Posted: 2/13/2009 9:24:59 AM EDT
| I have a Silva Polaris, but I was wondering if I should exchange that for a different type... What is good to have in a BoB compass wise or is mine good? |
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The Silva Polaris is just fine, it will get you anywhere you want. Small and light, easy to keep in your pocket. And you can do 90% of everything you need with it.
I have a similar one, the boyscout version that i've had for 20 years. I've taken it all over the world. I use it more than my Silva Ranger. Higher end compasses give you more frills, such as a sighting device, and more scales to use on maps. |
| USGI is my choice and if you learn to use it properly it is a very versitle tool. It weights about 3-4x what other compases weight but mine are great and I keep one in the BOV and each of our BOBs. I have had mine for a few years and the tritium is still nice and bright. |
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I take the advice from a former spec-op type when he co-taught a land nav course I attended. He told me two things:
The most important piece of gear you have is your compass There are only two places that you should ever have a compass; in it's pouch and buttoned down and on it's lanyard around your neck I wouldn't own a compass that didn't work in the dark and was built like a tank. That pretty much means a military lensatic compass. Once your eyes are adjusted, you can read maps by them, but you have to be aware of light discipline issues if part of your contingency plans involve avoiding NVG equipped adversaries. |
| I used GI lensatics for over 22 years. They work great when stationary or if you need to use the mil scale for adjusting artillery fire. If you have to use them on the move they're not so hot. There is no dampening of the "needle" and they will wobble all over the place. I ran a LRRP squad for a couple years and I found the Silva Ranger to be damn near perfect. It gives you a sight notch and hair line (on the mirror) for accurate sighting of your azimuth when stationary and it's liquid dampened so the needle doesn't wobble as wildly when on the move. BUT because the Silva is liquid dampened you should keep it in inside your jacket in extremely cold weather. My original Ranger (1977 purchase) made it for 23 years before it got crunched on a hunting trip. My second one was cheaper made and the declination off set adjustment screw stripped out. I got tired of that and sent it in for repair/replacement last year. Man am I disappointed in Silva. They've made the newest version even cheaper with an all plastic bezel that's hard to grip and a sighting slot cut in the cover. This one will be my last if it goes TU. Then I'll have to find another brand or just stick with my issued lensatic. |
| +1 for the Cammenga "GI" lensatic compass. Ditto's that you need to know how to use it and be aware of the necessary adjustments when using it for map navigation. I always wanted a Silva Ranger until I bought one a few months ago. Once clear of the store I discovered the needle was reverse polarized and useless. When I returned it the clerk said they had a lot come back for that reason. If you want a base-plate style compass, check out the Bruntons which are supposed to still be the quality that the Rangers used to be. |
| I really have my eyes on this but I haven't pulled the trigger yet. |
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+1 on that Brunton if you want a baseplate type compass which a lot of people (most?) prefer for map orienteering. Very good price as well. |
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Another +1 on this, this is what the older rangers used to be. |
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Thanks for that link! That is, except for the red bezel, for all intents and purposes a 2nd gen. Ranger. I'd do that in a heart beat. |
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I had a liquid filled compass in my car for many years. it failed eventually when the liquid leaked out. I think it may have frozen since it appeared the needle was warped a little.
I don't expect to be doing a lot of cross country hiking. For most purposes a button compass would seem to be quite adequate. Been a very long time since I even used a compass for anything. It would seem to be somewhat of a waste of money to buy a relatively expensive compass for your BOB, but not have any usable maps to go with it. |