As a former mountain guide, I consider the compass somewhat useless, unless you are orienteering or in the "farmland in Minnesota" or any of the other flat, feature challenged, terrain, TX, OK, KS...

Out west, unless you know of a goal, distance and direction, Stay put and press SOS button. If you feel the need to hike out, follow drainage or the road that follows drainage. I couldn't care less if drainage goes north, south, east, or west. Having said the above I do fly with a compass on my paracord bracelet, and on the whistle in my smack pack.

I agree the map is a very handy feature, much better than a compass.


On Sunday, May 13, 2018 at 5:00:09 AM UTC-7, Paul Remde wrote:

...The unit can post to social media sites like Facebook, and it has a built-in digital compass.

I still like the color maps on my Garmin inReach Explorer+ for emergency "hike out" situations. But I only need that when I fly in remote areas in the Western USA. I don't need it when flying over farmland in Minnesota.

Best Regards,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.