Button Compass - filled or unfilled?

lmcq784

lmcq784

Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Messages
2,504
Hey pack,

I have a button compass related question:

Do you prefer unfilled or liquid filled button compasses (20mm or 25mm):confused:

What are the benefits and drawbacks of each?

Thanks!
 
I actually like dry compasses better for the cheaper grades since the liquid filled seem to not work as well. With the Grade A compasses though I like the liquid filled. The 25mm Grade A's are awesome.
 
All of my 20mm buttons wound up leaking and not being true after a year or so. I'm sold on dry for small general directions, but liquid for my larger map compasses.

Moose
 
R.A.T. said:
I actually like dry compasses better for the cheaper grades since the liquid filled seem to not work as well. With the Grade A compasses though I like the liquid filled. The 25mm Grade A's are awesome.
Click to expand...

Agreed - cheap filled compasses tend to have bubble problems (damping the dial) for me as well
 
tarditi said:
Agreed - cheap filled compasses tend to have bubble problems (damping the dial) for me as well
Click to expand...

This has been my experience exactly. I have used several small liquid filled compasses and they always develop bubble problems in short order.

I wish the Suunto Clipper was a dry compass because I love the bezel design on them. They are tiny but still quite useful for map work in a pinch.
 
Seems like we're all in agreement here. How strange is that? LOL

With that said, I have used the Grade A liquid filled and had good success but I always like the larger ones (20mm or larger) if a compass is going to be liquid filled. Mainly becasue a small bubble doesn't bother a larger compass.
 
BTW: excellent post and question. This is the type of simple question that can save people major problems.
 
This is very go info.
I suppose the next question I can ask would be, where do you guys resource your grade A compasses from? There are so many cheap pieces of crap on the market, it would be good to have a reliable source to go to.
Really don't want anything larger than 25mm, (that's about an inch right?), and would prefer a little smaller.

SJ
 
I've always had better luck with dry ones. I even have a wet one that reads backwards, they must have put the dial on wrong. I could have fun with that one if I was the practical joker kind of guy. Maybe Jeff wants it? He seems to be the type that would do something like that to the "right" person.

I like the NATO SAS brass compass. you can find them here: http://www.bestglide.com/FB1605_Info.html
The Marble's is also a good compass. http://www.bestglide.com/marbles_brass_compass.html
 
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Bubbles seem to be the biggest problem with cheap button compasses, no? I mean most any time you get a cheap one free or whatever there’s a ¼” diameter bubble in the middle of a ¾” compass and people wonder why it doesn’t point consistently.
 
We've had several of the 20mm compasses come from the factory backwards.
 
adaman04 said:
Bubbles seem to be the biggest problem with cheap button compasses, no? I mean most any time you get a cheap one free or whatever there’s a ¼” diameter bubble in the middle of a ¾” compass and people wonder why it doesn’t point consistently.
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Not just the cheap ones, mine were kinda on the expensive side for a 20mm brass compass. It would seem that they saw me coming, because only the brass shell was holding a plastic insert. Should have been a good compass, but it wasn't.

I haven't had a Suunto go bad yet, and the one that rides my pack, has been beaten up pretty bad, as I carry my bag daily.

Moose
 
I'm not 100% sure but I think the compass that came with my Izula wallet kit was dry, while the (appears to be) same compass that came in my ESEE fire kit was liquid filled.

Either way they both work great and are the best "small" compasses I've seen.

While we are talking compasses, if someone were to place a small compass in the tougue of a boot, would the constant vibration eventually wack the compass out of line?
 
This is a timely thread for me as I am about to order 3 BCB ( UK bushcraft stuff) button compasses. They are oil-filled. After reading these posts I'm starting to have my doubts:(

I'm wondering if anyone here has the BCB units and how they have performed.
 
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SteelJunky said:
This is very go info.
I suppose the next question I can ask would be, where do you guys resource your grade A compasses from? There are so many cheap pieces of crap on the market, it would be good to have a reliable source to go to.
Really don't want anything larger than 25mm, (that's about an inch right?), and would prefer a little smaller.

SJ
Click to expand...

A great place to get grade A or AA 20mm compass' is from Bepreparedtosurvive.com. I have a several of the 20mm AA and 14mm AA that have all been great! They have had no leaks and no issues at all, which is rare like Jeff said for a button compass.
 
Thanks for all the responses!!!

How about freezing? Has anyone had problems with liquid-filled compasses freezing in the cold?

Jeff, I know you guys don't do the cold scene too much, and prefer the jungle scene... but any thoughts?
 
I think the fluid is an oil so unless it's really cold I doubt there is a freezing issue.
 
I have been thinking of getting a small button compass to use for general direction walking. All I have right now is a military compass.


mlrs
 
I just had a small liquid filled one leaking! Would have been happy with only a bubble in it..
As I just wanted to use it when I noticed it. Anyhow, nothing bad had happened, but I changed to dry ones in my survival kit.
 
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