Sad Day for the Brunton 15TDCL (AKA Silva Ranger)

matthewdanger

matthewdanger

Joined
Jan 29, 2003
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I have several compasses that I own and use. My current favorite is a Suunto MC-2 Global that I picked up on the recommendation of the ESEE folks. I also recently picked up a Brunton 15TDCL to compare with the Suunto. I got the Brunton for a price that I couldn't refuse and I have always wanted to try one since one of my first serious compasses was an old Swedish made Silva Ranger.

The Brunton 15TDCL is touted as the real Silva Ranger. The Silva name in the US is owned by Johnson Outdoors and the compass that is currently sold in the US as the Silva Ranger is actually made in Asia somewhere. It has a reputation for spotty quality control (I have even since them with an eyelash floating in the capsule). Most sources will recommend the Brunton 15TDCL, because it is supposed to be the actual Swedish made Silva Ranger brought into the US by Brunton under a different name.

Sadly, that is no longer the case. My recent 15TDCL is marked made in China on the packaging (there are no markings on the compass itself like the old Ranger used to have). It seems the days of competitively priced Swedish compasses from Brunton are over. :(
 
texastonydobbs said:
THat Sucks to hear....but I am not surprised
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Yup, that seems to be the way things goes these days. Thankfully, as far as I know, Suunto is still making many the MC-2 in Finland.

K&R makes some compasses with nice features. I wonder if they are still made in Germany or if they have farmed production out too.
 
Jeff sent me a MC-2G a year or so ago and I've never looked back. I love a bit of orienterring here and there and I've never found a better compass.
 
Dylside said:
Jeff sent me a MC-2G a year or so ago and I've never looked back. I love a bit of orienterring here and there and I've never found a better compass.
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Amen. There are a lot of things to love about the MC-2G - not the least of which is the how fast the needle dampens. It really makes for fast and accurate readings. It's also pretty resistant to being tilted, works great with gloves thanks to the chunky bezel design, and I LOVE the lower sighting notch.

It really does just smoke the similar offerings from other manufacturers.
 
Commengas are simply outstanding-I think mine will be in my kit until the day I die, and I have alot of faith in Suunto as a company as well.
 
This post lives! I figured that I should just update this instead of starting a new topic.

I have finally been able to spend enough time with one of the new 15TDCL compasses to form an opinion. While it is sad that it no longer has the pedigree of the venerable Silva Type 15, it is still a very decent compass.

Here is the review: http://jerkingthetrigger.wordpress.com/2010/09/22/review-brunton-15tdcl-compass/

Also, I know that Jeff is fond of the Suunto MC-2 Global. I took his advice a while back and picked one up. He is right. It is EXCELLENT: http://jerkingthetrigger.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/suunto-mc-2g-global-compass-review/

I still wish that there was a way to get new genuine Silva Ranger Type 15 compasses in the USA.
 
I used a Silva Ranger and the USGI Lensatic quite a bit in my early years in the Army. Now days we use DAGGRS or Garmin GPS mostly and old school map & compass work is kink of a lost art. Now that I'm retiring soon I often miss those old days as a team leader in my first Bn's Recon platoon. Sad to see those nice old compasses being retired too.
 
The Z said:
Different model, but FWIW my Suunto MB-6 was made in Finland and bought somewhat recently.
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Good to know. As far as I know, Suunto still makes their compasses in Finland.

The situation with Silva isn't so much that they aren't making compasses in Sweden. It is that real Silva compasses are not imported to the US. The Silvas that we have here are Silva in name only. A company called Johnson Outdoors owns the name "Silva" here in the states but has the compasses manufactured in mostly Pacific Rim countries.
 
I have a Waltham Precision Instrument USGI Lensatic dated 12-59 and it is rock solid. The Radium paint gave up the ghost before it was given to me about 25 years ago. I had a Cammenga as well. USGI Lensatics are extremely accurate and built like tanks.

I have a pre-Troubles Silva Military Baseplate Compass, not the Ranger but smaller. Snagged out of a USMC SKIT. It's nice to have a real Silva.

Other than that, I have had a Recta DP-2 for a long time, I have owned them for almost 25 years. I lost my first one. It kept me from getting lost but I seemed to have lost it or it ended up in someone's pocket. :D

Suunto makes a Matchbox Compass like the Recta DP-2, in fact, Suunto might be the ones making them now. Suunto Clippers are excellent small compasses for tins and other kits, etc.
 
A bit offtopic perhaps (but then again we are in the ESEE subforum), but wouldn't it be a nice addon if ESEE would create a small compass to put in the Izula ring?
 
Don Rearic said:
I have a Waltham Precision Instrument USGI Lensatic dated 12-59 and it is rock solid. The Radium paint gave up the ghost before it was given to me about 25 years ago. I had a Cammenga as well. USGI Lensatics are extremely accurate and built like tanks.

I have a pre-Troubles Silva Military Baseplate Compass, not the Ranger but smaller. Snagged out of a USMC SKIT. It's nice to have a real Silva.

Other than that, I have had a Recta DP-2 for a long time, I have owned them for almost 25 years. I lost my first one. It kept me from getting lost but I seemed to have lost it or it ended up in someone's pocket. :D

Suunto makes a Matchbox Compass like the Recta DP-2, in fact, Suunto might be the ones making them now. Suunto Clippers are excellent small compasses for tins and other kits, etc.
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Don,

I would love to see a pic of that Silva if you get a chance.

Thanks!
 
matthewdanger said:
The situation with Silva isn't so much that they aren't making compasses in Sweden. It is that real Silva compasses are not imported to the US. The Silvas that we have here are Silva in name only. A company called Johnson Outdoors owns the name "Silva" here in the states but has the compasses manufactured in mostly Pacific Rim countries.
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Ok I'm being really dumb here, but hey if you don't ask you'll never know, right?:confused:

So Silva in the US isn't the real Silva.
Suunto is the real deal.
What the smeg is Brunton? Is that the Real Silva?

I'm lost to put it lightly....:o
 
styx said:
Ok I'm being really dumb here, but hey if you don't ask you'll never know, right?:confused:

So Silva in the US isn't the real Silva.
Suunto is the real deal.
What the smeg is Brunton? Is that the Real Silva?

I'm lost to put it lightly....:o
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Sort of...

Brunton is Brunton. Many of their compasses are (or used to be) are just rebranded Silva compasses.

Silva in the US is actually Johnson Outdoors. They are Silva in name only.

Suunto is Suunto.

More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silva_compass

and here: http://compass-howto.com/silva-suunto-or-brunton
 
matthewdanger said:
Don,

I would love to see a pic of that Silva if you get a chance.

Thanks!
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Matthew,

I tried to upload three pics to Image Shack, but that is failing right now for some reason or another.

I put you three good pics up on my blog. One of them is a comparison of the Silva Type 3, which the Marine Corps originally chose for the USMC Survival Kit, then the Recta DP-2 and the USGI Waltham Lensatic. So you can get an idea of the size of it.

http://www.survivallab.blogspot.com/
 
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