Orienteering is an exhilarating outdoor sport that combines map reading, compass navigation and strategic movement across unfamiliar terrain to discover checkpoints. Whether trekking through rugged bushland, navigating dense forests or racing through urban parklands - it’s not just a test of endurance, it’s a test of mental agility and precise decision-making under pressure. 

At Wildfire Sports & Trek, we equip adventurers of all levels with the tools they need to master the wild. From elite competitors to beginners venturing onto their first course, our orienteering gear ensures you’re prepared for any expedition. Explore our curated selection of compasses and durable field equipment designed to withstand the demands of outdoor navigation.

Compasses

Your compass is the heart of your orienteering toolkit. An orienteering compass is a simple yet precise navigational tool used to align your map with the terrain and to follow bearings. It helps you determine direction, orient your map to the north, and stay on course between checkpoints during an orienteering event. At Wildfire Sports & Trek, we stock a wide range of compasses suited for all levels - from baseplate compasses for beginners to advanced thumb compasses for competitive racers. 

An orienteering compass typically has a clear baseplate that lets you see the map underneath while aligning routes and measuring distances. The rotating bezel - also known as the compass dial or housing - is marked with degrees (0° to 360°) and often includes the cardinal directions (N, E, S, W)  to help you set and follow bearings. Inside, the magnetic needle points to magnetic north and floats in a liquid for stability.

The direction of travel arrow shows the way forward once you've set your bearing. Inside the bezel, orienting lines and an arrow help you align the compass with the map’s grid. Together, these features make it easier to navigate precisely through terrain. Some orienteering compasses also include magnifiers or glow-in-the-dark elements for added convenience. Trusted Silva compasses, Suunto compasses and Str8 compasses are featured in our collection to help you stay on course, no matter where the trail leads.

Orienteering Equipment

In addition to a quality compass, reliable trail accessories are key to a successful orienteering experience. These pieces of orienteering equipment help you to maintain focus and performance throughout your navigation journey.

Contactless Timing Technology

Contactless timing technology is an innovation that’s transforming the sport of orienteering. Wildfire Sports & Trek is proud to offer timing solutions like the SPORTident ActiveCard Air (SIAC), with SPORTident being used by competitive orienteering organisations around the world. 

With Sportident ActiveCard, you can pass through timing control points without pausing, recording each visit automatically for fast and accurate race results. This not only streamlines the competition experience but also reduces congestion at control points, improving the flow of events and allowing athletes to maintain their momentum throughout the course.

Waterproof Map Case 

A waterproof map case ensures your map stays dry, legible and easily accessible, no matter the weather or terrain. The best map cases from adventure-ready brands like Sea To Summit offer clear visibility and flexible material that allows for quick folding and refolding on the move.

Trail Gaiters 

Hiking gaiters are an invaluable piece of trail kit, offering protection against thick underbrush, thorny plants and muddy ground. They are designed to be lightweight, breathable and durable enough to withstand the rigours of off-track movement, while preventing debris from entering your trail running shoes or hiking shoes, keeping you free of distractions.

With Salomon gaiters and Sea To Summit gaiters offering the durability and protection needed for the trail, you can traverse your next orienteering journey in comfort and confidence. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What Are The Basics Of Orienteering?

Orienteering has a passionate following for its blend of mental challenge and physical effort, its emphasis on self-reliance, and the joy of exploring nature with purpose. It can be a fun casual activity, a way to train outdoors, or a highly competitive sport with world championships.

Whether walking, running or racing, orienteering challenges both physical stamina and navigational skill. At its core, orienteering is about navigating with precision. It’s a timed race where each participant uses a detailed topographic map (often at a 1:10,000 or 1:15,000 scale) and a compass to navigate through a course laid out in the landscape. The winner is the person who visits all the control points in the right sequence and returns to the finish in the shortest time.

Orienteering maps are highly detailed, showing features like elevation (via contour lines), vegetation types, trails, cliffs, water bodies and human-made structures. Symbols are standardised internationally. Understanding how to interpret the map quickly and accurately is just as important as running fast.

A compass helps align the map to the terrain and maintain a precise direction of travel. Advanced orienteers often use thumb compasses, which stay attached to the thumb, allowing map reading and direction checking on the go. The compass is used to take bearings and help follow straight-line paths through unmarked terrain.

The fundamentals of orienteering involve using a specially designed map and a compass to find a series of control points in the correct sequence, also called checkpoints or controls. Each control is marked on the map with a circle and found in the field with a physical marker, usually an orange and white flag. Controls have a code number and often an electronic timing device to verify visits. Courses may have anywhere from a handful to over a dozen controls.

Each participant must interpret the map symbols, determine the best route through the landscape and navigate efficiently between checkpoints. Understanding terrain features, maintaining orientation and adapting quickly to changing ground conditions are key skills for orienteers at all levels. Success in orienteering involves a blend of:

• Navigation Skills: Map orientation, route choice, contour reading.
• Physical Fitness: Speed, endurance and agility, especially in rough or hilly terrain.
• Decision-making: Choosing between faster, easier routes or shorter, more challenging ones.
• Situational Awareness: Staying aware of landmarks and correcting errors quickly.

How Can Beginners Get Started With Orienteering?

Beginners in Australia can get started with orienteering by joining a local club, many of which offer beginner-friendly events and training. Entry-level courses are designed for newcomers, often held in safe, easy-to-navigate areas, and can be completed walking at your own pace.

Most orienteering clubs provide key materials, including maps and sometimes allow you to borrow or rent a compass. You’ll just need comfortable outdoor clothes and appropriate footwear for the conditions, such as trail running shoes or hiking shoes in natural environments, and road running shoes for city orienteering. A safety whistle, which you can find in our first aid and safety category, is also a critical part of your orienteering gear checklist to summon help in the case of an emergency. 

Do your own research to find events near you and connect with clubs in your state. Starting is simple - just show up, learn as you go, and enjoy exploring Australia’s outdoors in a new way.

How To Choose A Compass For Orienteering?

Skill Level & Compass Style

When selecting a compass as a beginner in orienteering, hiking and camping, it’s recommended you choose user-friendly styles to set off on the right foot. As you become more familiarised with the art and strategy of navigation, you may turn more attention to speed-focused features. 

Beginners - Baseplate compass: For beginners, a baseplate compass with a transparent, straight-edge design is ideal for aligning with map features. These versatile and durable compasses are ideal for precise navigation. 

Intermediate To Advanced - Thumb Compass: For intermediate to advanced orienteers, a thumb compass offers speed and ease of use during races, ideal for holding the map and compass simultaneously in one hand. They are available in right handed compass or left handed compass styles to accommodate the needs of each user.

Key Features Of An Orienteering Compass 

A quality orienteering compass is more than just a needle pointing north - it’s a purpose-built navigation tool designed to help you read maps, follow bearings and stay oriented in the wild. Here are the key compass features every orienteering beginner should know.

Essential Features:

• Transparent Baseplate: This clear, flat plastic platform serves as the foundation of the compass. Its see-through design allows you to place it directly on your map and see both the compass and terrain details at once. It usually has rulers or scales along the edges for measuring distances on the map.
• Rotating Bezel (Compass Dial): The circular, rotating dial is marked with degrees (0° to 360°). You use it to set a bearing or align your direction of travel. It helps you orient the map and yourself with the terrain.
• Magnetic Needle: The heart of the compass, this red-tipped needle always points toward magnetic north.
• Needle Stability: A liquid-filled housing helps the needle settle quickly and stay stable.
• Direction-of-Travel Arrow: Located on the baseplate, this bold arrow shows the way to go once you've set your bearing. It helps you follow a specific direction across the landscape.

Recommended Features: 

• Luminous Markings: Some compasses have glow-in-the-dark features - like the needle tip or directional arrows - which help with low-light navigation during early mornings, dusk or even night hikes.
• Magnifying Lens: Integrated into the baseplate for enlarging small map details, a magnifying lens is handy for reading fine print on detailed topographic maps, especially in low-light conditions.
• Sighting Mirror: Sighting compasses, including mirror compasses, allow for more precise bearing taking by aligning the compass with a distant object while viewing the dial at the same time, achieved with a foldable mirror. They enhance accuracy when navigating across longer distances or when you need to take bearings without losing sight of a landmark.
• Adjustable Declination: Adjustable declination helps prevent manual calculation errors and is convenient for frequent use in regions with significant magnetic declination. It allows you to account for the difference between true north and magnetic north by rotating the orienting arrow using a small screw. To calibrate your compass for your local declination, on Silva compasses the adjustment screw is typically located on the top of the compass, while on Suunto compasses it's often found at the base of the bezel ring. 

Please Note: A compass may be configured for Northern Hemisphere (NH), Southern Hemisphere (SH), or be globally balanced to function worldwide. A Northern Hemisphere compass is balanced so its magnetic needle remains level while pointing toward magnetic north, compensating for the downward tilt of Earth’s magnetic field in that region. In contrast, a Southern Hemisphere compass is weighted differently to counter the upward magnetic dip found in the south. Using a compass outside its intended hemisphere can cause the needle to tilt, stick or drag against the housing, making it unreliable. 

For Australian orienteering, reach for a compass that’s calibrated for the Southern Hemisphere. For worldwide use, a globally balanced compass is designed to function accurately in both hemispheres. 

Compass Brand Preference

When comparing Silva compasses, Suunto compasses and Str8 compasses - three of the most respected brands in the world of orienteering and adventure navigation - each offers unique strengths and benefits tailored to different user needs.

Silva

Silva is a Swedish company known for its versatility and innovation in navigation tools. Founded in 1933, Silva were pioneers in compass innovation, inventing the first liquid-filled compass and evolving their expertise into industry-leading technical designs, with basic beginner compasses also on offer. Their durable and lightweight baseplate compasses are widely used in both recreational and competitive orienteering, offering a balance of fast needle response, accuracy and user-friendly characteristics in a sturdy construction. 

Suunto 

Suunto, based in Finland, is renowned for producing rugged, highly reliable compasses. Their designs are often favoured by professionals and serious adventurers like mountaineers due to their precise engineering and durability. Suunto's feature-rich mirror compasses and baseplate compasses, often with adjustable declination, are a high-quality choice for hiking, backpacking, camping and orienteering. Many of their compasses include detachable lanyards or clips for additional convenience.

STr8 

Str8 focuses primarily on high-performance thumb compasses for competitive orienteering. Known for their fast needle stabilisation and customisable ergonomic designs, Str8 compasses are built for speed and responsiveness. They are a premium option, best suited for experienced orienteers who demand precision and efficiency during races. WIth right handed compasses and left handed compasses available from this family-owned company built on a rich orienteering history, STr8 is trusted by advanced navigators. 

Happy orienteering!