Compass??

Originally posted by Trekker
What Compass should I buy, does anyone have a suggestion?
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It depends on how much you want to spend. But I can recommend the Silva Ranger and the G.I. Lensmatic with no qualifications.

I'm sure others can recommend plenty of other good ones as well.

pil sung - 'Crow
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what are you going to use it for? an emergency pocket kit, navigating through the swamps of the amazon, that would help some to figure out what your needs are compact versus acurate.
alex
 
Buy a good quality baseplate compass that isn't too big - maybe a Silva or Brunton for $10-20. It should be readable to 2 degrees or better, have declination adjustment, and at least a couple of map scales.

Then learn to use it well. That's why the good quality - you can't learn much with a zipper pull. When you have acquired some skill, then you will know what you are looking for in a compass. If you want more performance, then you will not have wasted your money on the wrong one. Your "starter" will still have a role for going light or staying on the beaten path.

In a nutshell, I'd say get something good enough to do the job, but save your money for the right high-end model later on.

Happy navigating!

Scott
 
A stolen recommendation from a friend whom I respect for this info:
Brunton 8009 or the Suunto Global (MC-2G Navigator).
-carl
 
I have a Silva Ranger, probably the most for the money. Picked mine up at Sports Authority but I've also seen them in outdoor stores too. I like the fact that it has a cover to protect it, and I've used the mirror in the woods to get things out of my eyes.
 
Keeping in mind that choosing the correct compass is somewhat dependant on your intended uses and your experience level...

I would also recommend a Silva Ranger as being a moderately priced, very versatile, reliable, and durable option. I "grew up" doing land nav with a military lensatic (not lensmatic) compass and using 1:25,000 maps. The transition to the Ranger was an easy one and it has served my as faithfully, or more so, than the issue lensatic ever did.

Good luck with your search.
 
I also feel the Silva Ranger gives a good bang for the money, but like the small size of the Silva Huntsman when I'm in the field now. The most important thing to carry though is knowledge of how to use a compass and how to "stay found"!
 
I think "trekker" got "lost".

:p
 
Another very nice brand is Recta, from Switzerland. I do not know if they're easy to find in the U.S., but here they are rather inexpensive and some models are very high quality. Mine is one of them. I don't remember which model, but it has seen much abuse and still does the job.
 
Thanks for all your relpies, I just bought a Silva Ranger, maybe now I wont get lost any more.
 
Congrats. Spend some time getting to know it and it's functions and it will be a trusted friend.
 
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