Author Topic: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.  (Read 2911 times)

Addingham

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Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« on: 17:54:02, 14/02/18 »
Well this is interesting. I never knew that. ;D


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-43063365

motorlaunch

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #1 on: 18:13:17, 14/02/18 »
I'm aware of phone cases with magnetic closures but haven't seen any such clothing. Which manufacturers are using this method.

Mel

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #2 on: 18:20:24, 14/02/18 »
I've had first-hand experience of phone/compass jiggery-pokery.  The compass didn't quite reverse polarity but it's soooooo SLOOOOOW to gently drift its way to North now it's useless (even at my pace!).  I had to do a factory reset on my phone too as everything locked up on it.  I had them both stored in the lid of my rucksack (phone tracking my walk, compass just there if I needed it as someone else was leading).


The only items of clothing I can think of with metal in are belt buckles and underwired bras  :D

fernman

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #3 on: 18:26:13, 14/02/18 »
It's long been known that phones must be kept well away from a compass, and if its case has a magnetic fastening the two are likely to be together......


I hope no manufacturer of purpose-made outdoor garments or other outdoor equipment is daft enough to use magnets.


Owen

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #4 on: 19:08:43, 14/02/18 »
The latest fashion in rock climbing helmets is to have a magnet to do up the chin strap. Rock climbers don't often need compasses but winter mountaineers and Alpinists do. Not a great idea.

Addingham

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #5 on: 00:38:14, 15/02/18 »
Well now that a few people have read that article. I am a bit cynical about the said party getting lost because of the reversal of a compass ;)


For a start why only one compass between them. Plus the correct reading of a map they should have realised something was a miss.


I have my own thoughts about that incident. Could it be they were a bit embarrassed about their navigational skills and not admit it. ;)

pdstsp

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #6 on: 06:54:13, 15/02/18 »
The article refers to low cloud, which we all know can be disorientating, hence the party relying on the compass for a bearing ?


As to why they only had one compass - we don't know that from the article - bur when I'm walking with friends I've never done a compass comparison - just relied on the first one out of someone's bag.


jimbob

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #7 on: 10:01:13, 15/02/18 »
Yes  O0 PDSTSP.Visibility can be zero on occasions, even at noon. And yes first compass out of the bag is the trusted one. That in itself is a lesson that I have now learned. The MRT would not deliberately hide facts, they would rather get their kicks doing practices than going out for real shouts.

Too little, too late, too bad......

Lakeland Lorry

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #8 on: 10:49:30, 15/02/18 »
I had a person on one of my navigation courses who kept getting wrong bearings.   At first I thought that it was because they weren't taking the bearing correctly, but then I noticed that they were wearing a pair of unusual gloves, which had a metal snap button closure.   I can only assume that the closure button was magnetic.   I think they were called Mujjo Touchscreen gloves, or something like that.


April

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #9 on: 12:30:53, 15/02/18 »
If my memory serves me right, the electric heafing fence put in place after the foot and mouth outbreak on Hard Knott also affected compasses.
Hate will never win

Lakeland Lorry

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #10 on: 13:52:57, 15/02/18 »
If my memory serves me right, the electric heafing fence put in place after the foot and mouth outbreak on Hard Knott also affected compasses.


A normal wire fence, like you find up on the fells, will also affect your compass.   

jimbob

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #11 on: 14:27:14, 15/02/18 »
I once discovered that trying to get over what I thought was a "low enough to get over" electric fence made me see compasses and actually everything else in a completely different way.
Too little, too late, too bad......

Mel

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #12 on: 18:24:38, 15/02/18 »
For a start why only one compass between them.


Perhaps there was only one walk leader.

April

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #13 on: 18:41:04, 15/02/18 »
A normal wire fence, like you find up on the fells, will also affect your compass.

Now that explains a lot.

@ Pleb this why you get lost so many times  :D
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April

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Re: Hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing.
« Reply #14 on: 18:42:02, 15/02/18 »
I once discovered that trying to get over what I thought was a "low enough to get over" electric fence made me see compasses and actually everything else in a completely different way.

Did you roast ya taters?  :o
Hate will never win

 

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