The other great thing is that I can set the magnetic declination (22° east in the northern South Island) and forget about it. When I go further south, say to Stewart Island, I adjust the declination to 25° east.

Whether one needs those extra features is debatable. Any compass is better than none, I guess, as long as the user knows how to use it and is aware of magnetic declination.

One other thing to consider is weight. My compass weighs 55 grams which may be a few grams too many for ultralight trampers.

Out of interest, do you find the mirror adds much? I’ve used a simple base-plate compass off-track for quite a while now… I don’t own my own GPS and I never want to going presuming to rely on it for the reasons you mention. So far I’ve found a base-plate compass useful enough (line up the edge on the map, point the arrow at the bearing, red end pointing at 22 or whatever the offset is, etc), although I’ve never been in a situation where it makes much of a difference to be off by a degree or two.

I don’t actually know anyone who uses anything much different from a base-plate compass, apart from the odd orienteering people who use those thumb compasses, so I haven’t seen anything more complex than a simple base-plate compass in use. I guess I’m wondering what I’m missing out on.

It’s the type of compass I used many years ago while living in Switzerland and doing Swiss Army service. Later, after participating in a three-day map and compass course in the Swiss Alps, I decided to buy a Recta DP6.

Obviously, while tramping on marked tracks and routes, there’s no need for a compass. Venturing off the beaten track into the wilderness, however, I frequently use my compass. Usually to pinpoint my exact position, or to find out the names of the mountains I’m looking at. Then there have been instances when, thanks to my compass, I was able to successfully navigate along open tops in whiteout. I have also used it to keep my bearings during long stretches of bush bashing.

Sure, these days you can fancy GPS gadgets that tell you exactly where you are. I still like using my compass though. It’s such a simple device, incredibly accurate, doesn’t need any batteries, and is fun to use. The prerequisite is, of course, knowing how to use a compass in conjunction with maps, and vice versa.