UKC

For as long as I can remember I have carried a type 4 silva on the hill with a type 3 as a back up. Both need replaced and I was going to go for the same set up but I have heard a lot of stories over the last year about the quality of the type 4 now and it bubbling very easily.
Has anyone had issues with them recently?
What compass would you recommend?

In reply to pigeonjim:

I bought 20 Type 4s three years ago, three of them have bubbled. I'd still go with them as they are without a doubt the best all-rounder.

In reply to pigeonjim:

I've been thinking about buying a sighting compass, like the silva 15tdcl. Has anyone had positive or negative experience of using one?

In reply to Cambridge Iceman:


I have one and don't use it much. For preference I carry a Silva type 4 instead. I find the sighting compass is more of a faff to use and most of the time it is overkill.

Having said that, some people swear by them - it might be worth finding one you can borrow before making a decision?

In reply to pigeonjim:
My type 4 bubbled after 1.5 years of use, although the bubble is intermittent (from memory the last time I saw the bubble was in the middle of the winter a few hundred metres up).

Btw if you're passing by - Ice Factor in Kinlochleven has half price type 4s

In reply to pigeonjim:

Every compass I have ever owned has bubbled except for a tesco one which doesn't have a bubble but doesn't really point North either. I had come to the conclusion that bubbles were normal.

In reply to Cambridge Iceman:


I have a Silva Guide 426 sighting compass, it hardly ever sees the light of day as it stays in my emergency pack at the bottom of my rucksack. I just wanted something that folds rather than the full-on sighting capacity.

In reply to andy.smythe:

Bubble are not normal!

In reply to pigeonjim:


From the Silva website:
My Silva compass has a bubble in the fluid. What should I do?
We intend that our compasses are free of bubbles; however, if a small bubble forms in the liquid-filled capsule, it has no influence on the accuracy of the compass. Its appearance and disappearance are due to changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure. If a bubble larger than 1/4" in diameter appears, it is probably the result of a leaking capsule, usually caused by some form of shock damage, and the capsule will have to be replaced. In that case, just call our customer satisfaction department for a return authorization number and shipping address.

In reply to Tony the Blade:

Very useful info. Thank you. I have just ordered the Silva compasses

In reply to Cambridge Iceman:

I use a Silva 4.54 sighting compass. It doesn't need the flippy up top that most other sighting compasses have, there's a prism-y thing in the housing. It's great, really convenient, and I use it as my normal navigating compass. But the reason it's my day-to-day compass isn't because I go around taking sightings all the time, it's because the needle is much more stable in the compass housing, being a different shape (flatter and wider), and I really like that.

In reply to Cambridge Iceman:

Unless you're intending on doing a lot of resection, I'm not sure a sighting compass adds a lot. Almost everyone I know who has one is a geologist of some kind and has or does a lot of resection through their work.

I've type 54 as well that uses a prism arrangement in the bevel to the same effect as the mirror for taking a back bearing. Doesn't work as well for sighting though.

To the OP, I've used the type 4 for years with no problem, and had one replaced by Silva 2 years ago (due to inversion, not bubbles). I've had no issues with bubbles in the replacement. Prior to that I did have a small bubble occasionally form, but never affected functionality. Silva's customer service has been good before, so I'd feel confident that they would replace one if you did have any problem.

Cheers!

In reply to pigeonjim:
Just for info - I bought a T4 about four years ago and it bubbled within about a year. Silva replaced it without any quibble at all. New one isn't getting the use I'd like, but it's fine.

In reply to pigeonjim:

I've had a Type 4 for as long as I can remember.

Only once seen a small bubble in it and that was up Cairn Gorm in freezing temperatures. Bubble had gone by the time we descended.

In reply to pigeonjim:

You know you get one on most phones these days?































Kidding, don't burn me.


Cheers

Toby

In reply to StuDoig:


Taking bearings from the ground seems to be more accurate with a sighting compass, not surprisingly, since you can be more sure that the compass baseplate is actually pointing at the landmark.

I use a Silva Field 26, which is a folding mirror compass. The downside is the small, opaque baseplate. The upside, apart from sighting, is the small baseplate... Looks to be discontinued, though, and the nearest is the Ranger S, with a clear baseplate. Interestingly, I can't see the centre line in the mirror, which is what gives the sighting accuracy and removes potential parallax errors. The line can be seen in the smaller Ranger SL, and just about seen in the Expedition S, so maybe it's just an artefact of the image.

http://silva.se/products/compasses/#compasses-outdoor

Interestingly, Decathlon sell compasses with 1 degree graduations.

In reply to pigeonjim:

Um, seriously?

Go test it. If it still points north you're sweet.

You're overthinking this thing.

Mine has had a bubble for 30 years and points north just fine.

In reply to pigeonjim:

Bubbles are useful for checking you're holding the compass level

In reply to Cambridge Iceman:

I bought a type 15 as I wanted a compass that had a cover. I've replaced more than one compass when the paint has worn off and I can't read bearings. I rarely use mine as s a sighting compass but the mirror is useful to check my hair (joke)

In reply to pigeonjim:

I can't believe how much people spend on compasses. I have used one of these for the last 4 years and it's been spot on. Less than a tenner, can't go wrong.

http://www.newitts.com/product/IT033162/Silva_Starter_8_Compass.htm

In reply to pigeonjim:

Whilst a small bubble isn't going to effect North, it's a pain in the arse walking on a bearing in poor vis with the bubble knocking into the needle every step.

I do a lot of nav for work and don't find a sighting compass adds real world accuracy to be honest. Type 4 for me, with the same as a spare in the bag.

In reply to pigeonjim:

Moscow Compass
http://www.moscompass.ru/mc/index-en.html

With a choice of fast setting or very stable.
Fast setting compass really good for keeping on a bearing or checking one without having to stand around.
As good as Silva Jet but cheaper.

In reply to colinakmc:

Likewise with me my type 4 silva developed an enlarging bubble after a year or so of use and I sent it back and they replaced it no questions asked. New one has been fine since with regular use.

In reply to captain paranoia:

No doubt taking bearings is more accurate with a sighting compass, just whether it's worth buying one specifically if you've got a working standard compass. I'd not unless for some reason I was anticipating doing a lot of resection work.

Though inheriting the type 54 it's a good mix ( sighting accuracy of 0.5deg, my own incompetence not withstanding...). Long vs short base is definitely a Marmite thing I think. Long for me every time, but know plenty of folk that say the same for short!

Cheers,

Stu

In reply to pigeonjim:

Which

In reply to StuDoig:


But the OP is looking to replace a compass...

Baseplate length depends on your leg lengths; you can't read long leg bearings off a map with a short baseplate (though you can use any handy straight edge to extend the effective baseplate). This also has a limiting effect for resection. On the one hand, more accurate ground to map readings, but on the other hand, limited resection line lengths. It's a tricky decision...

A folder is more compact.

In reply to aln:

Burn the which...!