What compass are we all using these days?

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 Denni 10 Sep 2022

Hi all,

I’m going to get back out in the hills as 12 years of stay at home parenting has put a big dent into my adventures.

Anyway a rummage through my kit shows I no longer have a working compass so do I just get another Silva 4 exped (only £22!) or is there anything else worth considering. 

Cheers, Den

 J72 10 Sep 2022
In reply to Denni:

You can’t really go wrong with that to be honest - my experience of cheaper and budget compasses suggests sticking with a known brand is not needed - until it is and you’re left navigating with an unreliable or non working compass! 

Post edited at 23:19
In reply to Denni:

I always used to use Silva compasses, but the last two are bought were a Brunton and Suunto, which are pretty similar to the Silvas but of rather superior construction. Of these two later acquisitions, I slightly prefer the Suunto (M-G3).

In reply to Denni:

Silva's quality seems to have declined in recent years. I'd look to Suunto.

 David Alcock 11 Sep 2022
In reply to Denni:

My moral one. 

1
In reply to David Alcock:

> My moral one. 

Beware of the declination of that with the passing of years!

 Robert Durran 11 Sep 2022
In reply to Denni:

I'd always used Silva, but recently got a cheap (much cheaper) one from Decathlon. Does the job fine.

In reply to Denni:

IPhone XR for me

18
OP Denni 11 Sep 2022
In reply to Denni:

Cheers folks.

am popping out and there’s a decent selection so I’ll have a look at your suggestions, except the phone!

 bouldery bits 11 Sep 2022
In reply to paul_in_cumbria:

> IPhone XR for me

Bantz

 AukWalk 11 Sep 2022
In reply to Denni:

I've ended up with several compasses, a couple of silva ones and a couple of budget brand ones and they all work tbh. Would be happy relying on any of them. I like my silva expedition s best though, find the mirror useful when trying to take precise bearings. 

However I'm not that impressed with Silva quality control or design. After purchasing the silva expedition s it got a massive & growing air bubble in it after only a year, was replaced under warranty though. I had to dremel out a section of the mirror box thing to get it to close properly over the bezel too. 

I would have got a Suunto mirror compass but had read various reviews of people having issues (like large growimg air bubbles after a short time) with them too - seems you can't win these days!

Post edited at 11:31
 SouthernSteve 11 Sep 2022
In reply to Denni:

Silva Expedition 4 Compass - we have one each, they go out with us a lot and have not bubbled or faded. They seem be as well build as ever. The sighting compass based on a similar shell (54NL?), was dreadful to use, neither easy on the map or using the tiny mirror.

 timparkin 11 Sep 2022
In reply to AukWalk:

> I would have got a Suunto mirror compass but had read various reviews of people having issues (like large growimg air bubbles after a short time) with them too - seems you can't win these days!

Suunto mirror owner here and very happy so far.. Mostly bought for the extended baseline, not the mirror

In reply to bouldery bits:

> Bantz

50/50

 Clarence 11 Sep 2022
In reply to Denni:

My Silva fell apart and developed an air bubble while on holiday (after 25 years sterling service I might add)  so I just went and bought the first decent baseplate compass I could find. Its a Suunto A30 and to be honest it is as good as Silva used to be. Excellent build quality, unfussy design and a nice large magnifier. It does everything I want.

 nniff 11 Sep 2022
In reply to Denni:

Bit fed up with Silva air bubbles, but don't get me started on their head torches.....

 Ridge 11 Sep 2022
In reply to SouthernSteve:

i have a Siva prismatic baseplate compass (rotating metal disc rather than needle) that must be nearly 30 years old, and still going strong with no bubbles.

Tend to use a thumb compass for most of my nav these days though.

 jonfun21 11 Sep 2022
In reply to captain paranoia:

I bought a new Silva one 3 years ago, failed two months ago (old one lasted 10+ years) but it was replaced under warranty by them with no fuss/quickly 

 SouthernSteve 11 Sep 2022
In reply to Ridge:

Interesting, I had one and never again.

 olddirtydoggy 11 Sep 2022
In reply to Denni:

Another bad experience from Silva here as well. Decided to buy a cheap Highlander brand and had no issues.

 Jack 11 Sep 2022
In reply to Denni:

Also depends on what maps you use. I use the 1:40000 Harvey's maps and not all compasses have a 1:40000 romer scale. 

 PFitz 11 Sep 2022
In reply to Denni:

Love my Moscow thumb compass:

Compass Moscow 11L Left (Right Hand), Transparent, M https://amzn.eu/d/8VKbuqz

but most of the time it’s one of these in the bumbag, small, light, cheap and seemingly robust - does the job for me on the fells…

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/begin-100-baseplate-orienteering-compass/_/R-...

 sandrow 12 Sep 2022
In reply to Denni:

Moss on north side of tree trunks...

In reply to John Stainforth:

Actually, I still have a 50-year old Silva compass - at least just the central compass housing (everything else has broken away) - that still works perfectly and has absolutely no air bubble, which I find rather remarkable considering that it has been everywhere with me, all over the world. Silva obviously made their compasses very well in the distant past!

Post edited at 18:43
 BuzyG 13 Sep 2022
In reply to Denni:

I have two Silva Compasses. One is over 30 years old the other around 10 years old.  They work simply and simply work for me.

 Fat Bumbly2 13 Sep 2022
In reply to nniff:

Orienteering was a big thing at my school, and we had bubble problems with Silva then too. (1970s)


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