Carry more than one Compass.

Compasses do break.

Compasses do get miss placed / forgotten / dropped along the portage trail.

Most wilderness compasses float, been known to rise out of unbuttoned pockets while submerged, catching the slightest current, deciding upon an adventure of their own.... without their owners.

If you do break / misplace / or see your last / only compass on your person / pack float away.... ASK others you may have the good fortune of crossing paths with if they have a spare. Negotiate if you must. You may find that some are reluctant to part with their spare if it is their only spare.

Some are known to carry 3 or more compasses. (Oh...but the extra weight is killing me...not) One in their map case, one around their neck or in a buttoned pocket, one in their pack or attached to their pack.

For goodness sake, do not rely on a GPS as your only source or type of navigation tool. Clouds have away of rendering them senseless.    

If you do get lost... (play this game long enough and you will), get found.

k