Recommendations for a good and inexpensive compass.

[Diomedes Industries]

Winter:

Why don't you like the Silva / SUUNTO Ranger as much as the Brunton 15TDCL? Can you be more specific?

Thanks for your input.

TF

 

[Diomedes Industries]

My back-up compass (I carry it in my wallet when in the field) is a BCB Button Compass. British made, it is an NSN'ed item that is issues to NATO (RAF IIRC) pilots. Small diameter and thin. It's as accurate as my lenestatic compass or my old Silva, BUT it lacks fine degree markings.

My primary is a lenestatic compass, keep it in an alice pouch. If I am wearingan LBE rig, I'll clip it to that. Otherwise I'll clip it to a belt loop or something.

Do you have the dimensions on this one? What is the diameter and the depth?

TF

 

[wintermute]

Winter:

Why don't you like the Silva / SUUNTO Ranger as much as the Brunton 15TDCL? Can you be more specific?

TF

Some of it is brand recognition. The Silva Ranger has been the "go-to" compass for many people for many years, and I wanted the "true" Silva Ranger, which is a Brunton. But, from a functional standpoint, the worm gear on the "fake" Silva's declination adjustment isn't as tight, and the declination can change on it's own, just from normal, hiking-like jostling. There's enough friction on the Brunton that I haven't encountered that particular problem. The other problem is that the bezel? housing? on the "fake" Silva has a bit of play in it, due to which, readings can shift a few degrees.

 

[pict]

Here is the back-up compass I use. These are made in China, nothing special, but very useful. They are liquid filled and have a 40 point scale on the inside, 360 degree scale outside. I prefer this to the button compass as you can take an accurate sighting using the neck cord and the 40 point scale on the inside. Aside from the occasional bubble that doesn't affect them I have never had a problem with these. In fact I'm looking to buy more.

I have a short video I shot about how to sight with one. I'll try to upload it soon. Mac

Back-Up Compass

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Winter -

Thanks so much for the info. That was perfect.

TF

 

[kenk]

For a low cost VERY high quality compass I suggest the Suunto M-3 Leader for about $25 from http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=1283

I second the recomendation for the Brunton 15DTCL. Great compass.

To my knowledge Suunto didn't have much to do with Silva's trademark problem. It started out because Johnson Outdoors - a US company - was Silva of Sweden's distributor of the Silva compasses. Then in 1996 or so Silva of Sweden bought Brunton - a US compass maker. Silva of Sweden wanted to sell their compasses through Brunton rather than Johnson Outdoors, but the problem was that Johnson Outdoors - not Silva - actually owned the US Trademark for "Silva" and JO wouldn't let it go. So, now Silva of Sweden can't use that name in the US even though its really "theirs". Johnson Outdoors has contracted some other compass maker to manufacture the compasses labeled and sold as "Silvas" in the US. Brunton sells the REAL Silva of Sweden compasses, but they are branded as Bruntons or Nexus compasses.

I REALLY like my newish Brunton 15TDCL: http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=7088 with the red bezel and rounded cover corners.

If you only buy one compass then the 15TDCL is the one to get. The mirror can also serve for signaling and for personal uses (checking facial wounds ... etc).

 

[wintermute]

KenK - I appologize, you're correct. It's the evil Johnson Outdoors that took over the Silva name in the U.S.

Seems like people like the Suunto compasses, so it wouldn't make sense if the crappy "fake" ranger was a Suunto.

 

[j williams]

Heres a cool wrist compass for basic navigation I came across, tritium lit, made by cammenga as well. Goes for 39.00.
Non liquid filled, sweet compass.

 

[mckrob]

I use a compass daily for work, I have several; Rangers, Huntsmen, Recta, to the high end Brunton Pocket Transit as well as the overpriced Eclipse (hated it by the way). My favourite is still the Suunto MC2 with the global needle, I use my MC2 daily and it's never let me down. I have had two Silva Rangers spontaneously reverse poles (north points south) so will not use them anymore. This MC2 model retails for about $65, if you are looking for one a bit cheaper, try the Suunto Leader's compass M3DL, it has full declination adjustment for about $30 but is a baseplate model without sighting mirror. The nice thing about the MC2 is that it has the sighting mirror on the lid, the lid protects the bezel.

If you are storing it long term in your BOB, try to keep it at the opposite end to items with with a high iron content, some knife baldes, files, etc could be magnetised and change the nature of the compass magnet.