Even as a boy, I have always enjoyed map reading. WHen the army showed me a topo map, I was in heaven.

[Snattlerake]

I have several GI lensatic compasses , and find them often times at flea markets for fairly inexpensive prices . The Cammenga compasses are the most common but I have a Stocker and Yale along with a couple of other makes as well . My most recent purchased as a Korean War era compass made by Superior Magneto at the Tulsa Flea Market . You can buy GI compasses for less than $50 if you're not impatient unless you go to a surplus store then you will pay the full tarrif.

Do yours have that feature I described? Stopping the floating dial?

 

[GnometownHero]

Topo map is my secret to successful turkey gobbler hunting

 

[WoodsCraft]

Do yours have that feature I described? Stopping the floating dial?

All USGI lensatic compasses have that feature which is designed to lock your bearing in so you can get an accurate reading before starting your march or creating your field of fire etc . I even have a couple of the Brunton M2 compasses which are an engineering / artillery / survey compass. As you can tell I have a thing for compasses but rarely use them anymore for land nav because like everyone else I have been using Garmins for years but I can still use a protractor , compass and topo map to get around. Land nav is a skill everyone should learn and be able to use.

As for anyone saying the USGI units are garbage , they're not in fact they're excellent in quality and in function even after the tritium lamps or on the WWII compasses the radium bromide paint dies.

The Silva , Suunto , etc are all nice and simpler to use in many cases but no where near as rugged. Light weight isn't always better.

 

[Snattlerake]

Topo map is my secret to successful turkey gobbler hunting

My favorite call is the box and lid with chalk. I could make that thing talk turkey!