Choosing a Compass

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acwire_2125

Joined
Mar 23, 2006
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Hello everyone!

I am currently looking for a compass for use in Jungles. I will use it for plotting routes, bashing and finding landmarks.

Any recommendation? I am looking for a reliable one!
 
I've found the Silva's to be solid performers and not too heavy. Just get one of their mid to higher level ones. Also, a good, genuine military lensatic compass is hard to beat since they were made for serious navigation. We always carried ours in a first aid pouch clipped to web gear or a web belt.
 
There is a thread still on the first page as of now, entitled "Compass" started by xbxb. You might want to refer back to it because it is full of useful information and conflicting ideas. Everyone seems to have their own particular favorite.

If I were you, I would choose one of the known brand, (Silva, Suunto, Brunton, etc.) card type compasses. As a category, these flat base compasses tend work under any weather conditions, are rugged, compact and lightweight. They are great for plotting a course on a contour map and many can be worn around the neck in comfort.

As I said in the previous post, I have used, abused and lost many compasses. My favorite of the bunch is the Suunto M-3G Global. It is similar in characteristics to many in its price range but what sets it apart is the needle will still turn easily while the instrument is at a much greater tilt than any of the others, making it easier to use in either normal or stressful conditions. I find, the unique pivot makes the compass more user friendly when the going gets rough. This ability to work at a greater angle is accomplished, apparently without increasing the depth of the instrument! Price usually about $42+.

There are many compasses out there and everyone seems to have their favorite that they rely on and recommend; Some more or less pricy and more or less elaborate in function.
 
Aren't they all one company now, iirc suunto bought both brunton and silva. I would second the suunto M3G, used it for rough bearings for antenna alignments in both northern and southern hemispheres, the global needle is nice. It also has a clinometer which was useful in guesstimating angles in the sky and glow in the dark degree ring and adjustable mag dec. It also has a magnifier for starting fires in emergencies.
Another nice design is the silva box compass, don't know the model number but the compass slides out of a box, and a mirror flips down so you can sight it at eye level and read the dial at the same time (prismatic style). I would guess that it would give more accurate bearings to landmarks, but it's bigger.
 
My older Silva ranger seems to be better quality than the newer ones, so I've switched to the Suunto equivalent MC-2 for fieldwork. Great compass a a better price than the Silva. I'll have to look for the M3.

Pat
 
I'll second the recommendation of the Suunto M3 Leader with the global needle. Fantastic compass that will function virtually anywhere on the globe. $32 from http://www.forestry-suppliers.com .

The non-global needle is only $19, but not sure if that supplier will provide non-US calibrated compasses. I guess you could call them and check. If you don't plan on using it outside of the Asian area, then the standard needle would work just fine.

Regarding the "old" Silva Ranger vs the "new" Silva Ranger, keep in mind that the old Silva Ranger is still sold in the US by Brunton as the 15TDCL. In the US, the compass currently sold as the Silva Ranger is NOT made by Silva of Sweden (some have said it is made by Suunto, but I don't know that for certain).

The deal here is that in 1996 Brunton (a US company) was purchased by Silva SE (a Swedish company). It turned out that the US trademark "Silva" was not owned by Silva SE but was owned by Johnson Worldwide Associates (Johnson Outdoors - the folks that bring us Eureka tents and Old Town canoes). Johnson would not give up the "Silva" US trademark. So now Silva/Brunton cannot use the "Silva" trademark in the US and Johnson sells non-Silva compasses under the "Silva" name in the US. It is kind of confusing.
 
I've got a box full of compasses and use them to teach my Boy Scouts orienteering. I personally love my Silva Ranger. But every compass has a weakness. On an orienteering course an 11 year old Scout was handed my compass and out of respect for me really got a firm grip on it when I handed it to him. The Compass dissassembled right there in the middle of the woods. I also have a U.S. Army tritium lensaic (spelling) with a broken sighting bar. If you want to see cute, take any compass with liquid filling and hike with it in weather under freezing, the colder the better. Then take it inside overnight and try to figure out how the big air bubble got inside. Every compass has it's good points and bad. I carry two, both Silva Rangers, both with bubbles inside. Have some good times on orienteering courses and can put one back together on the run. Hope this helps.
 
Thanks dudes! Really helpful comments. I'm living in Singapore btw, at the Tip of the Malayan Peninsuar near the equator. I would'nt be using it in cold weather but I will be using it in thick jungles and sloppy terrain. I saw the Suunto M-3G Global Compass and find that it is indeed quite a good compass. The downside is the price. Just for a global needle, I need to fork out like double the times of those which does not have this special function. If I can find a real cheap deal, will buy it. I also heard that there are fake types out there in the market, printing the names on the compass and passing off as the guinuen one. Any idea how do I identify the real and the fake?
 
If you're not planning on using the compass outside of SE Asia area then don't waste your money on the global needle. The standard needle will do you just fine. I actually prefer the standard needle's black/red pattern - I find it easier on the eyes than the global needle with the slot in it.
 
Ditto what Kenk said about the global needle. Not necessary in your part of the world.
I would recommend an ex military compass for your terrain as well. In close country, you need to keep a constant check on the bearing you are moving on, and a military "lensatic" will enable you to both take a sight bearing and set the compass on a "marching" bearing. They have the added advantage of being mil-spec tough.

If this is out of your price range, then the Silva/Suunto baseplate compasses are a very acceptable alternative.
 
Thanks! I can get a Lensatic Comapss for say USD$5. Thanks! But the qualiy I am not very sure, it says " Made In China" at the back of the compass!
 
Don't get a cheap $5 lensatic, the kind with a disk instead of a needle and no liquid inside. They take forever to settle and the magnet loses its magnetization. Even a $7 Silva keychain model is superior. A real military lensatic is made by Cammenga and will set you back a lot more than $5 and tends to be marked in mils, not degrees.
 
military compasses are marked in mils and degrees. The mils aren't usually used unless you're calling in artillery. I've often wondered if there aren't civilian compasses out there that are more accurate as military equipment is often behind the civilian world. I love my compass, but I love my gps more.
 
Well guys, you've convinced me to order a Cammenga lensatic compass and learn for myself how well it works and how it compares to good orienteering (baseplate) compasses. This should be fun!
 
Yay, if you can afford the extra money go for the tritium model. Well, it's a big help if you want to navigate at night. I found the lumiscent marker on the phosphorous model doesn't hold a charge very well, but other than that they're basically the same. If you go for a tritium model make sure it's fresh and not a 10-15 year old surplus model.
 
Ah, i see. The other compass thread has 'discussion' on the relative merits of the brunton pocket transit which is a truly awesome piece of pocket gadgetry. Evidently good to 1/2 degree.
 
kenk said:
Well guys, you've convinced me to order a Cammenga lensatic compass and learn for myself how well it works and how it compares to good orienteering (baseplate) compasses. This should be fun!
Click to expand...
kenk, please report on your findings. I would love to read your comparison!
 
Acwire, I assume that the maps of your area are in metric grids. The "mils" marking on military compasses is very useful when navigating as 1 mil subtends 1 metre at 1000 metres. By contrast, one degree subtends 17.777 metres at 1000 metres (complicates the maths).
Example: you are looking at two hill crests 1000 meters away from you. Take a bearing on the left hand hill, it reads 200 mils. Take a bearing on the right hand hill, it reads 300 mils. There is 100 mils difference between the two crests, therefore they are 100 metres apart. Overly simple example, but that is the principle. The subtend principle can be used in various ways to establish your position on a map as well.

Good luck with the bush walking. Great fun.
 
kenk said:
Well guys, you've convinced me to order a Cammenga lensatic compass and learn for myself how well it works and how it compares to good orienteering (baseplate) compasses. This should be fun!
Click to expand...
Updates? :)
 
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