Silva- Trekker 420 Compass

I was trying to talk myself into buying a GPS system at well over $100. The salesman said, "Oh, well, I would carry a compass and a map too...."
Batteries might run down, you see.
So I got this instead.
Benefits:
*It's small enough to fit in the pocket of my woods shirt, which has button flaps. My belt already carries a canteen and a folding knife, the camera or binoculars should be around my neck... Pockets are good.
*It's cheap enough that if I misplace it, I'm not out a lot of money.
*Baseplate is long enough (3 inches) to use as a measuring tool on a scale map or chart.
*Sighting notch good for open country or lakeside use. Sighting looks complicated until you try it; then you say, 'Is that all there is to it?'
*Mirror on inside of sighting cover is handy for seeing if you have particles of freeze-dried, reconstituted rations on your teeth.

Yeah, I'm eventually gonna get a GPS system. I'll still carry a map and a good compass. This is a good one for the money.

I do a lot of compass work and while this is not my preferred compass for me (I use the Silva Ranger) this is a very good compass for Scouts (which is why I bought it for my boys). I always prefer a mirrored compass. You can get better readings with it and when you fold out the compass flat you can span longer distances on a map and still have a compass that fits in the pocket. It also is an emergency signaling device and a shaving mirror. I like my equipment to do double or triple duty. The needle moves well , not sticking like some cheaper compasses do (This is critical as a sticky needle is a pain to work with especially for people just learning. This in itself can make the difference in people loving map and compass work and hating it.) I'm not real enthused with the hinge as it's plastic, but it's a real hinge, not just a thinned out fold of plastic that will rip off with use like some cheaper compasses. I really nice feature on this compass is the index line (for reading your azimuth) is under the clear bezel making it easier for learners to take the reading. This is a good compass and will suite anyone just fine. It does not have declination offset, which is fine with me because I want people to learn it with the math.

When I joined the SAR team I was given a list of equipment to get. This very compass was recommended by the National Association for Search And Rescue (NASAR). Their standards are used by many organizations. No doubt this will come of use to me and no doubt this has been one of the many tools used to save many lives.