The development of sliding mode controllers for uncertain linear systems using only a subset of the state information is considered. The case of static output feedback is first reviewed. The use of low order dynamical compensators (which do not possess observer interpretations) is explored. It will be shown that the constraint of global sliding surface reachability which is usually employed in the state feedback case is unnecessarily restrictive when developing controllers based on output measurements only. A case study involving steer-by-wire of a passenger vehicle is employed throughout the paper to illustrate the theoretical results.