Orienteering Compass Comparison

How do orienteering compasses compare? The less time taken for the needle to settle and the less fluctuation on the run make for a better orienteering compass. We took a quick look at four high performance makes including the top three in use in the U.S. The forth is a prototype of a new brand that may soon become available, the main reason for this trial. The approach was not at all a scientific nor a technological evaluation but rather a subjective comparison based on side by side use under what would be typical conditions for us. We considered most important to be the stability of the needle on the run. Secondary was the time taken for the needle to settle once the compass was in position.

The lineup: Silva 5 Jet, Moscompass 3, Suunto Arrow 20, and Prototype 1. While at it we included a brief look at the entry level Brunton 7 (Silva Type 7, Polaris)


Suunto Arrow 20

All top end compasses were excellent for overall stability. Surprisingly, the prototype was judged better, if only very slightly, than the Moscow followed by the Suunto and Silva about equal. The prototype seemed to have a very slight delay in settling compared to the others.

When repositioning, the all needles would swing past the correct resting point a similar distance before settling. The prototype seemed to pause slightly at the extreme of the swing which might give a false reading if looking away too quickly. The others were smoother in the settling process though not much, if at all, faster. Interestingly, an east-west arm swing produced much more needle deflection than north-south.

For good measure we included the basic “field compass” Brunton Type 7 (Silva Polaris) and the Suunto Arrow 5 thumb in the comparisons. The Brunton compared surprisingly well for a lower end compass despite the much longer settling time. The two Suuntos seemed identical in performance though with slightly different capsules.

Comments by James: The Jet and Arrow had a “lighter feel.” The prototype had a “heavier feel.” The Arrow had a faint jitter.

Comments by Joe: For me and, I think, most orienteers, there was little to choose between the four in terms of needle performance. All had a similar very minimal wobble as I ran. The minor delay in prototype settling was usually not noticeable.

Factors other than needle performance could easily determine individual preference. Differences were greater in terms of features like ergonomics, ease of turning (especially with use), interchangeable capsule, sturdiness, propensity to develop bubbles, right hand models for the thumb versions, built-in magnifier, scale position, bezel style, area of map visibility through the capsule, etc. and, of course, price.

Joe and James Scarborough

Performance test of the Inov-8 oroc 280

A review of the spiked oroc 280 orienteering shoe.

Pros:

• Great all round traction from dobb spikes
• Foot feels comfortable
• Very light weight
• The usual Inov-8 sharp looks and colors

Cons:

• Slightly wide toe box (for me)
• Slight roll of foot within shoe on side hills (oroc 280)

Writeup:

Another Inov-8 release means another trip to the test track at Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland, California. Since the original Inov-8 testing here versus VJ orienteering shoes, we've been waiting for a better spike from Inov-8. The oroc is it.

My opinion is the oroc 280 is the best all-round orienteering shoe. They perform well on trail, hills, rock faces, mossy logs. Comfortable at jogging speed and at race pace. Finally, a spiked orienteering shoe I wasn't rushing to take off! And a quantum leap better than their now retired mudclaw 'O' +340 spike model.

On our "cornering test" on dirt, the spikes work great. Also on the downhill rock face test and up and downhill loose rocks under shoe test. The metal and rubber cleats work well together for overall traction and control.

The oroc's spikes are clustered in the center of the sole rather than edges. And the dobb spikes barely poke out above the cleat. This gives a nice "added traction" ergonomic. Reminiscent of ice traction. The classic VJ/nordic design gives more spikes and spikes closer to the edge. I believe this gives the VJ more traction in the event of "clinging" onto things like slick logs or deep loose dirt. My net opinion being the orocs give you just what you need and not more.

Most of my testing was in the oroc 280. The oroc 340 is a more built version. I imagine people will have the same preference per the mudclaw 270 vs 330 choice. For me the 340 has less foot role on the side hill. But feels a little too poofy in the upper. So I'll stick with the light weight.

Subsequent runs:

Orienteering: Felt great in a 45-minute course re-run at Joe Grant Park near San Jose, California. Good grip on the grassy hills. Felt nice and comfortable beginning to end even though it was a warm day.

Trail run: Took them out for a 30 minute jog on the trails. Felt great even on this intentionally non-demanding loop. The paved sections click along with the spikes but it didn't feel odd, if only in 25m stretches.

So far the embedded spikes seem to be holding firm in the sole.

Links:

• The updated short list of Inov-8 shoes for orienteering is at orienteer.com.
• Warrior Pants appearing in the video are prototypes by o21e.com.

oroc 280 at the NAOC

Jonas Kjall of BAOC, USA has just returned from the 2010 North American Championships in British Columbia where he finished high in the elite races including third in the sprint and fourth in the middle distance.  Jonas, currently ranked 6th in the U.S., agreed to give oroc 280 a test and provide us with his expert opinion.  Just received by e-mail:

Hi Joe,

The shoes were great I  like them a lot, see the review below.....

Inov-8's new shoe Oroc-280 is a mix between the X-talon 212 (see earlier posts) and the other new Oroc s (see Joe's post below). It has the same shoe as the X-talon and the same sole as the other new Orocs, which has metal dobbs and harder rubber then the X-talon. I used it for the first time during the middle distance at NAOC a week and a half ago. The terrain was very technical with a lot of steep hills and some bare rock. Altough the metal dobbs doesn't stick out as long as on regular O-shoes (making the traction not as good), I felt completely secure during the whole run and never had to slow down (so the traction is at least good enough for people running up to my speed ).

An advantage with the dobbs not sticking out so far from the sole, is hopefully that they will not be misaligned, which happens easily on more traditional O-shoes (making the traction a lot worse and more important, uncomfortable to run in), but we will see, only more miles will tell.

The rest of the shoe is as X-talon 212, which I like a lot, light weight, easy to tie, sits on well and fairly comfortable, making it a good racing shoe. But it is of course a bit heavier than the 212, so it should only be used in races in technical terrain where the traction is really important (or shorter races where the weight is not as important). In non-technical terrain, like the Bay Area, the 212 will still be my first choice for a race.

The upper protection is not as good as on a regular O-shoe. However, this was nothing I noticed during my race. I think it is very rare you hit something from below (and when you do so, you probably need a steel cap to be safe, which of course is not an option). Another issue with this might be that the shoes are not as durable, but looking on old 212, it looks like the upper part last longer than the sole in general and the Orocs sole should be more durable.

To conclude, Inov-8 has again made a great racing shoe, the most light weight metal dobb shoe on the market (which I'm aware of), designed for more technical terrain and I suspect there will be a lot of them on WOC this year.

The oroc Orienteering Shoe, A First Look

Inov-8’s new dobb spiked O shoes finally arrived on our shores last week and are now available from Scarborough Orienteering. Nice looking, especially the oroc 340 in mustard color and a design that could be one of our Bay Area 35 contour “hills.” The very light oroc 280 is gray and black with bright yellow highlights.

After a quick inventory and e-mails to customers with backorders, I took the two shoes out for a spin in the woods along with a pair of VJ Falcons for comparison. The 340s were a good fit for my wide feet and what I really liked was the roomy toe box, in contrast with the confining Falcons. The uppers of the 340s were much more flexible and the shoe slipped on quite easily, again in contrast with the Falcons. I could actually tighten the laces down to the lowest eyelets by pulling only the ends of the laces, the first time I’ve been able to do this with any shoe.

Where I thought the Falcons should have the edge is with the traction. The oroc’s metal tips are actually flush with the rubber studs. However, they gave the same familiar clatter on pavement and I was unable to detect much difference in traction until I wore one of each at the same time. The test was on a steep hard path, somewhat slippery with loose soil on the surface. Braking action on the downhill and pushing off sprint style on the uphill showed a slightly firmer bite by the Falcons.

The 280’s have the same outsole as the 340’s but a decidedly lighter feel. X-Talon and Mudclaw 270 fans will like the close-to-the-ground feel. They seemed a bit narrower than the 280’s and well suited for the fast efficient orienteer and for shorter courses. The 340 while heavier, about the same as the Falcons, seemed to give a little more support and protection that I would want for a longer run and very rugged terrain.

This was just a quick first look (maybe the first in the country) so check back for Jonas Kjall’s review after the North American Championships where he will be running with the best.

-Joe

More on the Inov-8 Mudclaw 330 and 270

Gary Carpenter is an accoumplished BAOC orienteer who is well aquainted with the Bay Area hills. Jonas Kjall is currently ranked number three among US orienteers. They were asked for pros and cons on their recent purchases for posting.

Gary on the Inov-8 Mucclaw 330, sent 11/27/2009:

Hi Joe,

The new shoes are great. They're a bit narrow for my wide foot but I think that is not uncommon for European shoes. Getting a half size larger and lacing a little looser did the trick. Great traction on the wet gropund at Morgan Territory. Not even a hint of a blister.

Gary

Jonas on the Inov-8 Mucclaw 270, sent 11/21/2009:

I bought a pair of 270 Mudclaw two weeks ago and I have already used them in several orienteering races (two long distances (9.5km) in the Bay Area, two sprints in parks and three sprint on campuses). Previously I have only done orienteering in traditional o-shoes with metal dubs (like VJ s integrator), so my comparison will be with those.

The biggest and most important difference is of course the weight. You can feel the difference by just holding them in your hands. When running I can t really say I feel any difference, but you should save a little energy in every step, that should be important in the long run. In the two long distance races I did two weeks ago I was able to run fast throughout the whole races. Whether this is due to the shoes or me being in good shape is of course hard to know

Another important difference between the shoes is that the Mudclaws don t have metal dubs. I did feel a difference when running on bare rock. I was not as secure on that as I normally am and had to slow down. Maybe I will be able to train up my rock running ability with the mudclaws, we will see. Anyway, the Bay area has very little bare rock and on all other surfaces, like steep dirt and grass hills, I could run as fast as usual.
And running on asphalt is of course better without dubs.

The shoe lace setup of the 270 Mudclaw is a bit unusual. It took me some days to get used to it. The first times I did not tighten them well enough and my feet ended up sliding around a bit giving me tendencies of blisters. When the shoes are tightened right, the shoes feel good on the foot in all kinds of running throughout the whole race.

Another difference is that the Mudclaw has much less upper protection for the feet. I did not notice anything of this during my runs. I know even with my old shoes I have on rare occasions hit my toes pretty hard. But in that kinds of hits I don t think a little extra protection makes a huge difference.

The last thing to figure out is how durable these lighter shoes are. I am very curios about this, since I am normally very tough on my shoes with a lot of aggressive running. But I guess I just will have to wait and see

Performance test of the Inov-8 X-Talon 212

A review of the Inov-8 X-Talon 212 orienteering shoe.

Pros:

• Feels like a running shoe: flat sole, normal response
• Downright cozy soft and snug feeling
• Traction is great without the long Mudclaw studs
• Super light weight at nominal 212 grams

Cons:

• Some foot roll on side hill
• When stepping on a pointy rock, you feel it

Versus the 270:

We took the 212 back out to the Joaquin Miller Park "test track" to compare against the Inov-8 Mudclaw 270. I consider the 270 Inov-8's best orienteering shoe so far. Lightweight and aggressive tread. See past review and the product shortlist at orienteer.com.

On our traction test of fast shart turns around the redwood tree, the 212's traction was great but slightly less than the 270. Perhaps the 270's longer and more numerous side cleats?

On the rocky downhill trail, the 212 felt better with shorter cleats. I felt more in control. In uphill duff I could just barely feel the 212 slip at the very last moment of launch from the toe. The 270 has a few more teeth under the toe for that last flick.

On pavement/trail and flat off trail the 212 outshined the 270 because the sole and cleats retain a normal flat feel. The 212 and 270 have about the same amount of forefoot roll on sidehills due, I suspect, to the light weight design.

In conclusion: I would go with the 212 for an all round O-shoe and the 270 for more aggressive/competition. The Inov-8 Mudroc 280 should still be considered for those wanting more protection/sturdiness from the upper, yet a light weight.

Addendum: The 212s felt great at yesterday's North American Sprint Finals at McLaren Park in San Francisco. Good grip on trails and hillsides alike. Forgot I was wearing an O-shoe.

Other Inov-8 news:

• The X-Talon will be available in a high-top model next month
• The Mudclaw 330 is being revised again for release next spring

Headcam Update

The head cam band described here a couple years ago accommodates a camera like the Canon subcompact. The newer Flip Mino HD has the advantage of lighter weight but with much higher video and sound quality.


Likewise the headband is much easier to put together. This prototype utilizes only a stretch web material, a bit of Velcro and some heavy duty staples in lieu of proper stitching. Strips of One-Wrap Velcro are used to build up a wedge to accommodate forehead slope for the desired camera angle.


The first test run came at LAOC'S recent Mt. PINOS "B"meet (excellent, by the way) by James on the day 1 Red course. The course had many legs similar to other courses and is very similar to the first six on Brown which is the map shown here with his route. You can see the entire course and results here.

The Flip produced about 51 minutes of video. The first 20 minutes or so are shown in these two You Tube clips, unfortunately with much diminished quality.

Clip 2
Clip 3
(Clip 1 is pre-race footage not posted.)

Clip 3 is probably the more interesting as Clip 2 first has a long trail run to number 1. Clip 3 begins as he is approaching #2.

You can judge for yourself the results of the test. One bug obvious from the photo is the tendency of the band to expand and slip as it absorbs the sweat. The video is much improved compared with the Camp Scherman and Spring Lake videos (also on You Tube and noted in the blog below) shot with the Canon. On the downside the image is still very shaky but very valuable for training (see "Headband-cam for Training" below) or just a taste of the terrain you may not have been able to visit. And, for the benefit of the newcomer, a video of real orienteering thinking in action.

-Joe

Inov-8 Update

New Model- The Inov-8 X-Talon 212 makes a great orienteering shoe. It is very, very light (my size 11.5 is 9 0z. with insole,) flexible and comfortable. Low to the ground with a studs similar to the 280's. If you like a minimal shoe, this one gives you more of the feel of the ground than the 270 yet offers surprising cushioning. Drawbacks? I would wonder about durability but so far no complaints. Mine are tearing abit at the upper eyelet but no ill effect. The "sticky rubber" sole did not cope adequately with a wet, slick rocks in my one encounter but overall seemed similar in traction to a standard o-stud. And, if you require a lot of support, this may not suit you for longer runs. $100 from Scarborough Orienteering. See Mikkel's test report below.


Discontinued.- The Mudclaw 340 O+ with its 3/8" studs and metal tips makes this the best O-shoe for traction that I have seen in my 37 years of orienteering, has alas, been discontinued by Inov-8. That may be due in part to the high rate of the dobb tips tearing out. I lost two or three after a couple of runs though traction did not seem to suffer for my use. Anyway a s discontinued shoe, Scarborough Orienteering is offering 15% off and free US shipping on selected sizes.

Mikkel Conradi, BAOC member, has tested several Inov-8 models. As an advanced orienteer prone to blisters, his comments are most useful. Here are his latest reviews:

Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2009
Hi Joe,
I tried the 280's again on Saturday without in-soles. My heels
were still a bit sore from last week-end, but I managed to run for 2 x 30
minutes without 2nd skin, and without any further blister formation. I
didn't have any problems with grip, so they seem like a viable, lighter
alternative to the 330's in dry conditions.

I then ran with the 340's for a little over an hour. It's a very
rugged shoe with plenty of grip. I skipped the in-soles again. They
weren't quite as comfy as the 280's and 330's without the in-sole, maybe
because of the sturdier sole with spikes.

I think what's causing problems for my heel is that the heavier
shoes have a pretty hard cuff on the heel. The 212's are much more
flexible, which might we why I can wear them with in-soles without getting
heel blisters. I raced at Goethe Park today with the 212's and they were
superb for a flat 4.5km course!

If you have them in stock, I would definitely want you to bring a
new pair of 212's to Boggs for me to wear for the middle distance. I'd
also like a new pair of MC 270's as they seem to fit my foot better than
the 280's. (And my 330's are still holding up, so I don't need another
pair of sturdier, less comfortable shoe.)

Let me know if you want more feedback, I'm being brief because I'm
tired, and there's a lot of stuff to be done this coming week...


Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2009
Hi Joe,
Here's a brief summary of my experiences so far:
I ran with the 212's at Spring Lake on Saturday. I was surprised how high
the heel was, and decided to run with the inserts. The shoes fit very
comfortably, and I ran for an hour without having any blister problems.
Then again, Spring Lake is flat, and it would be good to try these shoes
on hillier terrain before declaring them a success.

I like how the laces are thinner than the 330's - it makes it easier to
tie them and make the knot stick. I suppose they might wear through
quicker, but hopefully they can be bought separately if needed.

I did notice that these shoes have a relatively thin and flexible sole, so
I might not wear them in terrain that is known to be very rocky or have a
lot of deadfall. It will be interesting to see how the flexible sole
deals with contouring.

On Sunday I tried the 280's. Encouraged by how well the 212's fit I put
in the in-soles, but regretted it already on the way to the start. But I
left them in, determined to test them 'as designed'. The course was
pretty hilly, and after about 30 minutes I started feeling pain from heel
blisters. This is an improvement over the 330's with in-soles,
which only took seven minutes to develop the same kind of
blister.

At the end of my 70 minute race I had blisters on both heels
that were approximately 1.5" wide and 1" tall. On my left foot I also
developed a blister where the arch hits the ground behind the big toe,
which is unusual for Inov8 shoes. Like I said the courses were
particularly hilly, so that could have had something to do with it.

The 280's had adequate grip and stability for a dry day in Bay Area
terrain, but for a more thorough review it would be necessary to test them
in wet and muddy conditions also. Although you could probably predict
that the 270's or 330's would have better grip in the mud.

I haven't had a chance to try on the 340's yet but I'll test them this
week-end. I'll also try the 280's without the in-sole. In fact, I'm a
little bit scared of trying the 340's with in-soles, but I'm also worried
about the spikes pushing through without. I might need to do a shorter
test-run first to make sure they are comfortable before I do something
longer.

I think Inov8 needs to consider how steep terrain orienteerers confront.
The heel blister issue is very much impacted by how steeply one runs
uphill, and under-foot blisters are equally impacted by the amount and
steepness of contouring.

I feel like with both the 280's and 330's the laces are hard to tighten on
the lower part of the shoe. It's easy to tighten then on top, but then
they pinch and constrict at the ankle without providing the proper fit and
support for the rest of the foot. I think a more uniform grip around the
foot would improve comfort, and prevent both ankle and blister problems.

--Mikkel

More on the ThumbNail

Here is a third application, reminiscent of the Silva 66 which is no longer sold in the US. Perhaps a choice for those using ski or hiking pole.

James mentioned that the Thumbnail is not recommended for taking bearings. With later colorwheel version you can get a rough bearing. The needle indicates the direction of travel to within 10 degrees or so. For example, above shows due east and below shows ENE.

-Joe

Alex Finch said...
Joe sent me a prototype of his new Thumbnail compass, and I love it. The minimal design is exactly what I want from a compass here in the Bay Area.

I bought a Spectra Nexus a year ago. Slipped at Bon Tempe in December. Went to use my compass a short while later and all that was attached to my thumb was a piece of the thumb plate. Went back to find the broken pieces of the compass. I must have broken my fall with my hand without realizing it.

The Thumbnail with a single strap sits nicely on the back of my thumb at the base. Close enough to the map to orient it. Yet my thumb is completely free to mark my spot. In fact my whole hand is completely free to grab anything. And the compass is always right there when I need it.The colorwheel allows taking rough bearings or quickly heading out in the right direction. This is more than adequate for the orienteering we have in the Bay Area.If I were to travel out of the area, I would probably bring a baseplate along as a backup in case I encountered a situation that required accurate bearings and/or pace counting.
10:18 1/1/09

On March 15, 2009 Alex added:
Joe,
Finally got a good run in with the compass. It was great. I even took an identical fall to the one I did at Bon Tempe where my feet slid out in front of me and I put my hands down to catch me. Bon Tempe = broken thumb compass. Briones = good thumbnail. The ink on the paper colorwheel you had installed ran from my sweat or the general moisture. I just replaced it with the laminated one you gave me. I'll see how that holds up at the goat.
-- Alex

Hi Alex-
Glad you like the compass and thanks for serving as a crash test dummy. As I recall, the laminated color wheel with your test unit was cut after lamination so the paper is not sealed around the edge. Please give it a good test to see if it is OK. In the future I will probably cut out the paper before laminating.
-Joe

Toby Ferguson sent an e-mail on May 18, 2009 as follows with my reply:

The thumbnail compass works great for me. I like it because it is EXACTLY where it needs to be for me to orient my map. I find that I orient my map faster and more accurately most of the time. Very occasionally I've wished for a baseplate so I could measure distances and get very accurate bearings (that would've helped me on a couple of the long legs at Bogg's, I think), but so far the compass has proved very valuable. One area I'd like to see improved, and that is to make the base card more waterproof. Mine is starting to get streaky and the colors are beginning to run a little (mainly from sweat, I think - Bogg's didnt' seem to affect it much). But of course the needle still points North, and that's all that's really needed! I am confident that I won't break the compass, and that it will stay secured to my thumb. It's so small and lightweight that I quite forget I'm wearing it when I'm "running with the front legs" as Tapio Karras calls it (a steep climb through dense undergrowth!), which is how it should be!
Toby

Hi Toby-
Thanks for the write-up. Your prototype had plain paper or if laminated was not sealed around the edges. (See Alex’s comments.) As production gears up I will have sealed colorwheels. They are easy to replace.

I also have some ideas for a scale. My personal solution is to carry a good baseplate compass in my right hand for distance measurements and precise bearings.
-Joe

Birth of the ThumbNail Compass

The Suunto Arrow 5 is not the sturdiest baseplatewise but has the advantage of a super-fast and stable needle and resistance to developing bubbles.

If the baseplate breaks it's a shame to see the capsule go to waste. Loose capsules can be used on a mapper's board or a bike map holder. But what would it take to continue it's life as a thumb compass. I've had many customers echo what James is saying about having the thumb right on the map or dealing with odd angles of the different baseplates. If the baseplate is irrelevant, all you really need is a small capsule like the Arrow 5 right on the map. As with the standard baseplates, the needle is aligned with the magnetic north lines of the map and the lines on the housing are in line with the direction of travel.

It's pretty easy to attach the thumb band that came with the compass to the capsule using a nylon cable tie. That's really all there is to it. Refinements such as adjusting the alignment of the lines on the capsule and making a background dial gives a professional looking and functioning product with a gross tonnage of .4 oz.



This one has a color wheel dial, admittedly something of a knock off. Speaking of which, how long will it be before you see a Silva or Moscow version of the ThumbNail? Maybe it has already been done but if not, make a guess as to when it will be done and a free Scarborough Orienteering version will go to the closest guess. If memory serves it was not long after the Scarborough Thumb Magnifier appeared some 9 years ago that Silva and Moscow came out with their versions. Maybe just coincidence....



Add a second strap and you have a wrist compass.

-Joe

The "ThumbNail" Compass

The initial test run with a prototype of the new ThumNail compass.

Pros

• Placement is in view but not in the way
  
• Track location with thumb (not plastic base)
  
• Weightless and stable

Cons

• Not for setting bearings
  

What Compass?

We went for a training run on Thanksgiving weekend at Bon Tempe Lake in Marin County, California.

I forgot I was wearing the compass as soon as I started.  It was there when I needed it and imperceptible otherwise.  It functions as a map orienter and for rough bearings, perfect for advanced orienteering.

Use the Thumb

Thumbing the map is standard operation for me.

And I've always been particular about the fit of a thumb compass: Can I point at what I want given the plastic base?  Different compass brands have different form factors.  The ThumbNail takes that ergonomic out of the equation because you are pointing with your actual thumb. Furthermore the capsule and non-existent base plate do not obscure the map.

• Recommended for advanced/elite orienteering where map work and rough compass is the name of the game.
  
• Not recommended for learning bearings.
  
• Will be appreciated by map-thumbing purists.
  

Now, can the Scarborough Orienteering magnifier be adapted to this minimal design?

Inov-8 MudRoc 280

Overall
The Inov-8 280 is a perfect all round shoe for orienteering, off trail, and single track running. (More photos)

Pros
Super light-weight but solid upper. Outsole of grippy studs (rather than pointy claws) for great motion control. Excellent traction on most every surface including loose gravel, grassy hillsides, and other typically slippery surfaces.

Cons
Slightly less traction on heavy duff compared to 270 MudClaws.

Test Comments
We took the 280 out to the Joaquin Miller test course in Oakland, California. I was immediately impressed on the pavement and trail sections: Great snug fit and control whether jogging or sprinting fast tight turns.

The 280 "spun out" more on our redwood duff traction test. We ran around a tree really fast and see if the shoe could hold on. Swapping over to the 270, I confirmed the 270 gave marginally better traction. However, on other loose surfaces of gravel and slick grass, the 280 is better. Inov-8’s “Sticky Rubber” composition outsoles are nice and grippy and give a good confidence.

We confirmed the Inov-8 280 traction with an orienteering run out at Indian Valley in Marin County. I felt great wearing these 280s whereas the 270s sometimes feel too minimal. On my foot they have a nice tight grasp of the heal yet the right amount of room in the toe box. Also, no heal slip going up a hill, like I've experienced with other Inov-8 shoes.

Shoe Choice
My line up of Inov-8s: Choose the 280 for best all-around orienteering/terrain shoe. Choose the MudClaw 270 or 330/340 for orienteering racing (super-light vs. control, respectively). Choose a conventional cushioned running shoe (I do Nike) for weeks of pavement and packed trail training.

I can add that I think these Inov-8s are a better practical choice than the venerable VJ Integrator for all terrains except ice and wet rock. Tungsten tipped spikes are a great/necessary confidence on those surfaces. Hopefully Inov-8 will improve on the 340 to provide a solid solution in the spiked category.

Homemade Battery Booster for ForeRunner 205/305

A common complaint about the FR 305 is the short battery life. If you are really handy, here is one way to address that problem.

"Yes, it does make an already a big watch look down right ridiculous, but it doesn't bother me after a few minutes of wearing it" says Warren, the inventor. See the discussion at GarminF Yahoo Group

Should be no problem when mounted on a bike. This one by Brad Culberson is used only for re-charging. http://www.bradculberson.com/blog/?itemid=107

Head Cam Video at Camp Scherman in LA

The orienteering head cam was back in action at Camp Scherman!

James ran the Green Course on Day 2 at LAOC's event in the San Jacinto Mountains outside of Los Angeles. The video and GPS track are synced up on VeoGeo using the same O-Gear as used at Spring Lake. My route is also sketched over the orienteering map in RouteGadget:

• VeoGeo video and GPS track
• RouteGadget

The area was quite brushy but runnable. It took a calm concentration to just read the map, decide on a route, and execute confidently. The first day on Blue I didn't take the time and definitely was not in the flow. Day 2 I decided to run green to conform better with my (lack of) fitness these days. Taking safe routes and just pushing through with patience seemed to do the trick.

xxx

Bike Map Holder Review

Review:
http://www.racingwithgiants.com/WordPress/?p=50

The holder is available from Scarborough Orienteering with Velcro attached map case.
http://www.orienteer.com/supplies/

Head Cam Video of Sprint Orienteering Race

What happens when you combine sprint orienteering with a head cam, a GPS watch, and the new VeoGeo site? A maniacally breathless mashup!

The action is from BAOC's sprint orienteering event held at Spring Lake Park in Santa Rosa, California on September 17, 2007. The video captures controls 1-7 of James' race.

By the way, Spring Lake Park will play host to the 2009 USA orienteering team trials for the Sprint discipline.


Here are the links:

• VeoGeo: (synced YouTube video and Gmap)
• O-map: (scanned jpeg, so you can armchair orienteer along the way!)

The digital o-gear, as assembled by Joe:

• Head cam consisting of Cannon SD630, foam, and elastic. It fits pretty snug actually. Started slipping a little after control 8. Original video capture is better than the YouTube compression.
  
• Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS watch with heart rate monitor. Easy to operate, falling in price.

James' standard o-gear
(some pictured in this post and previously, others glimpsed in the video):

• Brunton Jet6L thumb compass,
• Scarborough-O magnifier,
• First test of the new Scarborough-O "dsh-vv" description sheet holder (I usually use Silva's holder purchased in Sweden),
• Trimtex V-Neck all-mesh top (2005 USA uniform),
• AxisGear Atak pants,
• Neoprene socks, and
• Inov-8 270 orienteering shoes.

Note: On VeoGeo/Google Maps the registration of the imagery appears off ~15m to the west. The track checks out OK on other geo-referenced maps.

New Control Stands

The new"Elite" control stand may soon replace the popular gooseneck design from Scarborough Orienteering, particulary in areas of firmer and rocky soils. A steel cap allows a pretty stiff hammer swing and the more robust hexagonal rod adds an aesthetic as well as practial quality. Wt. 11oz.

Also just out is the economical "SuperLite" which takes hammering as well lightness and full funtionallity of a control stand for electrionic punching.

-Joe

Inov-8 MudClaw 330 vs VJ Integrator

Conclusion: Both are great shoes for different terrain types. The VJ's with tungsten tipped spikes is great on open rock. The MudClaw 330's are lightweight with strong cleats and are superb in duff/soil. I've orienteered internationally in the VJ's for the past few years and have been running on and off trail in Inov-8's since we started testing last year.

We ran around our test loop in Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland CA with each pair of shoes. We've done the loop a few times now so have some ideas about how these different Inov-8's (and other O-shoes) ought to do in different parts. I think the VJ's do well on the rock because they have spikes closer to the edges of the sole and the studs are relatively short. Your entire weight isn't on the spikes, you just get the added traction. This gives a great all round running speed handling. The Inov-8 330's (no spikes) have more aggressive tread consisting of harder, longer, more numerous cleats. This gives a superior cornering, up/down/side hill, and stopping trust in the shoe. Great in the SF Bay Area. Construction is nice and light weight yet very sturdy for kicking through branches on purpose or getting caught up.

My only ergonomic issue with the Inov-8 330 is heal rub at the top of the shoe. I take out the insoles so the bottom of my foot is lower, thus "raising" the rim of the heal to be above my various heal bones. To be fair, my VJ's started to irritate me also but that is after many miles of wear in them. The 330's do break in after a while and adjusting the lacing helps tune the entire fit, including the heal rub. I've seen a need for break in/re-lacing to continuously fit all the Inov-8's tested thus far.

Headband-cam for Training

It looks like the head-cam idea for training has recieved some serious consideration. Just ran across this abstract from the SJO:

Omodei, M. M., & McLennan, J. (1995). Studying complex decision making in natural settings: Using a head-mounted video camera to study competitive orienteering. Scientific Journal of Orienteering, 11, 76-91.

Head-mounted video recording is described as a potentially powerful method for studying decision making in natural settings: most alternative data-collection procedures are intrusive and disruptive of the decision-making processes involved while conventional video-recording procedures are either impractical or impossible. As a severe test of the robustness of the methodology we studied the decision making of 6 experienced orienteers who carried a head-mounted light-weight video camera as they navigated, running as fast as possible, around a set of control points in a forest. Use of the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test indicated that compared with free recall, video-assisted recall evoked (a) significantly greater experiential immersion in the recall, (b) significantly more specific recollections of navigation-related thoughts and feelings, (c) significantly more realizations of map and terrain features and aspects of running speed which were not noticed at the time of actual competition, and (d) significantly greater insight into specific navigational errors and the intrusion of distracting thoughts into the decision making process. Potential applications of the technique in (a) the environments of emergency services, (b) therapeutic contexts, (c) education and training, and (d) sports psychology are discussed.

Inov-8 at the Roberts Sprint

At least six competitors in the March 31 BAOC race wore Inov-8 shoes. The Mudclaw 270 and 330 were the shoes of choice as two of the top runners placed orders after testing the 270's.

Vlad's 330's

Andrejus Masalkovas

James' 270's

The Mudclaw O+340 is not currently recommended due to a problem with the metal studs ripping out. This is otherwise a top rated shoe. The matter has been brought to the attention of Inov-8 and we hope to have word shortly on resolution of the problem.

-Joe

DIY Headband-cam

Map Video

Comments

It must be over 20 years ago that Damon Douglas, US Team coach, during a visit to the Bay Area, gave a talk on orienteering technique. For illustration he used a projected map with course while playing a tape Peter Gagarin recorded while running the course. I don't remember if the recording idea was a suggested training technique but I've used it ever since in conjunction with the map for my post mortems.

Inspired by the cyclist's helmet-cam, I thought, "why not add video?" The result is this experimental "headband-cam" fashioned from items I happened to have on hand. The idea came the night before a local sprint orienteering event (Pt. Pinole) and I figured this would be a good opportunity. So it was just a matter of luck that I had exactly the right materials and they went together easily for, at least, a workable prototype.

The camera is a 6 oz.Canon SD680 with 2GB SD card. The materials are a couple of pieces of sponge foam and elastic webbing. The foam was coincidentally the right size and had a recess to fit the camera.

The pieces were fastened together with a heavy duty stapler and a hole cut for the lens and that was it.

The results show, if nothing else, that this low tech approach has potential for presenting a view of the orienteer's experience, in action, at little cost; providing you have the camera, of course. It can effectively show the terrain, something you can only imagine from the map, useful as a tool for training, instruction and competition analysis in conjunction with a map. The video quality leaves something to be desired. Uploading to YouTube degrades the quality considerably. Google Video seems marginally better.

Probably not recommended for serious competition. The weight is acceptable but can be a distraction. The overall weight of the camera with battery and headband is about the same as a Silva orienteering headlamp without battery. A headcam is also a distraction to concentration if you are thinking about the resulting video. It seems necessary, from the example, to hold the shots of competitors, terrain features, etc. much longer than the quick glances you would normally give. Also, when map reading, the camera showed only the ground. More meaningful real-time commentary would make for even more distraction.

In this setup, the camera controls are exposed and the screen is easy to check when starting the camera. The prototype needs a retaining strap and adjustable head band.

The last couple of months have seen a huge spurt in O clips on You Tube. A lot of it is interesting and useful. I like seeing terrain types from around the world and some of the instructional stuff would be good for beginners. But there is a lot of nonsense and most seems to be overdone in terms of music and attempts at "production" and entertainment effects for my taste.

The DIY headband-cam is a simple and potentially effective way to capture some of the first-hand real time experience besides being a lot of fun.

-Joe

New Bike Map Holder

There appeared to be a void where one should be able to find a high quality/low cost bike map holder. They all seem to run in the $70-90 range. I think that has changed with Mark Manning's new rotating and adjustable entry into the market. Mark approached me a year or so ago with his aluminum fixed holder. It had a couple of rough edges and, unfortunately, did not rotate, a feature you really need in order to orient the map (which all (99% of) orienteers do.) I suggested adding the rotation and height adjustment features. He has now come out with a very slick professional product. Attaching and removing the holder from your bike is quick and easy with the snap-on no tools clamp.

I'm anxious to give it a try as should anyone looking for the ideal holder for bike-O, AR and touring. It comes supplied with attached bungee cords which makes map attachment very simple. For map protection, a larger map, unobscured, I suggest a heavy duty map case attached by Velcro. The map case idea has yet to be tested so ideas and comments on this, and the holder would be very much welcomed. Mark was kind enough to offer Scarborough Orienteering the first six off the assembly line.

As for a compass, I'm anticipating that the Silva 19 Clip will do the job just fine. The needle performance is much higher than you would expect from a $20 compass. I'm not into bike orienteering but I imagine it does not require taking precise bearings nor a state of the art needle. AR and touring require even less. Brunton no longer imports the compass so when current supplies are gone, that's it for the Clip

-Joe

MudRoc 290 and MudClaw O+340 test run

I test ran two Inov-8 shoes this week. This was a field test where we ran, changed shoes, then ran the same loop. Pavement, trail, rocky trail slope, and off trail under the Oakland Hills redwood forest.

The MudRoc 290's are a "very good" off-trail shoe. Good traction, decent cushioning, good fit, and very light. These really hit what I think of the Inov-8 niche, a well performing, light weight, and snug competition running shoe. The traction and cut-weight is not as aggressive as the MudClaw 270's - I'd say that is a good thing. We can call the 270 a more 'elite' orienteering race shoe and these MudRoc 290's probably a better trail+offtrail+orienteering shoe. I would put these on for whatever that was going to be more than trail running and pack the MudClaw 270's to compete in a more extreme race. For orienteers, these Inov-8s look like a good product duo to choose from. As mentioned elsewhere, you will need to figure out the fit/sizing for your foot.

The MudRoc O+340 I have REALLY been wanting to test for a new orienteering competition shoe: They have spikes. For me VJ/Olway, the venerable style of O-shoes from Finland, are the gold standard for orienteering racing. I consider spike tips as essential traction for rock faces, ice, and that extra edge in duff, deadfall, and regular soil.

The O+340 put Inov-8 on their way but not there. The Innov-8 signature features are there: light, tactile rubber outsole, no nonsense construction. The spikes perform well in the soft redwood understory. There are two issues I had: 1) The fit around the heal is really weird on me. The back of the shoe by my achilles feels way too low and hard. Like my original review of the 270's but with the added problem of something hard pushing into the back of my heal. I took the insole out and put wetsocks on and that got me lower in the shoe, but then the spike tops were pressing up into the bottom of my foot with each step. Issue 2) The spikes are set in soft rubber allowing, when running, movement of the spike(s) relative to your foot. This gave a non-positive feel on roads and trails, then you wonder what was happening in the duff. I also witnessed by Dad's 340 spikes start to rip loose from one of its cleats. Also heard but not personally confirmed: the spikes are just steel, not tungsten tipped for better wear.

The MudClaw O+340 is a "good" shoe. I believe that if it fits you, it will perform well offtrail. See the comment on the Dec 28 O+340 post.

But the non-spike MudClaw 270 is so "excellent"! The conundrum to work out is how can we keep a light shoe and that nice tactile rubber outsole, but give it the power of spikes? Perhaps something about how the spike plug is constructed or using a harder rubber in parts of the outsole?

Suunto Arrow 5, Mystery Solved

The Suunto, Arrow 5 is one of the best compasses on the market along with the Silva Jets and Moscow 2, 3, etc. A recent batch of Arrow 5's proved defective. Preliminary information indicated that the "B" printed on the bottom of the plate indicated that they were the southern hemisphere (zone 5) version. In checking with Suunto, Finland, I was advised that the compasses in question were indeed defective. Replacement compasses also are marked "B."

A properly balanced needle will be in line with the baseplate even when tilted and should exhibit no delay or inconsitency in settling.

Replacements are proving slow to arrive but I now have a few in stock. If you are due for a replacement and have not heard from me in a week or so, please send an e-mail. The Arrow 5 will be available at the Joe Grant meet on March 11 or by e-mail order.

-Joe

Mudclaw 270 in the Snow

I'm out in Colorado this weekend. I have gone for two runs in snowy weather. The 270's are GREAT on fresh and packed snow. We were even in some of that breakthrough crusted snow: the shoes held up well and stayed light. Running on snowy slushy paved roads felt good.

I am wearing them with my VJ wetsocks. Works well in the conditions and help fills out the fit.

As expected, the 270's slip on the ice. But with some fresh snow on patches of ice I felt OK. But it would be great to have a spike version of this light shoe.

Poor Man's Ski Map Holder

Larry Berman, Berman Orienteering Supply, is running out of ski map holders for the upcoming Championships in the Sierra. He suggested simply tying a string to a map case at a minimum. Taking up on the idea I dipped into my supply of vinyl sheet protectors, stiffer, good for many uses and much clearer than your standard polybag map case. With a lanyard quality neck string you have something almost as snazzy as the $30 REI jobs good for hiking and maybe as a poor man's ski-O holder.

The next step was to make up, to some degree, for the lack of the rotation you get with the ski map holder. A second Vinyl envelope, a bunch of sticky back Velcro and you have a detachable map case that can be held in a rotated position. A Velcro tab keeps the map from falling out in the upside down position. Folded over Velcro tape reinvforces the hole for attaching the lanyard.

This is just an idea. I don't bring any ski-o experience to the table. Next in improvements might be a truly rotatable version. Then, a low cost home made harness idea might give you something close to the utility of a high tech European holder. Maybe something like Larry usually stocks or this?

-Joe

More Low Tech Stuff

Description sheets can be pretty small (sometimes even below the tiny 5mm per square IOF minimum.) This is another method of preparing them for

competition that makes good use of small size.

Just duct tape to your finger stick after backing with duct tape or, as in this case, "laminated" with clear packing tape. Running your compass lanyard through the stick strap is a good security measure.

I miss the old Silva tachometer so I attached this modified golf stroke clicker as a pace counter and it has served well for many years.

-Joe

Description Sheet Holders

I get lots of requests for wrist holders for description sheets. A couple of prototypes are in the works aimed at improving durability. The problem is in finding the time to produce them.

Pesonally, I don't care for the wrist mounting and prefer to pin the sheet to my watch band. If you don't wear a watch, a wrist sweatband works fine. If the sheets are provided in advance, this may work for you. http://orienteer.com/minidsh.htm

James' Mudclaw 270 run at Tilden

So far I like the 270: Great traction on up, down, and side hills. Nice and light. Flexible hugging construction. Yet solid.

I've done a trail run under the redwoods then an orienteering (re)run at Tilden in the Berkeley Hills.

Cons: Figuring out the sizing is a little weird. I need to run in then a couple more times and tune things. Out of the box they feel tight. After 0.5 hours of running they loosened up. Then I paused and cinched down the lacing and they look all scrunched. Now I have (unwanted) extra length in the toe. But the fit feels great.

They don't have much traditional cushioning. But the softish rubber cleat tread actually provides some. Interesting. So built for racing or off trail. My first impression is to stick with my Nike's for normal trail running.

They need spikes to be an all round O shoe. For better off trail, rock, and trail grip.

Next I'll run with these 270's again now that they're extra cinched down. Then try out the +340.

Mudclaw 270

The 270 is designed as a "fell running shoe" while the 330 and 34o are orienteering shoes, according to Inov-8. But the lighter, less cushioned, hence lower and probably more stable 270 looks like a good prospect as an O-shoe. Yesterday, James and I went to Tilden for a test run. This was a good opportunity to compare with our VJ's which we wore during a race there a few weeks ago.

My impression was very favorable. Very light but not at all a flimsy feel. The off-center lacing and is a little unnerving but the construction, as with the 34o appears very solid. Traction is more than adequate. My preference, again would be for a higher upper in the heel area. With my wide feet, I tend to have slippage back there but as I usually tape my ankles outside the shoe, I don't expect this to be a problem for me.

Mudclaw 'O' +340

I got a shipment of some Mudclaw 270, 'O' 330 and 'O' +340's the other day for testing and sale. They look great as conveyed in the photos. The Mudclaw and possibly some of the other sole patterns of the Inov-8 line of terrain shoes has the promise of a really good O-shoe, light but adequately cushioned with good support and excellent construction. Most impressive is the very aggressive studding AND, on the 340's (pictured,) dobb spikes.

A jog in the redwoods included some steep ups and downs in deep duff and a downhill on a steep downslope with loose gravel. No problem
with the traction. The shoes are light light ( and comfortable for me. The high studs tak a bit of getting used to especially for me as I wear orthotics. This caused some heel slippage on the uphills. Really cinching down on the laces took care of most of this as might a half size smaller.

The Inov-8 web site, from England, shows a lot of attention to research and design, something that would be good to see from other manufacturers. A page with "reviews" is suspiciously short on negative comments.

Personally I would like to see the uppers a little higher in the heel area. Others will appreciate low tops for flexibility and lack friction. For some the long and numerous studs may take getting used to but for traction on the steep Bay Area hills, they may be the ultimate now that full spikes are no longer available. For those that find them overkill, the Mudroc 280 appears to have something close to a conventional O-stud. James and I plan on checking out the 270 next.

Before the shipment arrived I discovered that Vladimir Gusiatnikov wears the 270 and 330. The meat of what he had to say:

From Vlad on 12/14
I have two orienteering-suitable pairs: Mudclaw 270 and Mudclaw 330.
Both are more of a running shoe than an O-shoe in terms of fit and feel. For my technique, the 270 is clearly better. The 330 is bulkier, the heel sits higher offthe ground, and is heavier. And, I got a huge blister with the 330.
The main benefit of the 270 vs. the Integrator or the Falcon is that it is stable on my feet. They don't rotate, and when they get wet, they keep the original shape. They are about as light as the Integrators. So, I would rather contour around a Bay Area hill in the 270s than the Integrators.
Neither the 270 nor the 330 has metal cleats, a clear disadvantage on wet rocks or slippery eucalyptus branches like last Sunday at Tilden.
Vladimir

And on 12/19
At 16:14 14 12 06, you wrote:
>Thanks for the feedback. I take it that you give the shoes a generally favorable recommendation. Any thoughts on durability? In looking at reviews, a common complaint is about shoes that "fall apart."

I don't know. Too early to tell. There are no signs of fallingapart in either shoe yet, after less than a month of use. When theydo fall apart, my Attackpoint log should give the fall-apart mileage.

>Do you see any advantage to the 330 over the 270 other than your fit? How about otherwise for support? Apparently it has more in the way of cushioning which may be counterproductive as to weight and stability.

Correct. I did the Muir Beach Trail Run in the 330s, and was happy about that over the 270s. On the downhills, the cushioning came handy. I think the steep, hard trails in the Headlands may be too much for the 270s. On the other hand, jogging at Bon Tempe felt fine in the 270s. In either case, I'd say I had a better experience in the Inov-8s vs. the Falcons or Integrators.
In summary, the fit of the Inov-8s may contribute to the feeling that you may go out of control on the downhills and the sidehills, but it's just the opposite. I was never close to twisting my ankle.
Vladimir