Brunton Lensatic Military Style Sighting Compass

I'm very pleased with the quality and accuracy of my Brunton Lensatic Compass. The metallic case is nicely finished and the compass card is easy to read. The case cover, thumb hook and the lense frame pivot nicely. Accuracy is good and coincides with the bearings I read on my electronic compass. I live where magnetic deviation is 6.4 degrees east, and I can adjust for that with 2 clicks of the rotating bezel on the compass. The compass card is nicely dampened by the spirit fluid and settles in just a second or two. I bought the compass to take transit sightings and for hiking trips. The only difference I can tell between this compass and the more expensive Commenga lensatic compass models is that there is no self-illumination on this model for night use and when the lense frame is closed, it doesn't lock down to immobilize the compass card. I would have paid another $60 for those features on the Commenga models. Realisticly if I was going to take night readings, I would have on my red headlamp anyway to read my map and read the compass. The compass doesn't have a lanyard or a belt case, so I'll have to add them myself if I find they are needed. I was originally hesitant to order this compass after reading some of the negative reviews regarding quality, but ordering through Prime, I knew returning it would be easy if I needed to. It turns out that I received a good one and that I have no regrets ordering it. I'm looking forward to using the compass.

Seems well made and rugged, time will tell.

dial drags and does not always point north. great price and features but too bad it doesnt work. do not buy!

I really like compasses. I collect them and appreciate that they are a tool requiring skills.

great compass for beginners or cadets. Not as well made as the Commenga and the dial is slow to respond but definitely worth the price. Not a compass to trust your life to!

Great value for a lensatic, military-style compass

At a fraction of the price of a Cammenga, I was not expecting a stellar product. The metal main body is nice and the hinge feels solid. The lens is clear and gives a good reading of the bearing. However, the plastic rotating bezel does not engage the detent spring consistently all the way around. So when turning the bezel, it clicks and holds well in some positions, while in other positions it spins almost freely and does not click or stay in place. Since this is critical to maintaining your bearing, the slightest touch will take you off line. As other reviewers note, the floating dial does move quite slowly. Not a deal breaker, but annoying waiting for the needle to move and stabilize, particularly when one is used to other types of compasses that are more responsive. Finally, the Brunton brand imagery associated with this is misleading… while other Brunton products may be made in Wyoming, this one is not. It is labeled on the box as made in China. This makes sense at the price-point when compared to other similar items on Amazon. I took a chance on this lower cost “military style” compass out of curiosity and just wanting to learn how to use one, having used baseplate style compasses in the past. I went with the Brunton brand with the expectation of an American made and better quality product. But this product is confirmation that you get what you pay for… when something costs significantly less than the “gold standard,” there is a reason.

This little Brunton isn't bad. I have had it a week now and have put it through the test. I have noticed that the markings are off by 1.2 degrees. I figured this out by matching it up with a GPS. Thats not bad if you always keep in your mind to adjust for the manufacturer's error. No matter what the markings say, the magnet will always point MN as long as there is no interference. March a mile or 2 and check your location. Calculate the error and write it on the back of the compass. I also write my pace count on the back as well. Challenge yourself in a 5 kilometer grid somewhere in the woods. You will probably make a mistake or two but in a 5 kilometer grid 1.2 degrees wont get you lost and after that you will remember to adjust for the error as long as you stay fresh at it. Just looking at the compass on a weekly basis and fiddling with its functions will keep you fresh. I would recommend this product for navigating small areas but I WOULD NOT recommend this product for a 1000 square kilometers of national forest or desert. Life is worth a lot more than $11. I'm no expert but I do consider myself a pro. Navigation has been like an addiction to me since I got my first compass at the dime store in the early 70's. My job in the military was navigation. For large areas such as national forest and parks I use a Cammenga that cost me $80. I also use a Brunton Clinometer that cost $140, I shouldn't have to mention 2 types of protractors at $4 each. That's $228 vs $11. Forests are easy with so many things to shoot azimuth's at. Dont think I would ever need the clinometer to navigate a forest. The desert is another story! everything looks the same, even the color! I would use a clinometer to find my location and check it every 5 kilometers. I use it to find elevation of hills and mountains in the desert to pinpoint position. The desert is HUGE and it all looks the same! The declination in Barstow alone is 12° 4' E... When dealing with this I dont want to also adjust for manufacture's errors! For this kind of navigating SPEND THE MONEY! $230 is a small price to pay for something your life depends on. ALWAYS BRING A BUDDY! You can use each other for at the least to shoot azimuth's at for heading. Durability is not good. After 1 day of use the hinging started to get sloppy and I was disappointed that it doesn't have a lanyard ring. Only N,S,E & W indicators illuminate. The 45° grad lines on the bezel do not. THOSE ARE IMPORTANT!! I would recommend this product for casual use. Why get the expensive stuff out if you dont have too?

Exactly as advertised, and very good value. The parts are well-machined, robust and precision-fitted. It's light,accurate and compact, a no-nonsense tool for a host of applications. I bought one as a gift, and one for myself. (Very happy, after a miserable experience buying a non-returnable, engraved, very expensive, very inferior brass Asian knock-off of a lensatic engineer's compass in a really nasty leather case from another internet purveyor. Caveat emptor.) The Brunton compass is everything it should be, and at a very good price.

Non indica il nord. Grande delusione. Oggetto inutile

Everything was very good, quality is also good, accuracy is also fine and its very much value for money I like it very much, deal.

Replica. not the original one.

It works as it say. It's very good at this price.