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Author Topic: I need a new compass.  (Read 1055 times)

bedlamite

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I need a new compass.
« on: October 03, 2014, 10:20:29 AM »
I was going through my hunting gear last weekend and accidentally left my compass on my bed. Got back from work Monday morning to find it had been used as a chew toy. Thanks Dozer.

Couple requirements, It's got to have a 1:24000 scale for USGS topo maps, liquid filled, and a mirror sight.

From my research this week:
SIlva is now owned by Johnson Controls and are imported to the US from assorted far east locations. Apparently anywhere else in the world you can still get a good one.
Brunton has moved production back to the US for some of their products this year, the TruArc 15/20 are on the short list, but reliability is an unknown.
Suunto MC-2/G IN looks like the winner so far at $56.

Are there any I'm overlooking?
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charby

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Re: I need a new compass.
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2014, 10:24:50 AM »
Quote from: bedlamite on October 03, 2014, 10:20:29 AM
I was going through my hunting gear last weekend and accidentally left my compass on my bed. Got back from work Monday morning to find it had been used as a chew toy. Thanks Dozer.

Couple requirements, It's got to have a 1:24000 scale for USGS topo maps, liquid filled, and a mirror sight.

From my research this week:
SIlva is now owned by Johnson Controls and are imported to the US from assorted far east locations. Apparently anywhere else in the world you can still get a good one.
Brunton has moved production back to the US for some of their products this year, the TruArc 15/20 are on the short list, but reliability is an unknown.
Suunto MC-2/G IN looks like the winner so far at $56.

Are there any I'm overlooking?

I got an older version of the Suunto you listed. Never failed me yet.

If you do travel to other places farther away it is nice to get a compass with adjustable declination via a micro screw and not a scale like the Suunto listed above.
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bedlamite

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Re: I need a new compass.
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2014, 10:30:34 AM »
Quote from: charby on October 03, 2014, 10:24:50 AM
I got an older version of the Suunto you listed. Never failed me yet.

If you do travel to other places farther away it is nice to get a compass with adjustable declination via a micro screw and not a scale like the Suunto listed above.

Everything I've read says the Suunto MC2 series has an adjusting screw for declination

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_RObh3StoY
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Ron

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Re: I need a new compass.
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2014, 11:42:28 AM »
Might want to consider a Brunton 15TDCL.

Mine has held up well and it's a classic.
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Boomhauer

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Re: I need a new compass.
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2014, 11:57:46 AM »
I've got a Suunto MC-2 that I like a lot. It never failed me.

I don't trust Brunton (heard of multiple failures) and I sure as hell don't trust Silva.

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bedlamite

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Re: I need a new compass.
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2014, 12:02:25 PM »
Quote from: Ron on October 03, 2014, 11:42:28 AM
Might want to consider a Brunton 15TDCL.

Mine has held up well and it's a classic.

Made in China and discontinued, TruArc 15 I mentioned is it's replacement.

Thanks, I think I'll just order the MC-2G
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Ron

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Re: I need a new compass.
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2014, 12:29:06 PM »
Quote from: bedlamite on October 03, 2014, 12:02:25 PM
Made in China and discontinued, TruArc 15 I mentioned is it's replacement.

Thanks, I think I'll just order the MC-2G

hmm, mine is pretty old, built like a tank.

Pretty sure it wasn't made in China or I wouldn't have bought it at the time. Looking at it just now and it has no indication of where it was made. It was known to be the actual Silva Ranger renamed after Silva sold out.

What a shame, quality just keeps getting shabbier and shabbier on stuff. You really have to stay on your toes.
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charby

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Re: I need a new compass.
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2014, 01:39:15 PM »
Quote from: bedlamite on October 03, 2014, 10:30:34 AM
Everything I've read says the Suunto MC2 series has an adjusting screw for declination

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_RObh3StoY

Thanks for the video, yep got the micro screw adjustment. I really like the clinometer, once you get your pacing figure out for distance it is easy to get an accurate height of objects. 
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bedlamite

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Re: I need a new compass.
« Reply #8 on: October 07, 2014, 09:32:14 PM »
Compass arrived today. It's a little bigger than I thought it would be, The mirror is acrylic so It may be easy to scratch. I really like the global needle, it looks like a mini gyro, and works smoothly at angles that would have stalled every compass I've ever used before.
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