Suunto M-9 NH Wrist Compass
Designed with a side-reading window for taking bearings on land or at sea, the multipurpose Suunto M-9 NH liquid-filled wrist compass features a sapphire jeweled bearing for accuracy.
- May be read from the top or the side; sighting notch and reading window can be used effectively with compass attached to the wrist
- Convenient black hook-and-loop wrist strap adjusts to fit a wide range of sizes
- Housing turns easily with a ratcheting mechanism for direction setting
Imported.
View all Suunto Compasses| Best Use | Hiking |
|---|---|
| Analog or Digital | Analog |
| Increments | 5 degrees |
| Liquid-Filled | Yes |
| Luminous Points/Bezel | Yes |
| Dimensions | 1.9 x 1.6 inches |
| Weight | 1.2 ounces |
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A gimmick The order of the face is backwards so you can sight it But when you look down on the face, north is down and south is up Totally confusing and I have been using compasses for 45 years Designed to sight bearing, but you cannot transfer it to a map and because of the reversed face cannot use it intuitively as a marching compass Buy the Suunto MCB Amphibian Compass a classic mirror compass for bearings and marching (for less money) or Suunto M-3D Leader Compass a classic base plate compass with angle adjustment (for a couple of dollars more) Again this compass is very difficult to use when there are such good options
Suunto M-9 Wrist Compass Rocks
Compass was very useful on recent hike to the Grand Canyon. Only change I made was to swap out the wrist band with a BARTON Watch Band - Ballistic Nylon Military Style Straps - Choice of Color, Length & Width (18mm, 20mm, 22mm or 24mm). Served it's purpose and I actually thought the sighting system was easy to learn and worked well in the field.
Good overall, a bit slow to orient
I have used this compass on a thru-hike of the PCT, on several canoeing trips, and in a number of adventure races. It has held up well, and I really like being able to wear a watch on one wrist and a compass on the other. The downsides are that you're stuck with the included Velcro band (which can be a bit uncomfortable), and it doesn't orient quickly enough for my liking. It orients plenty fast for backpacking or canoeing, but in an adventure race when you're running and then hold up your wrist to look at the compass it can take two or three seconds (plus making sure it's totally flat plus maybe a jiggle or two) to get it to point north. Again, for most uses that's just fine, but in a timed race if you need to orient yourself 50 different times you've just lost 1.5 minutes.
Very convenient and easy to use
I’ve been hiking over 50 years and this has been my primary compass for the past ten. All that’s required to determine your direction of travel is to turn your wrist (like you would for a watch). That’s much easier than pulling a compass out of your pack or hanging it around your neck. The dial is clear and easy to read and the device is well made overall. I always keep a backup compass (Suunto MC2-G) in my pack just in case I manage to break this one, but so far it’s been as durable as a tank. Even so, I did buy a second one a few years ago in case they stop making this model and mine does eventually break. I noticed one review where the owner said using it was too confusing, but I really can’t imagine how that could be. I’ve shown a ten year old boy how to use it in less than five minutes. I saw where someone else complained because the wrist band was too long for him (her?). If you have particularly small wrists, that could be an issue, but the band can easily be replaced for a few dollars. Overall this is a well made compass that is easy to use and an excellent value for the money.
Pretty good
Strap is long enough to wear over jacket sleeve. Not for map orienteering (reversed degree markings for sighting only). A little sensitive to leveling (a global needle would be a great upgrade). Whole white area glows, which is nice. A magnifier in the sighting window would also be a desired upgrade. Mine developed a bubble in the liquid, making it useless; but to be fair, that was after years of use at Denver and higher altitudes.
Good compass, easy to use
The Suunto M-9 is a good compass in this price range and being on your wrist is super easy to use although it must be held flat. It seems more sensitive to flatness than other compass's I use. The only improvement to the compass itself would be to upgrade with Suunto's global needle, but that would change the price point and the compass would probably not be as thin as it is now -- trade-offs. BTW, the strap can be made to fit a smaller wrist by moving the compass closer to the buckle allowing more of the strap to double up.
Useful tool but not the end all
I enjoy wearing my wrist compass while in the field for a few days. It is a lot more convenient than pulling out my lensatic compass. It does not swing as freely as you would hope and it’s not dead accurate but it will do the trick for short movements. Especially if you are navigating to recognizable terrain features. I recommend buying it but I don’t recommend it being your only compass.
Performs ~almost as advertised
I've used one of these for several years and find it durable and easy to use. It lives in my canoe pack and I strap it to the center thwart when I go out on the water. It's always gotten me where I want to go and home again, even when I get caught out after dark (zap it with a flashlight). I just have to remember to add the declination. It's a small compass and promises only five degrees of accuracy, but it delivers. What it does not deliver is the bit about the housing turning easily "with a ratcheting mechanism for direction setting." It doesn't have a numbered bezel like a needle-style compass, so yeah, you can set a bearing, but only in a general sense. The clicks on the "ratcheting mechanism" are about five degrees, maybe that works for somebody. I just keep the "lubber line" centered and use it like a standard card-style compass.
Compact compass with compromises
I don’t want to carry my large compass, but needed a backup compass for that emergency scenario. The smallest compasses the size of a nickel are totally useless. I found this suunto compass, which was slighter larger (dollar coin) but significantly more accurate than the novelty tiny compasses. The wrist strap allows you to make a somewhat steady direction determination. Unfortunately, you can’t adjust for declination, So you should know that before you leave on you trip.
My essential wrist compass
This is my 3rd Sunto wrist compass. It is a great tool in the military for quickly conveying ones heading to team members, or accurately communicating ones position relative to an object. It is one of the most useful things I bring on me, its value far outweighs the cost.