Good beginner compass

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bill_G

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Jun 7, 2004
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A great book to learn basic map & compass are the older Boy Scout Books. You can usually pick them up for about 4 bucks in a used book store. The field manual has more info than a standard Scout Manual. The newer ones aren't near as good.
Oldman/Marty
 
As a Cub Scout den leader, Cubmaster, Girl Scout leader, and now an assistant Scoutmaster for a few years, I seen a lot of compasses, taught compass skills to lots of Scouts, and done a buncht of research on budget compasses ...

I wholeheartedly recommend the Suunto M-3DL Leader compass (NOT the one with the global needle) AND you might want to get the Suunto Cordura Compass Case (a Ziploc bag will do fine though). A compass without a case can get pretty beat up. Also, emphasise that mosquito repellant with DEET will destroy a plastic compass!!

Suunto M-3DL Leader Compass (about $25):
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=1283

Suunto Cordura Case (about $10):
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=1285

This is a fantastic high quality compass for the price. No doubt the best buy out there right now. The Suunto M-2 is a good compass, but for just a few dollars more you get a much better compass.

If money is a concern OR you'll get real upset if it gets lost, then I'll recommend the Brunton Classic 9020G and you can just store it in a Ziploc snack bag. The only concern I have with the 9020G is that its symmetric shape adds a risk of pointing it in the wrong direction (ignoring the direction of travel arrow and using the back of the compass instead of the front).

Brunton 9020G Compass (about $12):
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=7091

No matter what other Scout leaders say (and they will) PLEASE don't buy a compass unless it has adjustable declination. Working with magnetic declination is a must know skill, especially as you get closer to the east/west costs, and the declination scales that many compasses have are confusing to our young Scouts.

Make sure the compass has a lanyard that allows it to hang from the neck to about the boy's mid-stomach. I use orange "Sportsman's Cord" that I found in Walmart's sporting goods section - comes on a small 2"x2" spool.

My favorite web site for learning compass skills is http://www.compassdude.com .

My favorite book on the subject is The Essential Wilderness Navigator: How to Find Your Way in the Great Outdoors, Second Edition by David Seidman and Paul Cleveland:
http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Wil...bs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203776042&sr=8-2
 
Just wanted to confirm that the Suunto M3 Leader is a fantastic compass, especially for the price. Smooth action, adjustable declination, and completely functional. My favorite aspect, the lettering is cut into the plastic base (the lettering on crummy cheap compasses is usually just printed on, or even sometimes a paper sticker).

And the M3 Leader is suitable for almost any level of user. On one end of the spectrum, it's a great tool for teaching and learning the basics. At the opposite end, I used one for many years as a professional archaeologist for mapping arch sites. I still use one as my EDC compass for hiking and backpacking.

Happy Shopping!
 
I'd say a Silva definitely.

Does 99% of the tasks, and is extremely durable.

And for instruction, look no further than the 10,000 orienteering pages on the web. They're written at all levels of skill, and--unlike a book--will link to online resources to help him find his way (such as online topo maps).

No problem with a Suunto, though! :thumbup:

And might I add what a SMART move that is, too--a compass is a true gift for a young man.
 
Just so you all know, since 1996 (when Silva of Sweden bought Brunton) all compasses sold in the U.S. with the "Silva" brand are no longer made by Silva of Sweden - the company that invented the plastic baseplate compass. That is because Johnson Outdoors, who distributed the compasses for Silva of Sweden, owned the U.S. trademark and wouldn't give it up to the REAL Silva. Compasses sold in the U.S. with the "Silva" trademark are made by some unknown manufacturer for Johnson Outdoors. Since 1996, if you want a REAL Silva of Sweden compass in the U.S., then you'll have to buy a Brunton or Nexus brand compass.

The REAL ranger-style compass made by Silva of Sweden is sold in the U.S. as the Brunton 15TDCL.

The REAL polaris-style compass made by Silva of Sweden is sold in the U.S. as the Brunton 7DNL.

If you go to http://www.brunton.com, it is pretty easy to tell the compasses designed by Brunton (the green ones and the Eclipse models, which are great compasses too) from those designed by Silva of Sweden (the clear ones without the Eclipse system).
 
Ken, that is priceless info that should be put up on all the backpacking sites you care to visit. I never heard of this and am thinking this is an important fact for buyers to know, since they are trusting their lives to their 'Silva' compasses!! backpacking.net would be a good place to start.
 
Wow. Didn't know that either...I bought mine well before '96, so it didn't occur to me that this had changed.
 
For an 11 year old? There are two good ones that I can think of that they sell at wally world for under $5.00. One has the wire and sight that you can look through it to get physical readings off of landmarks. The other one looks just like the other $25 dollar ones that some of you guys have mentioned, but it's under $5.00. Both are liquid filled and work great. Having been in scouts for a long time those compasses have worked great and if they get ruined it's no big loss. Kids will be kids so don't give 'em somthing that will end up breaking in a week or so.
 
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