Good Compass Choices

[Kestrel]

I'm looking for a good compass. I have an old, plain Silva, but am looking for something with a little more. I would like something that has tritium to be able to use it in the dark. I'm looking for something rugged. The one I have seems to be well made, but it's certainly not sturdy looking.

What are the brands to consider? Any particulars in design and features I should consider?

Thanks a million.

[stevelyn]

I don't think you can do much better than the military lensatic compasses. They have tritium dials, graduated straight edges, full 360 degree graduations, and a sighting system to shoot azmuths to distant objects.

Plus they're rugged enough to be GI proof.;)

[SniperStraz]

Here's my favorite
http://www.sailorsport.com/product_images/pid_732_40.jpg
Its the Iris 50 handbearing made by Plastimo and I love it.
Click here for more info:http://www.rfd.co.nz/page_compasses.htm

[Kestrel]

steve,

By the azimuth sighting ability - does this allow you to figure angles of stars at particular times? I would like to be able to also identify stars, so if that's what that will do, that's what I'm looking for.

I wouldn't mind a second type, too, though.

Thanks.

[Kestrel]

By the way, where are some good places online to buy compasses?

[stevelyn]

Kestrel,

No, it will not help you with celestial navigation. The lensatic compass has a sighting wire in the cover with a rear notch cut out on the magnifier frame.

You sight in on a distant object, a predetermined azmuth from a map or pre-planned direction from a travel plan and glance down through the magnifying lens and read your degrees orientation or azmuth.

It's really designed to help keep you on a straighter track when used in conjunction with a map. It can also be used for intersection and resection.

[LAK]

Suunto MC-2DL has a luminous bezel, and I have an older Recta Standard compass which has luminous marks. The latter is available as the Victorinox DP5 I believe. I also recently aquired a Suunto 51-KB20/360R which is light, well made and has a neat optical sighting system.

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http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedstates.org

[Jordan]

Military elites use the Silva Ranger. It has luminous points for night nav. Not "tritium" per se (the radioactive stuff).

[SRMohawk]

Suunto's KB-series compasses are awesome!!! More than you'll ever need, in fact, as they provide for determining elevation, azimuth, range/distance, and angle between two objects (all but the direction-finding feature are FAR from easy to understand). They're also indestructable (no plastic at all; machined aluminum housings).