Compass recommendations

[naepace]

Can anybody recommend a suitable compass for a complete beginner ?
Many thanks.

[Backpacker]

I've had this one for a couple of years, never let me down

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/silva-ranger-compass-p194176



Avoid this one

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/lensatic-dlx-compass-p152235

[scoob999]

join MCofS for a year and get a free compass
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... 2k&cad=rja

[grenfell88]

This was my first compass. It was Pretty good. Good price too

http://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor-compass-785005

[Gythral]

Any Recta or Silva baseplate compass, like the Ranger linked above.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silva-35692-1011-Compass-Expedition-4-360/dp/B000KMFR6A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358466135&sr=8-1

[balgonie]

I use both the Silva and Karrimor compass and for the money you can't beat the Karrimor, as I was up in the hills the other week and stood on my compass and never had a spare doh! I now carry two the slightly more expensive Silva and the cheaper Karrimor which is still a good compass regardless the price.

[Rudolph]

stay away from the cheap ones.

I've had two wich reversed polarity on me which is disconcerting. never had that with a silva. I've no experience of karrimor.

[Caberfeidh]

A fine brass and mahogany ship's binnacle and compass.
You may have to buy a small vessel to accommodate it...

[rockhopper]

another vote for the Silva Expedition 4

[Phil the Hill]

stay away from the cheap ones.

I've had two wich reversed polarity on me which is disconcerting. never had that with a silva. I've no experience of karrimor.

I once had a Silva reverse polarity on me. We took a bearing on the top of a corniced Beinn a'Chaorainn in a whiteout, and my compass pointed in exactly the opposite direction to everyone else's. Fortunately there were at least two other people in the party with compasses with the correct polarity, so we followed the bearing given by the majority.

But don't let me put you off Silvas. They're good compasses. I think I just put it too close to the unshielded speakers in my old car.

[Rudolph]

I think I just put it too close to the unshielded speakers in my old car.

Yeah that would do it!

I think mine were set off by being too close to my GPS. I keep them on separate sides of the sack but sometimes when I put the rucsack down they can end up pretty close. I've a deep and abiding conviction that the silvas have magnatism with a bit more sticking power than the cheapies. Possibly this is nonsense.

[malky_c]

stay away from the cheap ones.

I've had two wich reversed polarity on me which is disconcerting. never had that with a silva. I've no experience of karrimor.

I've had two Silva compasses do this to me. I think it has more to do with where you keep it. My latest one appears to be leaking fluid too. I thought it had just developed an air bubble, but it keeps getting bigger. Still works OK, but you have to stand still longer for it to settle.

[naepace]

Cheers everybody. I've ordered the Silva expedition 4 for £20 delivered.

[gman]

stay away from the cheap ones.

I've had two wich reversed polarity on me which is disconcerting. never had that with a silva. I've no experience of karrimor.

I've had two Silva compasses do this to me. I think it has more to do with where you keep it. My latest one appears to be leaking fluid too. I thought it had just developed an air bubble, but it keeps getting bigger. Still works OK, but you have to stand still longer for it to settle.

That happened to my Silva, emailed them about it & they told me to return it for a replacement.

[Luke88]

I work in a hospital and I had accidently left my Silva in my jacket pocket which i wore to work. My changing rooms are right underneath the MRI machine and I'm sure the magnetic force of that is responsible for perfectly reversing the polarity of that compass!