Show me, your favorite go to compass.

kgd said:
This is the one I just received for christmas. A sunuto M-3. Features - Northern Hemisphere balanced needle for quick response. Luminscent bezel that really takes a charge nicely from a flashlight. Magnifying glass, so I can burn stuff. Declination adjustment screw and little screwdriver on the lanyard. Little rubber feet for working with it on a surface or map.
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KGD,

Is there any difference in performance between the north american vs global needle, when used in north america? I like your compass, and probably not going to use it outside of the US/Canada.

B
 
Hi Brians,

I also have the Suunto M-3DL and the only difference is that the M3 Global has a built-in clinometer and the global needle.
 
I just dug out my Brunton Eclipse from the garage. That sucker has a monster sized bubble!!!!!! Time to put it by the wood stove and see if it'll go away.

EclipseBubble.jpg
 
brians said:
KGD,

Is there any difference in performance between the north american vs global needle, when used in north america? I like your compass, and probably not going to use it outside of the US/Canada.

B
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Can't say yet Brians, next time I meet up with Brian Andrews, I'll compare mine against his global needle version. From what I understand, the difference it makes is in the time it takes the needle to settle into position. They are both faster, and apparently more accurate, then a standard $14 baseplate compass. In checking the performance of the 3-M against my old Silva basic basplate, they both provide nearly identical degree readings, but the 3-M is faster at settling down to a reading.
 
Raisedby wolves said:
What will the stove do?

Never heard of a remedy for a bubble in the compass.

Carl-
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According to Brunton, "The bubble will normally disappear when the compass is returned to a lower altitude or returned to room temperature. Should the bubble persist, place the compass in a warm spot, like a sunny windowsill, so the fluid in the vial will warm and return to its original volume.".

My wood stove is the one warm spot in the house. After an hour of sitting by the wood stove, the bubble shrunk to about half its size.
 
kgd said:
Can't say yet Brians, next time I meet up with Brian Andrews, I'll compare mine against his global needle version. From what I understand, the difference it makes is in the time it takes the needle to settle into position. They are both faster, and apparently more accurate, then a standard $14 baseplate compass. In checking the performance of the 3-M against my old Silva basic basplate, they both provide nearly identical degree readings, but the 3-M is faster at settling down to a reading.
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I just bought an M3 a little while ago intending to learn and practice navigation skills. So far, it's been hanging out in my pack and I haven't used it very much. Well, a couple of hikes ago, I take it out and the needle is sticky; it won't move and settle unless I jar the needle into movement (several times). I'm careful with my gear and the compass was stored in a map-bag with a map and nothing else, so I'm disappointed to find it doesn't work well now. I probably got a dud, and I keep meaning to email Suunto about it. But it really did seem like a great compass for the price.
 
PatriotDan said:
And then there's the misinformation....like that Silva is a Finnish company when in reality it's Swedish: www.silva.se ;) (...just kidding with you, swedish finnish who cares)
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After checking my Silva Ranger I found that I was correct, atleast for my compass. Mine does say made in Finland. It is 10 to 12 years old.
 
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