I was looking for another quality hiking Compass, similar to my circa 1972 Silva Ranger. The hunt to find it's equal was difficult, but lead me here; to the Suunto "MC-2/LIN" Compass. To begin with, let me say I am VERY pleased with it. It has the features and Quality that I was looking for. It's just that even when I ordered it, I was uncertain exactly which variation of the Suunto Line, I was getting.
What this actually is, is a Suunto "MC-2/360/IN/D/L/NH", also known as p/n: SS004239001. Here's the breakdown of the features:
-Baseplate Compass with sighting Mirror
-360° graduations on the dial
-Ruler on base is in Inches, but includes scales in Miles
for 1:24,000 and 1:625,000 scale maps
-Has adjustable Declination Setting. comes with tool to adjust this.
-Has Luminous Dial & Sighting Points.
-Has 2-Zone needle, designed to work anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere.
-Has Magnifier built into the baseplate.
-Has Inclinometer needle to to measure angles of Elevation
-Comes with Lanyard that's both detachable and has wrist loop adjustment feature.
You have to admit that's a lot of good features for the price. (I got mine for just under $40). So how well does it do all these things? Amazingly well. The declination tool is Stainless Steel, so it's both Strong and yet it won't affect the magnetic needle on the compass. If you aren't familiar with Declination adjustment, Google/Bing "declination calculator", and you should find the "noaa.gov" website that will tell you what to set the compass too (pay attention to if it's East or West!). You'll find that if you only travel a few hundred miles in any direction, the declination should be within 2° what you set it too. The needle balance is great here at the North edge of the US. And it turns freely even when off of level slightly. The dial turns freely, but not so much that I'd worry about bumping it off from my setting. And the cut-out in the sighting mirror makes it easier to sight on something at the same elevation as you. The Lanyard has a large plastic piece that if you squeeze it, you can slide it, making the loop near the compass smaller or larger. I think it's so you can keep it from coming off your wrist. I use it on my neck, so it's not that important to me. The Magnifying Patch is about 0.5" diameter, and is very nice. I can imagine using it on fine print on maps or even to see a splinter in a finger.
So what didn't I like about it? The luminous points seem to dim very fast once you turn off whatever light source you are using to illuminate them. And I used a 300 Lumen flashlight to do this. But that's pretty much standard for anything that's not Tritium (I don't know of any compasses that have Tritium). The Inclinometer is nice to have. But the graduations are too small for me to read through the mirror, unless I have a piece of white paper behind the base of the compass, and the lighting is really good. And sometimes the magnetic needle hangs in the way of the indicator. It's important to set the compass to 270° True, when doing an inclinometer reading. Don't expect to measure angles of Elevation better than +/- 2°. The clasp to swing the Mirror open is very tight. you might have trouble opening it with wool gloves on.
But perhaps my single biggest gripe with this compass is the joke of an instruction manual that comes with it. Here you have some outstanding features on this device. But unless you have a lot of experience with other quality instruments, you won't even know what it's capable of. And yes, I am picky about such things. I spent several years involved in Search and Rescue as a teenager. I've Orienteered a few times. And I've been Hiking for over 40 years. So if you get a good quality compass like this, invest in a good book on using it. Or attend a clinic on compass use. Stay safe out there...
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 9.33 x 3.62 x 0.98 inches |
|---|---|
| Package Weight | 0.12 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 9.45 x 3.62 x 0.98 inches |
| Item Weight | 0.07 Kilograms |
| Brand Name | Suunto |
| Warranty Description | 1 year manufacturer |
| Model Name | SS004247001 SUUNTO MC-2/360/IN/D/NH Compass |
| Color | White |
| Material | Plastic |
| Suggested Users | unisex-adult |
| Manufacturer | Suunto |
| Part Number | SS004247001 |
| Model Year | 2016 |
| Style | Northern Hemisphere |
| Included Components | compass |
| Size | Imperial scales |
| Sport Type | Camping & Hiking |
