Mal Grey wrote:It is when your mind isn't so absent that you forget that you've put your phone in the inside lid pocket, and just chuck your compass in the outside one without thinking at the end of the day...
Hopefully I've learned my lesson...
I suppose it's to an extent an argument for wearing a bumbag, which clearly not everyone does, useful though such things are. I always wear one of those small Lowe-Alpine bumbags on the hill, into which go various essentials that I either want to keep handy or to check every now and then that I've not dropped them - compass along with pencil and paper come into the first category, car keys and dosh into the second.
In summer on half-day hills I often don't take a rucksack at all but carry one of those bigger bumbags as well as the small one, as the big one (which serves as my crampon bag inside my rucksack at this time of year) can cope with food, water, a runner's cag, hat, gloves, map etc, and a spare layer of clothing can be tied on the back using the straps. In those circumstances I am more likely to have the phone closer to the compass I guess, one in each bag but both round my waist. In the house I routinely keep the compass away from the phone and also from any other bits of metal that might be lying around on tables etc, and also keep it well away from the TV and any radios.