compass selection

drew1095hc

drew1095hc

Joined
Jun 27, 2009
Messages
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What do ya'll believe are the benefits of a Army compass vs. say a Ranger or other quality compass....I am not asking which is better...what are the high points of each.....Drew
 
I have a commenga. High points are you can drop it off a cliff and then go for a 5 mile underwater fin and the thing still functions at 100%. It's bombproof and dead accurate. It doesn't have all the cool jazzy extras like some other companies but screw it, it's the RC5 of compasses.
 
For me, all I need is a simple basepate compass. Ask yourself what you're going to be using it for. If you're just using the direction of travel arrow on a topo, you'll probably just need a simple baseplate compass too.
I personally have no need of a sighting compass.
 
I like global needles since we work on both side of the equator
 
drew1095hc said:
Is suunto the only company making global needle compasses
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Brunton makes global needles compasses too.

I'm with Beef, I like the convenience of a baseplate compass. Don't have to open the hood to take a sighting. A quality baseplane has all the goodies like global or N. Hemisphere dampened needle, declinatin adjustment, luminescent degree readings and North arrow point.

Mine is the Suunto M-3DL baseplate. I like it quite a bit.
 
the only drawback I see is the lack of declination adjustment. I have used (and will continue to use) the GI compass. I prefer the durability of it but last weeks experience with the Ranger at the RAT course was enlightening. I can see now how people such as Jeff Randall prefer it (Silva Ranger). It not only adjust for declination but it also has a baseplate which makes plotting your grids much easier. Use both and see which you prefer.
 
I have a Brunton 15TDCL, which is in actuality the Silva Ranger (the Silva name in N.A. was bought by Johnson Outdoors, so they sell their compasses under the Brunton brand - who knows who makes the North American "Silva Ranger"). This is a true classic - declination by worm gear so it stays put where you set it. Plenty of map scales on the base plate. clinometer (which I have had to use on several occasions). And the mirror helps with taking accurate bearings. Like others have said, the Army compass can be run over with a truck (although the 15TDCL isn't a wimp) and you can get it with tritium - don't have to worry about running out of phosphoresence in the middle of the night.
 
Personally I like declination adjustment. Not so much for where I'm at but you get a ways off the line and you have some serious corrections to make. Declination adjustment keeps you from having to remember the old "West is best East is least" thing. A good baseplate with adjustment and one of these http://www.maptools.com/products/UTMGrids.html is all you need to do some serious map and compass work:
 
Personally I find the Ranger compass to be the best that I have ever used. It works great for sighting a bearing, and it can also be used for many other applications. It will work in a pinch as a signal mirror or contact mirror and will assist in self administered first aid. I also like it because if you get lost it works the best, I've found, to find yourself using triangulation. I also like that you can adjust the declinations as I travel around the country a lot and it can change greatly from east to west. The cord is great so you can just drop it in your pocket and the mirror folds over to protect the compass itself. Oh I just remembered that some of the Ranger's have a built in clinometer to judge slopes and angles if you know how to use it.

Now that I've said all that I must add that I grew up learning on a Ranger style and used them in the Forest Service extensively, but I have not used the old Army style very much.
 
North American 'Silva' is made by Suunto. Note the made in finland mark on them.:) They are still good compasses. But if you are going to buy a Suunto then buy a compass with the Suunto name on it-- not the Silva name sold here in North America. Johnson Outdoors hoo-dooed Silva out of that name for the North American market (read intellectual theft). I deplore such tactics so I refuse to buy anything made by Johnson Outdoors. That is purely a personal opinion.

Commenga is a great, U.S. made compass and had or maybe still does have the U.S. Army contract for comasses supplied to the military. Brunton also makes the only really good Pocket Transit which is a compass on lots of steriods that many field geologists, engineers and surveyors use for quick checks on locating topographic points in the field. I don't think you can go wrong with Brunton, Silva of Sweden (which is now the same company as Brunton), Commenga or Suunto.
 
MikePerrin said:
North American 'Silva' is made by Suunto. Note the made in finland mark on them.:) They are still good compasses. But if you are going to buy a Suunto then buy a compass with the Suunto name on it-- not the Silva name sold here in North America. Johnson Outdoors hoo-dooed Silva out of that name for the North American market (read intellectual theft). I deplore such tactics so I refuse to buy anything made by Johnson Outdoors. That is purely a personal opinion.

Commenga is a great, U.S. made compass and had or maybe still does have the U.S. Army contract for comasses supplied to the military. Brunton also makes the only really good Pocket Transit which is a compass on lots of steriods that many field geologists, engineers and surveyors use for quick checks on locating topographic points in the field. I don't think you can go wrong with Brunton, Silva of Sweden (which is now the same company as Brunton), Commenga or Suunto.
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Jumpin jehosphat in the monkey house! How do you keep all that straight, Mike? How about just tell me what Suunto model to buy?
 
I've got a very simple Swedish made Silva baseplate compass that I've had for years that works great for my needs.

For short hikes, it's usually all I take. On longer hikes or camping trips, I take the compass and a topo map of the area that I'm going to be in and I make notes on the map as I go. I've gotten lost a few times, but have always been able to find my way out with the map and compass.

I think as long as you have a quality compass, the brand or extra features don't matter at all. The most important thing is that you know how to use the compass. None of the bells and whistles will keep you from getting lost if you don't know how to use the compass in the first place.

Basic map reading and compass skills will get you out of just about anything.
 
Expatriated said:
Jumpin jehosphat in the monkey house! How do you keep all that straight, Mike? How about just tell me what Suunto model to buy?
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I suspect it is because name theft is something Jeff and Mike are painfully aware of.....
 
It truly is a tough decision but one more factor that lends the Silva Ranger (or any baseplate compass) is weight. The Cammanga or GI compass is pretty hefty in comparison to the Ranger.
For someone like Reuben, this would be a problem ;)
 
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