Why a Geocacher Needs a Compass

You're probably wondering that if you already have a GPS receiver (especially if it has an electronic compass), why you should bother carrying a compass while you're geocaching. Here are some good reasons:

• Compasses don't need batteries to tell you which direction you're going.
• Compasses work in deep canyons and under thick tree canopies. GPS receivers sometimes don't work under these conditions.
• Water or extreme temperatures don't affect compasses. In general, compasses are far less fragile compared with GPS receivers.
• Some geocaches require you to take compass bearings to successfully find a cache.
• Compasses are relatively inexpensive. This makes them a cheap, backup insurance policy just in case something bad happens to your GPS receiver