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CompassHand: the solution for happy fingers
I’d tell you to picture the scene: but it’s one we all know too well. A cold, wet day in the mountains, the wind is whipping your hair across your face, The rain has soaked through the creases in your map and your hands are cold and starting to feel numb. You can’t line up the bearing you want on your compass, because trying with gloves is hopelessly inaccurate and your fingers can hardly grip the compass housing to turn it.
Each bearing is painstakingly drawn out and everything takes much longer.
Enter the ultimate solution: CompassHand.
Simple and lightweight, CompassHand slots on around the compass housing.
As you place it on the compass, line up the pointer with your desired bearing- this allows the handle to double up as a direction of travel arrow, helping you to find your line of sight. Using a simple fold-down clasp, like those found on many watches, the device is secured around your compass, and the rubber grip holds the compass tighter than your sore, cold fingers.
You can then use the easy to move handle to line up the needle with the orienting arrow and you’re ready to go.
If you’d prefer not to re-attach the CompassHand for every bearing, you can leave it in place and just line up your bearing on the compass, or even set it attached at North to make it easier to see when the needle is aligned. Don’t forget not to follow the CompassHand’s direction of travel arrow if you do this though!
The clasp is adjustable in order to fit compasses of various sizes, as there is a bump on the end of the clasp to fit into indentations in the casing.
This idea could make accurate navigation in bad weather much easier and more comfortable- as CompassHand can be used without removing your gloves.
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I’m a student at the University of Derby, Buxton, studying Outdoor Activities Management, and I don’t like it when my fingers get cold & don’t work!
Comments
I did struggle with how to secure the clasp, and grippers on the handle could be a good solution- The thought I was going for is similar to how a belt buckle stays done up but rather than the buckle going right through the strap it sits in an indentation. I admit that the logistics of fastening the device need some work, but this is possibly something which will require testing on different prototypes.
Another possible solution would be to use a worm screw (i.e jubilee hose clip) or a simular screw arrangement to ski boots where the clip srews down a tread holding it on.
Ski boots! Thanks Bob, I knew I’d seen something recently that had given me that Aha moment about the solution to the clasp issue… shame I’ve got big memory problems! I think a worm screw might be too fiddly and defeat the object of making the compass less fiddly.
this would be a helpful item but why not redesign the compass itself to accomodate gloved hands? most consumers would rather buy one item that meets their needs than buy two items.
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That’s a slimmer version of the Boa that’s sold for opening jar tops.
How would you get the adjustable clasp to bite and stay in its new position? The Boa has grippers at the handle end.