Good Compass under $70?

K Williams said:
What are some good compass choices with a price of less than $70?
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Anything by Suunto. Lots of folks like the military issue compass made by cammenga as well. The tritium one is just above your price range but the non tritium one is much cheaper.
 
I'll second coaldigger on the Silva Ranger. I used one for years when I worked in the field as a forester. Keep in mind this is somewhat large and would be excellent for orienteering.

If you are looking for something smaller, more durable and willing to give up the precision of the Ranger, I like the Tru Nord...

www.trunord.com
 
If you are going to use a map, and you should have maps of your area...a baseplate type like the Silva Ranger and other Silva, Brunton, Suunto Compasses will all be great choices. You don't have to purchase the uber-expensive models either. They are all excellent compasses. Someone else mentioned Cammenega, they are one contractor (might be the only one at this point in time), they are excellent. Any USGI Lensatic Compass like the Cammenega will do nicely. I have a Waltham Precision Instrument USGI Lensatic Compass dated 12-59 and it is just as accurate as the day it was manufactured. It's so accurate, every time I purchase a compass, I check it by the Waltham Lensatic I have as well as a Brunton Smokechaser. As a matter of fact, if you can get a Brunton Smokechaser Model, that's an excellent compass. You might be able to get one on some website, I don't think Brunton makes it anymore. If you Google it, you get my website. 8-)

Original Recta DP2 Matchbox Compasses are also excellent. Suunto is making their version of them as well. For the Victorinox freaks like me, the Recta is "The Original Swiss Army Compass."

Anyway, get a good compass and spend the rest of the remaining money on a good DVD and book on how to use them.
 
I'd recommend sticking to a clear plastic-bodied baseplate compass.

I'd highly recommend you get one with adjustable declination - as opposed to a declination scale, which is what you'll find on most lower cost compasses.

If you don't need a compass with a sighting mirror, then a Suunto M3 Leader is a very high quality compass that can be purchased for around $25. If you get the version with the Global Needle (that works all over the world) that version will cost you about $10 more.

I myself like having a compass with a sighting mirror. If nothing else, the mirror can also be used as a signal mirror or to see if I have gunk in my teeth. The best known and loved version is the Silva Ranger - but do keep in mind that since 1996 Silva's compasses are only sold in the U.S. under the Brunton label (or sometimes under the Nexus label). Since 1996 Compasses sold in the U.S. with the Silva label are NOT made by the company that invented the plastic baseplate compasses. Details on that here. In the U.S. that original Ranger compass is sold as the Brunton 15TDCL (sometimes called the "Original 15"), which is still a fantastic compass that I'll HIGHLY recommend. It runs about $50.
 
Cammenga USGI lensatic all the way. Love em, easy to use, and verry tough and accurate. That Waltham Don has is a good one too. I want one around that age.
 
Do NOT buy a Silva Ranger. The original was one of the best pieces of equipment you could buy.....Unfortunately:

They are no longer made by the original Silva company. The company is now owned by Johnson Outdoors. The bezel is now plastic instead of aluminum and does not align correctly and the mirror is fixed with double sided tape and falls off when it gets cold. The one I bought last year was horrible. In addition to those problems, it actually leaked the fluid out of the capsule before I ever took it hiking.

Buy the Brunton 15TD. While not an exact copy of the original, it is better than the Silva.

Personally, I like the Brunton 8097 which is only about $35 for a baseplate compass and for a Lensatic, the Cammanga is unmatched for reliability.
 
That Suunto MC-2 is an excellent compass. I have an older one without the global needle but everything else is the same. It's outstanding and I think it ran me ~$50 at MEC.
 
Suveges,

I doubt I will EVER use the Global needle - but if I was going to buy one - why not. I am sure yours has seen more use than mine has - YET!

TF
 
I carry the Suunto Leader MC-2 and absolutely love it.
 
Talfuchre said:
Suveges,

I doubt I will EVER use the Global needle - but if I was going to buy one - why not. I am sure yours has seen more use than mine has - YET!

TF
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The global needle has more going for it than just being able to be used in multiple locations.

The other two big pluses are:
- It is the fastest dampening compass I have used.
- Hold angle is not so critical. While I don't recommend it, I have held mine at extreme angles (just to try it) and the compass still works accurately.

The reason this works is the needle is not magnetic, and is simply a needle. The magnet is central to the needle, hence the fast dampening time. The needle is connected to the magnetic in a way the reminds me of a gyroscope. They tilt independent of each other. The magnet stays level when the case and needle does not need to be.

Does all this really matter? Individual choice I guess, but I use map and compass a lot, and I really dig the global needle.

B
 
PrimitiveMan said:
Do NOT buy a Silva Ranger. The original was one of the best pieces of equipment you could buy.....
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I agree, the Silva is no good (I've sent two back over the years with reversed poles, north pointed south). I don't trust them.

I've tried them all, the Suunto MC-2G is what I use at work and the only type I will buy for my field crews. Spend the extra couple of dollars and get the "G" or global model (it will function equally well in both the northern and southern hemispheres).
 
I like the Brunton 15TDCL

Good sighting setup. Adjustable declination. Clinometer. Built solid. What's not to like?
 
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