Customer Reviews

Staying Found: The Complete Map and Compass Handbook

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I know why Fleming's readers stay found: after they set up their maps to take a bearing they are reluctant to move again.

Friends of mine use Fleming's method of laying their maps on the ground and orienting everything just so before they transfer bearings to the map. It's time-consuming and they often goof up because the darned map moves around. (Fleming suggests putting rocks on the map edges.) My objection is that there is a much quicker, easier and foolproof method and other map and compass books (and compass manufacturers' handbooks) that I've seen use it: Use a compass with settable declination and when you transfer your bearing to the map, align your compass's meridian lines with the map's grid lines. You don't need to orient your map; you could be standing on your head and it wouldn't matter. This method only takes a few seconds to accomplish (as long as you don't stand on your head). To be fair, Fleming includes this method in an appendix for people who can't find a flat place (and people who maybe don't have all day to take bearings).

Fleming's objection to the faster, easier method is that grid north is not the same as true north. In my area, there's about 1/2 degree difference so big woo. If it matters, draw lines of longitude on your map before you start.

I think Fleming is in love with her "main" method even though it's not very practical for the kinds of people she's addressing. Give it up, June, and you'll have a better book.

Fleming's objective is to provide a way of using a map & compass that is easy to remember as well as being not intimidating, and she achieves these results remarkably well in her book Staying Found. I have been out in the woods backpacking off-trail and have been able to use these techniques successfully, not only "staying found" but also navigating to small hidden lakes. Carol in California is lucky - in MY area, the declination is currently 19 degrees. Considering this value drifts back & forth, and that being even one degree off when you're taking your compass bearing can get you seriously lost, I think I'll stick with June's method rather than draw lines on my map that change from year to year.

I agree, the method of drawing lines on maps is egregiously flawed. For one, you must keep drawing lines on your map every year to change with declination. For every degree of error in calculating declination you can expext to miss your target by 1/60 of your distance travelled. Having said this, Fleming presents the material in an easy to understand format. She will help you to become a more confident backcountry traveller. Better to know what you are doing instead of drawing lines.

I don't recommend this book for beginners. You are either going to hit trail and stay on trail, or go off trail. If you never leave trail, you probably do not need a compass. If you go off trail you can get terribly lost, and you need a compass and map, and the knowledge of how to use them. This book has a few shortcuts to finding your way off trail, and some good tips on keeping to your route. These shortcuts and tips depend on orienting the map (moving it until it lines up with the topography) with true north-south according to your compass. This book is a lightweight compared to the Burns brothers book. It is not in error, but the approach to navigation can lead to confusion. Get the Burns brothers book and study it. Get a good compass with mirror and adjustable declination setting. Take those new toys and practice first before you head off into the boonies. Maybe some of the Fleming book can come in handy, as in setting up the tent according to the rising point of the sun, but you need a deeper understanding of navigation and compass to get off that trail and explore. See my review of the Burns book. And don't buy GPS or Altimeter without reading the Burns book first. As for drawing lines on the map: You would never bother with drawing lines at the angle of declination. You simply draw lines parallel to the edge of the topo so that you can take a bearing on the map. That is explained in the Burns book but not in the Flemming book. It would not hurt to read both books, but I think the Burns book is going to be your bible in wilderness navigation. Buy that one first, then maybe buy this one...