own positionPartly
The compass shows no position; with a map and clearly identifiable terrain or a known starting point it can be worked out.
Reliable directionYes
With careful handling, distance from metal and declination taken into account. Small angle errors grow with distance.
In poor visibilityYes
A bearing can be held even in fog; relating it to the map gets harder without sight of terrain features.
Little practice neededNo
Needs practice and a known starting point – practise beforehand in familiar terrain.
Robust in cold and wetYes
The compass is robust; protect the map from wet.

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Navigating with phone and GPS: offline maps, battery, limits

Effort:: Low if prepared
Needs:: Charged device, offline maps, power bank or spare batteries, paper map as backup

Without powerNo
No navigation without a charged battery; plan a power bank and spare batteries.
Shows your own positionYes
Usually reliable in open terrain, even without mobile signal – provided maps are saved offline. Can be less accurate in narrow valleys and dense forest.
Reliable directionDepends
Depends on device, calibration and movement; the displayed accuracy is not always right. When in doubt, cross-check with a compass.
In poor visibilityYes
Positioning does not need sight of the terrain.
Little practice neededYes
Many people are familiar with it; offline maps must still be downloaded before the trip.
Robust in cold and wetPartly
The battery drains faster in the cold; wet can disrupt the touchscreen. Carry close to the body and dry.

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Roughly estimating direction from the sun

Effort:: Low, but time-consuming
Needs:: Sunshine, a stick, some time

Without powerYes
No equipment needed.
Shows your own positionNo
Gives only a rough cardinal direction, not a position.
Reliable directionPartly
Only rough; depends on season, time of day, latitude and hemisphere. Does not replace proper navigation.
In poor visibilityNo
Not usable under cloud, in fog or in darkness.
Little practice neededYes
Easy to learn, but takes time.
Robust in cold and wetYes
Nothing that can fail in cold or wet – as long as the sun is out.

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