The Essential Wilderness Navigator: How to Find Your Way in the Great Outdoors, Second Edition

I can't compare to similar books because I chose carefully and bought one. My limited experience with others isn't enough to say this is the only one for you, but I can say that by a wide margin it's the one for me. It's only ~170pp but there's scarcely a wasted word or unnecessary idea in it. Others wander through extensive desultory discussions of compass design, magnetic anomalies, map projections, tables and graphs. This book mentions each, says about it what pertains to the subject at hand and moves on. (That's the "Essential" part.) The subject at hand is not getting lost, or if necessary getting unlost. So it spends half its column-inches explaining how to use a map, how to use a compass, and how to use them together, in a progressive, logical, concise style. That's what I bought it for and I think it performs that function admirably. It's an intelligently organized instruction manual for the use of our basic tools. Where this book excels, though, is that while embracing technical assistance (map & compass) it begins and ends with a deep appreciation of the myriad clues available for determining position without technical assistance if we learn to see and understand them. (That's the "Wilderness Navigator" part.) So most of the other half of its column-inches are devoted to navigating without, or in conjunction with, map and/or compass using sun, stars, watercourses, topography etc., how to think graphically and accumulate data, and how to behave sensibly. It espouses a cogent philosophy I'll sum up in three aphorisms: pay attention to where you are and visualize where you've been; practice and theory are both essential (more of one doesn't make up for less of the other); and, if lost, thinking is a better strategy than hoping. There's the obligatory cursory examination of GPS and a nod to Orienteering, each blessedly brief because neither can be properly addressed in anything less than more than this entire book. You can ignore those bits without penalty, and you can merely read pages that examine peculiar difficulties with generic solutions, or recount illustrative anecdotes. What's left, though, demands close and repeated attention as it's precisely to the point. Declarative statements, simple illustrations and prescriptive exercises will get you thinking and navigating expertly, if you're willing to do the work. One small note: the authors recommend, correctly, acquiring a baseplate compass. However, they say more than once that among its advantages is that almost all baseplate compasses offer built-in declination adjustment. My experience is that dealers nearly always offer compasses with and without this feature that look almost identical. Above a certain price, perhaps, their statement is accurate, but novice shoppers can't count on it. Of a large class I once took, nearly half the students had bought new baseplate compasses that could not compensate for declination. Not one of them realized it. Unless you live in Wisconsin, or eschew maps, or can do the math flawlessly in your head, declination compensation is well worth requesting.

I've wanted to do some hiking in some of the state and national parks near my home, but I've been afraid of getting lost. Every year there are stories of hikers who had to be "found" when they lost their way. In most cases they weren't carrying a map and compass (or maybe didn't know how to use one?) and or their GPS failed for some reason. In any case, search and rescue crews spend a fair amount of time each year locating the lost and bringing them back to civilization. I don't want to be one of those folks and I know my limitations. I have zero sense of direction and I wanted to learn how to find my way with a map and compass. For me, a newbie, this book has been perfect. The authors assume you don't know anything and start at the beginning. Each chapter is self contained in that it covers a specific topic related to wilderness navigation while at the same time building on skills taught in previous chapters. At many points throughout the book, the authors encourage (insist) you go out an practice what you just learned. They have you start with exercises you can perform in a big field where you can always see your car and can't get lost. You gradually tackle more complex situations until you're able to leave the car and trail head behind and wander out of sight with a realistic expectation that you can find your way back. The authors are very up front that there is no magic other than practice, practice, practice with the equipment you expect to use in the wild. That being said, I found the book to be any easy read and with techniques that were very easy to understand and put into practice. I'm hopeful that with the skills I've learned, I can finally go see what's on the other side of that hill.

takes a difficult subject for a spatially limited person like me -and with a bit of dilligence you can follow this guide and become a map qualified on and off trail explorer - with confidence . illustrations and step by step instructions and practical examples are written the way they should be -CLEARLY from people who really have been there and know what they're doing.

Been developing & delivering training materials for many years. Mr. Seidman shows how it should be done. The first 20 pages are so engaging, it sent me off thinking about "bigger picture" ideas, beyond navigation. I'd ponder a few seconds, then (happily) re-read a certain passage to ensure it stuck. It seems each sentence was honed for maximum meaning with minimal words, and does so with an almost lyrical quality. Damn. Seidman & Cleveland, the beer's on me. If completely disinterested in the topic, I'd still enjoy this book. But I AM interested, and having read it cover to cover, I have learned first, how to THINK like a navigator, and second, to use tools and techniques to BE a navigator. Dining room table - covered in topo maps, a baseplate compass, and this book. I periodically go outside and plunge sticks in the ground and stare at shadows. Watch sun, moon, stars. Compass bearing, look for a transit. I'll let you discover for yourself "the foundation stone of all wayfinding" on page 11. :-) Can't wait to get out in the woods and do this for myself, and find engaging ways to share this with the kids we bring along on some trips. BTW, I bought another book on this topic at the same time, which I opened first. I'm betting that this "bible" on the topic is great, but the first 20 pages is of no value to the actual topic. I got antsy, went outside and did some chores, then came back and read Seidman's book and...(see above). I'll get back to that other book soon.

Antes de leer este libro, leí Become Expert with Map and Compass y pensé que la Información sería un poco repetitiva, pero siendo escrito en tiempos más recientes es un poco más Clara, con buenas ilustraciones y abarca temas de orientación y navegación adicionales.

looks very good by just flicking through, not looked in detail yet so not sure how easy o understand it. will give a more detailed review later. but nice, well laid out book

Following what is taught in this book makes it easier to navigate the great outdoors.

Its Americanised hence four stars but adaptable, an excellent informative book. Easy to follow easy to understand. Tells you what you need to know and how to apply it, if you follow the guidance in this book and practice it, you will not get lost. Buy this book' your life may one day depend on it.

Great book