That time a $12 compass sent me in a perfect circle

I was trying a new loop in the White Mountains and bought a cheap compass at the trailhead store. About two hours in, I kept seeing the same weirdly shaped rock. Turns out the needle was stuck pointing just slightly off true north. I hiked a neat three mile circle before my buddy pulled out his phone and showed me the dot not moving on his map. We had a good laugh once we got back on track, but it added an extra hour to our day. Anyone have a favorite reliable compass brand that won't break the bank?

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