Hand Compass—Looking for a new one
I have been a Silva Ranger guy pretty much since I started surveying in 1979. The declination adjustment on my old one stripped out a while back and I got a replacement, they have a lifetime warranty. Unfortunately the new ones are junk, made in China, my new one sticks at colder temperatures, not freezing just cold. A lifetime warranty is useless if the product is worthless due to poor workmanship.
Just did a bit of searching, the contenders for base plate mirror compasses seem to be:
The Suunto MC-2D
The Brunton Model 15 TDCL (manufactured by Silva Sweden AB, the original manufacturer of the Silva Ranger)
The Silva Ranger (now owned by Johnson Outdoors)
Apparently Suunto makes some compasses for Johnson and there are online reports that the Suunto MC-2D sticks just like my new Silva Ranger.
Even though the Brunton Model 15 TDCL may be the closest ancestor to the original Ranger, there are reports that it is now made in China too.
It sounds like maybe all of these companies are now intertwined and ultimately having the same junk built in China, sad state of affairs!
I know there are other types of compasses, BUT I like a base plate / mirror compass for several reasons and would like to stick with that style if possible.
I have thought of getting a Suunto KB-14 as I have had real good luck with one of their Suunto PM-5 clinometers, HOWEVER their declination setting is a weak link, you only have 13 degrees E or W, not enough range in some parts of the USA and it is kind of a poor implementation in my opinion anyway.
So, any field reports on the various models I listed or is there some alternative that is better?
SHG
- 17 Replies
Suunto KB-14/360/R – Hands down. Tried the declination model once, but don’t care for it. We have a point outside the office where one can stand and site a tower a couple miles away that we have done solar obs on and figure a personal declination, as everyone seems to read them a little differently.
Bruce
I have had great luck with my Suunto. I bought one back in 67 and would still have it if my helper haden’t left it on the bumper of the truck.
Suunto tells you to breathe on the top of the compass in cold weather to dipel static electricty, maybe that is the problem with your new compass in the cold.
I also use a Silva Ranger hard to beat in the woods, set the arrows and just follow the pointer, not as precise as the Suunto though.
Have you tried e-Bay to find an older Ranger?
T.W.
Shelby, buy a good used one. Ebay, or otherwise.
N
I started out with a simple “pocket compass” that me Dad gave me when I was about 5 years old, and that worked fine until I started Surveying in 68 with the Forest Service. I was issued a Suunto “azimuth” compass, and that worked great despite the “user applied declination” limitation. When I got seriously into Mineral work (mid-70s) I converted to a Brunton Pocket Transit (International Model), which I still carry to this day. There ARE some things that I think the Suunto is better adapted to (like gathering field data for declination isograms), but I could do that with the Brunton too I suppose. What I would REALLY like to have, is a Wild T0, but that isn’t exactly a “pocket” proposition!
Loyal
I would not even consider anything but a Suunto. One of the finest pieces of gear made.
ditto on the current version of the Ranger.
We bought one as a gift for a co-worker. It leaked from day 1 and is pretty much useless at this point. And it was not that cheap for a hunk of plastic.
Mine is about 10 years old and has a little bubble but still works fine. I dread having to replace it.
I think the price has stayed the same but the manufacturing has been transferred to China to keep costs low enough.
This one is made in Germany.
Apparently only comes in azimuth model, though. No declination adjustment.
The Suunto tandem compass/clinometer has a 20° range on the declination adjustment:
Thanks for all the comments so far, so it looks like Suunto is the favorite, and while I agree that the KB-14 is proably the best, any thoughts on the Suunto MC-2? I use a mirror frequently and cover a big enough geographic area that being able to set the declination is important, I could see if a person worked in a local area that just doing the math would be OK on the KB-14, however for me I can see that as a way to screw something up by a bunch :-O
SHG
The MC2 was my first thought too. I would try it for 42 dollars. If it was bad out of the box or on your first cold weather job you could send it back.
I’m not a big fan of any of the better quality choices. Either they don’t have declination adjustment or they only come in azimuth models.
When you are getting up around $200 it seems like you may as well use a staff compass but sometimes I just don’t want to have to carry another thing.
I carry both the Silva Ranger and the Suunto. I keep the Silva on True north. Which one do I use most? The Silva. I remember once I was on the mountain and the EDM was a half mile below on the road. The instrument man couldn’t pick us out in the wooded hillside, so I pulled out my Silva and flashed the mirror at him. He saw us in a second. The Silva is more versatile than the Suunto, but the Suunto is a bit more accurate. These days, though, I don’t rely on compass accuracy as much I I did 40 years ago.
The new Silvas only last a couple years. My original one I still have was purchased for Forestry class in 1968.The Suunto MC-2 looks to only come in an azimuth version, while the the Brunton Model 15 can be had in the quadrant version and by the photos looks like the Ranger of days gone by, so I think the answer to a new “Silva Ranger” replacement is the Brunton, hopefully the quality is still there as it was years ago before Silva parted ways with the North American market.
I do like some of the features of the Suunto MC-2 global market model, it can be out of level by 20 degrees and has a faster needle plus the cutout in the mirror, but I think the old style Silva with the Brunton name will win out.
SHG
don’t know, but thanks for posting this, will have to do something when my 30 year old Brunton gives up the ghost.
I love the Suunto, won’t leave the truck without it.
Had the declination one also, didn’t like it either.
…won’t leave the truck without it.
>And might not find the truck again without it!
N
You guys who “love” your Suunto’s are talking about the aluminium housing one, correct?
SHG
yep
My business logo is a Suunto compass
D’yup. Doan waste yer time wid the plastic ones!
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