Land Navigation Handbook: The Sierra Club Guide to Map, Compass and GPS (Sierra Club Outdoor Adventure Guide) [Paperback]

W. S. Kals (Author)

Book Description

Series: Sierra Club Outdoor Adventure Guide | Publication Date: September 1, 2005

This bestselling manual—now thoroughly revised and updated—is designed for anyone who wants to chart a course in the wilderness: hiker, backpacker, snowshoer, skier, fisherman, or hunter. Step by step, it teaches the skills that enable you to answer the vital questions: Where am I now? Which way do I head to reach my destination? How far is it? And how long will it take me to get there?
Included here are the basics of interpreting maps and orienting by compass, as well as more advanced techniques for measuring distances and estimating travel times; determining and adjusting for local declination around the globe; using an altimeter to add the dimension of height to one’s position; and navigation by means of sun and stars. In updating the late W. S. Kals’s text, Clyde Soles focuses on the latest developments in technology and equipment, such as digital mapping software and handheld GPS units, and provides an overview of marine navigation for sea kayakers. Visuals include a full-color foldout topographic map for reference and practice, plus dozens of helpful drawings and photographs.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

W. S. Kalswas a planetarium director and the author ofPractical NavigationandThe Stargazer's Bible,among other books.Clyde Soleshas written four books for The Mountaineers and regularly contributes articles on outdoor equipment, nutrition, and fitness to publications such asBackpacker, Outside, Hooked on the Outdoors,and the online outdoor and fitness resource GearTrends. He also foundedTrail Runnermagazine and has been a senior editor at the climbing magazineRock&Ice.

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Sierra Club Books; 2nd edition (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578051223
• ISBN-13: 978-1578051229
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #873,528 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Comprehensive and easy to understand, August 30, 1999

By 

Jude E. Sanchez Jr. (Las Pinas City Philippines) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Land Navigation Handbook: The Sierra Club Guide to Map and Compass (Paperback)

The book discusses in detail every technique that you need to know to become a very good land navigator. It explains very simply and clearly the different types of maps and compasses. Teaching the novice or expert basic and advance navigational techniques which are both simple and practical. So far this is the best book that I have read with regards to land navigation.

68 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Overrated and Outdated, December 3, 2004

By 

Peter - See all my reviews

This review is from: Land Navigation Handbook: The Sierra Club Guide to Map and Compass (Paperback)

It's beyond me why people recommend this book for first-time backcountry hikers, adventure racers, or backpackers who want to learn how to read a map and use a compass in the wilds. Even the old time-encrusted 'Be Expert With Map and Compass' book is easier to learn with, and that's saying something!

The writers (Kals died years ago, and the book was recently slightly revised and augmented with GPS information) take far too long getting to the point in teaching map and compass fundamentals. Mr. Kals was an amateur sailing enthusiast, not a hardcore wilderness hiker, and this influence shows in his frequent references to this sport - but sea navigation bears little resemblance to wilderness land navigation! Kals' frequent deviations from the relevant topic are worsened by the fact that the book pages are small (you can't even crack the book flat on a table while referring to it and doing a few nav exercises) and the resulting illustrations are less than clear. The whole book reminds me of an old first-year astronomy text - interesting discussions of abstract planetary and magnetic concepts, but very long in coming to the point when it comes to practical instruction. Furthermore, Kals tries too often to be clever when he should be trying to be clear and concise. Even with the so-called revision, it remains a slow-reading book that takes too long to get across the concept of practical back-country navigation in most wilderness environments. I am convinced that someone interested in backcountry navigation will want a modern teaching guide that helps them learn quickly, and not three pages on the virtues of an obsolete 1902 compass design! Oh, and the added-on GPS information is far too scanty to serve as a useful guide - better to master map/compass work first, then try a few geocaching exercises while using the factory instruction manual.

The fact is most every new backcountry navigator will want and need to practice mapreading and compass skills in the field with ANY instruction book. But there are much better instructional texts (and, with easier-to-follow illustrations!) than this one for learning basic map and compass skills, and learning them quickly (try The Essential Wilderness Navigator, for just one example.)

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get this book!!!! it'll be your best choice, October 17, 2003

By 

MT "Marcov" (Mexico City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Land Navigation Handbook: The Sierra Club Guide to Map and Compass (Paperback)

This is a great book, it is careful explained, written in plain english, it explains everything about map and compass navigation ...and it goes further explaining about stars navigation, altimeter navigation, scales, cross country navigation and much more!, all explanations are carefully developed to made easy the learning process.

If you are looking for a book to get usefull knowledge about land navigation or compass and map skills this your best choice.

This is a book for all people, beginers and intermediate users will be pleased and satisfied, the book contains a lot of useful information.

Author is an expert!!!, no doubt this is the best book about map & compass navigation and the best choice!