Not that long ago men climbed onto vessels carved by hand and joined with pegs, to circumnavigate the globe with little more than the stars, a good compass and their own skill. Even in today’s world, knowledge and reliable gear will always trump having “enough” AA batteries and 3 satellites overhead.
This machined brass miniature compass is perfect for daily wear around your neck, tucked inside a survival kit, or as a back up for your primary on a long trek. With an overall diameter of 3/4″ and less than a 1/4″ thick, it is small and light enough to always have with you, no excuses. Unlike common place oil-filled compasses we are all familiar with, this unit is dry for a reason: so not to freeze and shatter the crystal, or throw a false reading from air bubbles. You aren’t going to hit any 10 digit grids with this little guy, but it will get you over the mountain, back to the road, maybe even the rendezvous point if you remember your declination. The prominent luminous markings on the magnetic arrow hold a good charge from a small penlight or a few hours of exposure to the sun to aid with night navigation. The only downside is that this miniature compass is water resistant, not waterproof. We have been using this exact compass for years, and found the source from a government contractor who produces it for issued SERE survival kits. You can trust it to be true as well, as long you do your part and kept it away from ferrous materials while shooting an azimuth. Each compass comes with a non-ferrous aluminum storage case, which is waterproof, crush resistant that can be reused for a wide variety of other small items.
