Thumb compasses

The thumb compass is a funny little esoteric piece of gear that's slowly earned my respect over the past few months. I was first introduced to the concept by an orienteering acquaintance who could run through the woods like a deer, jumping logs, dodging branches, skirting swamps, all while reading a detailed map and taking quick glances at the small thumb-mounted dial.

Developed for the sport of orienteering, thumb compasses have irregular, angled base plates and lack most of the directional and bearing markings found on a traditional compass. They cinch onto your thumb with a tab of elasticized webbing and stay there safe and secure as you run along. A quick-swinging, highly-sensitive needle points north with no hesitation when the compass is righted parallel with the horizon.

My favorite thumb compass is the Silva 6Jet, a model that comes in right- and left-hand versions. Its simple design includes a transparent base plate with an elastic thumb loop, a subtle scale ruler and a colorful dial.

At first glance, the Silva 6Jet's dial markings appear to be backwards, as the compass denotes east on the left side and west on the right side. But in use, it all makes sense. The tip of the compass beside your thumb works in tandem with the needle. Basically, whichever marking the needle is pointing to on the dial denotes the direction that the tip of the compass, and correspondingly your thumb, is pointing at in the wilderness. (The orange needle is at the same time always pointing north, so it can be used like a normal compass when needed.)

Unfortunately, the Silva 6Jet is a hard compass to get your hands on in the United States. Mine was a gift from a Swedish orienteering friend. But Brunton sells a nearly identical compass with its 6Spectra model ($89, www.brunton.com). The main difference is that Brunton does not include the north, south, east and west markings on the 6Spectra's dial. I'd recommend the employment of a permanent magic marker to correct that oversight.

The Suunto Arrow 1 Thumb, another model I've been testing this summer ($45, www.suuntousa.com), has a quick-dampening needle like the Brunton and Silva models. Its basic form and function as a thumb compass are the same as well, though there are a couple major differences.

Suunto does not include any markings on the dial. The needle points north and that's all this compass will tell you, which is fine for any experienced navigator. Some people would see the markings on the Silva 6Jet and Brunton 6Spectra as superfluous, in fact.

With no markings, the transparent compass provides an unencumbered view of cartographic detail when set on the surface of a map, save for a couple thin directional lines and a scale. The dial of the Arrow 1 Thumb spins for aligning the compass to a bearing on a map and following that degree in the backcountry.

Beyond orienteering, I've used thumb compasses for hiking, mountaineering and adventure racing. Indeed, I rarely bring a regular compass along anymore. Thumb compasses are simple and convenient, and for me they have become the tool of choice for fast, accurate wilderness navigation.

Ispo Summer 05 -- show highlights

NOTE: This is the second column in a two-part series on the Gear Junkie's trip in early July to the Ispo Summer 05 industry trade show in Munich, Germany.

As one of the world's largest outdoors and fitness-sports exhibitions, the Ispo trade show brings together a diverse group of international companies to provide a peek at worldwide recreational trends. Indeed, at this year's summer show, held July 3 - 5 in Munich, Germany, exhibitors from 46 countries were present, and only a small percentage of companies on the show floor were American. The following are some of my top product picks from companies scattered all around the globe.

-Wave Pillow
It's a bummer, but dedicated surfers must get out of bed before the sun rises to check wave conditions online, as the surf is often best as early as 5AM. The Wave Pillow is a regular plush and padded pillow that interfaces to an Internet-connected computer to check wave conditions automatically. Each morning, the pillow connects to the Internet to read wave-buoy websites from beaches all over the world. It vibrates if wave conditions at your beach are good, and it is still and silent if the waves are small or the wind is bad for surfing. If the waves are really big, it vibrates strong to shake even the sleepiest surfer from slumber. ($99, www.wavepillow.com)


Wave Pillow

-Handytrim
Cross a yo-yo with a gyroscope, throw in some artsy aesthetic, add a fitness theme and you have the Handytrim, a strange little workout device made by Xcise Sports Group. Comprised of two metal rings, some cord and an aluminum disc, the Handytrim employs several Newtonian bylaws to create a spinning, pulling, centrifugal-force-wielding contraption that can be used to work out muscles throughout the arms and upper body. Essentially, Handytrim users grip a ring in each hand and begin spinning and pulling the cords until the center disc jumps into its rhythm. At full spin, the device provides several pounds of pressure to tension against with each pull of the ring. There are at least five exercise regimens the company has built around this odd and effective workout toy. ($36, www.handytrim.com)


HandyTrim

-Kilowatt Sport
Powergrid Fitness calls itself a leader in the development of videogame-based exercise equipment. Until the Ispo show, I'll have to admit, I was not aware videogames could provide a workout. But the Kilowatt Sport does just that, as it is a device that forces videogame players to stand, push, pull and grunt their way on a virtual playing field. It is compatible with PS2, Xbox, GameCube and computer-based videogames. While the $1,200 Kilowatt Sport is made primarily for health clubs, the company has plans to release a personal videogame-workout device this autumn called the Exer-station, which will weigh just 15 pounds and retail for about $200. (www.kilowattrocks.com)


Kilowatt Sport

-Twinskates
The Twinskates by Reflex are stubby little water skis with a length of just 39 inches, a width of 12 inches and a deep side-cut to allow for quick carving in the wake. The short, fat design is made for jumping, rail-sliding and other stunts. The ski's inherent float and stability will also make them attractive to beginners. ($590, www.reflexworld.com)


TwinSkates

-MountMaps
Remember those pop-up books from your childhood? MountMaps brings the pop-up concept to ski resort trail maps with its namesake product. The pocket-size brochures open to reveal a 3D map of the ski area, complete with printed trail names, chairlifts and other details you'll need to navigate your way through the mountains at massive ski resorts. The maps are topographically accurate, waterproof and durable, as they're made of recycled plastic. The company has created 3D maps for two major European resorts, but plans are to expand globally and sell the concept to ski hills around the world. ($4, www.mountmaps.com)


MountMaps

Ispo BrandNew Awards

Last week, I hopped the big pond to attend Ispo, a major sports and outdoors-equipment trade show held twice each year in Munich, Germany. A highlight of this show is always the exhibition of new products bestowed with the prestigious Ispo BrandNew Award, which is a recognition of innovative products from new and upcoming outdoors, sports and fitness companies. Here's what caught my eye from the BrandNew Award winners and finalists:

-KMX Kart
Think the recumbent bicycle is dead? The KMX Kart, a 24-speed recumbent with mountain bike characteristics, may just put these ground-skimming cycles back in fashion. I had a blast cruising at high speeds outside the trade show pavilion, banking turns, spinning out, riding over curbs and stopping on a dime. Knobby tires, disc brakes, nice components, beefy construction and a design that provides good control on the pavement and off trail have allowed the company to sell 3,000 KMX Karts in the past six months in Europe alone. ($1,000, www.atomictoys.net)



KMXKart

-Windboard
Windsurfing on dry land. That's the general idea behind the Windboard, an oversized flexible fiberglass skateboard with sail compatibility. Its large tires let riders catch the wind and sail on asphalt, packed sand or other hard surfaces. The company made the Windboard for passionate but landlocked windsurfers looking to get a quick fix, but windsurf neophytes may also benefit from this design, as it lets you get the hang of the sport without waves and other challenges of the deep, dark sea. ($499, www.windboard.com)


Windboard

-Skorpion Skates
Skorpion Sports Ltd. calls its namesake product a multi-terrain quad skate. Essentially, they are rugged roller skates with big wheels and suspension to suck up the bumps and roll over grass, dirt, gravel, cracked pavement and brick cobbles. A wide foot platform and ratchet straps let you step in and skate in regular footwear. The five-inch wheels have fast bearings and a strong five-spoke geometry. The skate body and axle mounts are made of a thermoplastic resin for durability and light weight. ($75, www.skorpionskates.com)


Skorpion Skates

-Knog Frog light
The flexible silicone body of this micro bike light allows it to be stretched and mounted on handlebars, seat posts and frame tubing with diameters ranging from 10mm to 32mm. The Frog is water resistant and has no moving parts. It weighs 12 grams and runs on lithium battery coin cells that the company says will keep the Frog's L.E.D. blinking bright for 160 hours. ($10, www.knogusa.com)


Knog Frog

-GoPro Hero Camera
Never miss the shot. That's GoPro's mantra for the Hero Camera, a waterproof 35mm camera that attaches to your wrist via a strong Velcro bracelet. It stays folded down and out of the way during activities like surfing, mountain biking, skiing and climbing; when the perfect photo opportunity arises the camera pivots up with the flip of a small rubber tab ready to fire. Made for amateur sports photographers tired of the inconvenience of traditional cameras, this product is a smart and simple solution. It's easy to operate, it's durable, and it will do the job capturing those hard-to-get action shots you might miss in the blink of an eye. ($20, www.goprocamera.com)


Hero Camera