Orienteering Equipment

When you begin orienteering, you do not need any special equipment or clothing.  Hillwalking or running gear is suitable for wearing.  As you progress, you may find some specialised clothing or equipment useful. 

The links below give you some ideas as to what equipment may be useful and where you can purchase it.

Pat Healy: healy.pat@gmail.com, Map Masters & Cut Bush Sports, Curragh, Co Kildare sells the following:

  • Orienteering and Trail Running Shoes by: M-Shoe Makers Finland www.vjsport.fi   (VJ Falcon, Bold and IROC3)
  • Orienteering Compasses: Silva  Baseplate and Thumb Compass.
  • Control Flags, Coded Punches, Control cards.
  • Forest, Park and School Survey and Cartography.
  • Permanent Orienteering plates and posts.
  • OCAD Instruction.

Online Shops

Orienteering Clothing

Orienteering Shoes

Compasses

MTBO Supplies

Night-O Supplies

  • Slva head torches, batteries and battery carriers can be purchased from Compasspoint. The classic torch has 10W/20W halogen bulbs and a big reflector. They emit approx. 250 lumens with a reasonably broad spread (which is generally a good thing). They also produce LED torches with approx 600 lumens or more but these are very expensive.
  • Mila head torches etc. can be purchased from Ultrasport. These are similar to the Silva design and prices. They also produce a 1500 lumen torch – ouch!
  • Magicshine LED head torches are a cheaper alternative.  Amongst other places, you can get one that is suitable for Night-O from Dealextreme. Dealextreme and others sell accessories that can make the light suitable for MTB and Night-O. The basic model claims to be 900 lumens but is more likely approx 600. It also has a narrower beam pattern than the specialised Night-O torches which can be a disadvantage.
  • There are also many lower-power torches available.  For example, the Ultrafire LED head torch is available on ebay (example). At approx €25 it is the cheapest torch that gives adequate light for Night-O. It is well worth while having this head torch for general use. It uses AA batteries and produces approx 200 lumens but they only last approx. 1.5 hours on full power. Its beam pattern is quite narrow which is good for sweep searching but gives bad peripheral vision.

Shops

(Irish shops that have Orienteering Gear, by accident or design)

General Supplies

Orienteering Games

Orienteering in Ireland
  • Orienteering Ireland
    Irish Sport HQ
    Blanchardstown
    D15 DY62
    Ireland
  • fixtures@orienteering.ie
  • info@orienteering.ie