Military Grade Compass

Product Description

""The Tritium Lensatic Compass is built to the demanding specification MIL-PRF-10436N. Battle tested through rigorous shock, water, sand proof, and functional from -50o F to +150o F. Seven Tritium Micro Lights allow for navigation in low-light conditions, without the need for a flashlight or any other light source. Tritium Micro Lights remain luminous for over twelve years, maintenance-free. Equipped with a magnifying lens, sight wire, and dial graduations in both degrees and mils to ensure accurate readings. The Copper Induction Damping System slow the rotation of the magnet without the use of liquids. Built to last with an aluminum frame and waterproof housing. The Cammenga compass is depended on by fighting forces, government agencies, and adventurous outdoor enthusiasts around the world. Features:- Luminosity: Tritium- Jewel Bearing: Sapphire- Rotating Bezel: Bi-Directional- Climate Capacity: -50 F to +150 F- Frame Materials: Cast Aluminum- Waterproof: Yes- Expected Luminous Life: 10 Years- Accuracy: +/- 0002 mils- Dial Readings: Degrees & mils- Casting: Aluminum- Damping Process: Induction- Carrying Pouch: LC-1 w/Belt Clip- Lanyard: Included (No Liquid Req.)- Colors (Body): Olive Drab "".

Features

• FIELD READY - This olive drab lensatic compass military-grade is built to the US military standards of reliability and precision. It is an essential navigating tool for all outdoor activities.
• SELF POWERED - Our tactical compass features 7 Tritium micro lights. These self powered illuminators provide glow for over 12 years, ensuring you can take accurate readings even in low-light .
• MADE TO LAST - This Cammenga 3H tritium compass is built to last in any condition. It is shockproof, water proof, damage resistant, and sand proof, and can keep functioning smoothly in any environment.
• ALL WEATHER - Whether you are navigating through hot deserts or frigid mountain ranges, the Cammenga survival compass delivers unwavering performance across a wide range of -50° F to 150° F.
• EVERYTHING YOU NEED - The hiking compass comes equipped with everything you need for navigating. A carrying pouch, lanyard, warranty card, instruction booklet, and a clam shell storage case.

Top Reviews

The Real Deal. Newly manufactured, civilian issued M-1950 compass.
by gadgetguy (4 out of 5 stars)
November 11, 2014

Excellent dry lensatic compass. This is an excellent unit if you know how and why it is used. This is the civilian-issued version of the US military M-1950 3H field compass (MIL-PRF-10436N). Cammenga runs each batch of these through rigorous testing to conform with military specifications (including shock resistance and magnetic accuracy). The compass is identical to military issued models. The company who makes the compass, Cammenga, was started in 1992 to primarily manufacture the model 3H compass for the US military. I love having both degree and mil scales.

Build quality is very good (gotta love aluminum). I love having the tritium- it's not mega bright but is sufficient and is necessary if you're navigating at night. The unit I got is marked with 3H (for tritium) on the bottom. It does not have the radiation marker that you often see with tritium compasses. Ignore any reviews where people are claiming they were made in 1977. On these compasses, you can find the manufacture date and lot number inside the compass next to the site wire in the format ## ## ## (Printed in black). My compass is marked "14 09 77". This means it was manufactured September (09) 2014 (14). The last two numbers indicate the lot number; however, the "77" is a generic number that means the unit was NOT made under government contract. I was glad the seller sent me a newly manufactured version (considering tritium is only good for 10-12 years).

I docked a star because the site wire is slightly crooked (which does affect siting efficiency). The rotating bezel is a bit flimsy/loose and doesn't click (it does stay in place well enough though). the included pouch is pretty ugly and awkward (it is military issue as well though). The design of this compass does make it difficult to align the bezel properly due to parallax (especially if you are facing south). Also, there is only a 1:50k scale, so if you're in the US and still stuck with 1:24k scale topo maps, you'll need to have an additional aid/scale to get UTM grid coordinates. If you're cheap like me, you can put some waterproof tape along the straight edge and make your own marks for 1:24k scale.

Oh yeah. There is also a 1 year warranty by Cammenga. Cammenga is very easy to get a hold of and answer questions via phone. They actually have a compass rental program for Boy Scout groups (and other youth groups). You have to call to get the details of what they offer. I think they would rent out their baseplate compasses for $15, with the option to purchase the compasses if you wanted to keep them for your Boy Scout troop.
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Decent Compass, but Could Be Better
by imjin (3 out of 5 stars)
January 15, 2016

As a heavy duty general purpose lensatic compass like the one I used in the Army, its great for shooting a magnetic line to a distant object using the sight wire. For civilian use, if my goal is to walk in a straight line using that sight wire and get relatively close to what I'm looking for, then this is the compass for me. If my goal is to know that my compass is reading true and I plan on making it to the bearing I've set based on a map reading, then this is not the compass for me.

Without getting into too much detail, this paragraph spins off slightly into why magnetic declination is important for compass readings when used with maps. Since the planet we live on is a spherical ball and not flat, magnetic north is not always going to read true due to the declination (curvature) of the magnetic fields. As an added bonus, this declination value changes over time, following the changes in magnetism of the north/south poles, so it quickly becomes incredibly useful to be able to adjust a compass to factor in your local declination value. As of this writing, the magnetic declination for Portland, Oregon is 15° 31' East while at the same time, Los Angeles, California is 12° 9' East and Atlanta, Georgia is 5° 1' West. What this means is, if you're standing in Portland, Oregon, your compass reading for magnetic north will actually be reading 15° West of "True North", which you will need to know in order to accurately navigate by map, so its easy to see how quickly a magnetic reading can put you off course in those situations.

A great alternative compass for civilian hiking where you're not using mils for measurement (the outer black ring on the Cammenga 3H) or would simply like to increase its accuracy to 100% by adjusting the compass for declination, I'd try something more along the lines of the SUUNTO M-3 G Compass which I also purchased just after the 3H because it allows for the declination adjustment, weighs far less and has a global needle which allows for usage around the world as well as allowing you to take readings on the move and not stopping to allow the compass needle to settle. In the 3H's defense, while not having a global needle, the deep well of the compass housing compensates for that by allowing plenty of room for the needle to position itself at various angles along its x/y pivot axis, which only really matters if you're moving between global hemispheres.

For USGS topo maps that all use a standard 1:24,000 metric scale, the Cammenga 3H isn't particularly well suited since its limited to a 1:50,000 metric scale and its compass degree scale ring is in 5° increments and should instead (or include) 2.5° increments. The Cammenga 3H is also lacking a protractor feature to be able to take bearings directly from a map.

Overall, its a stout little >basic< compass that does have its uses, just not for serious civilian land navigation.

PROS:
- Nostalgic
- Feels heavy-duty (time will tell)
- Air-filled housing, so no bubbles
- Tritium lighting
- Deep well so that the compass can be used across global magnetic zones (compensating for using a cheaper non-global needle)

CONS:
- No magnetic declination adjustments
- MILS (black) takes presidence over DEGREES (red) on the Degree Scale
- 5° increments and not 2.5° on the Degree Scale
- Limited to 1:50,000 Metric Scale (needs 1:24,000 for civilian use)
- No protractor base for map bearings
- Non-global compass needle (1/2 con since it has a deep well)
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Cammenga 3H Civilian Contract model
by old81bmw (5 out of 5 stars)
February 2, 2012

I was one of those guys who served in the the early 70's and trained on a similar lensatic compass with basically the same specs as the current (1992+) contractor (Cammenga.) Here's some caveats...
1. Tritium is not a neon glow which backlights your compass and can serve as an emergency flashlight or locator beacon. Only the basic indicator lines and East and West markers glow - faintly. The picture that most vendors (and Cammenga as well) use to illustrate the 3H Tritium lighting is grossly exaggerated.
2. Whoever posted "my compass was made in 1977" didn't bother to take the time to fact-check with the manufacturer. The date code on my Cammenga compass is 12-01-77. Per Cammenga, this indicates it was manufactured in January of 2012. The "77" is a standardized code indicated it was made for civilian market distribution. Simple as that.
3. Make sure you're capable of either learning, or are already skilled at the use of a lensatic compass. When you take a sighting it doesn't get held out in front of you, it goes up on your cheek. Also, if you suffer from any sight issues, as I do with reading glasses, bifocals, etc, you might have difficulty using the magnifying glass viewer. Using a lensatic compass with eyeglasses is a bit tricky. It's not designed for old guys who can't read their newspaper without 'playing the trombone' to sight in the print..
4. The Cammenga 3H is the gold standard for compasses. Anything less is a dangerous compromise. Can you do without the Tritium? Sure. Until you need it.
5. Cammenga offers some great map & compass / orienteering resources, as does the US Army, for free. Don't pay for reprints which are available online for free. After all, your tax dollars helped to pay for the Army field manuals... why not use them? Simply Google "US Army Field Manual for [xyz subject]." There's lots of sources out there. Save yourself $15 bucks on a reprinted book.
6. The vendor who sold me the compass, OutdoorBunker.com, shipped it quickly and safely. Couldn't ask for more.

Cammenga FAQ page explaining date codes:
[...]

Excellent orienteering resource can be found at:
[...]
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Horrible compass
by Justin carlson (1 out of 5 stars)
May 19, 2018

Compass broke the first time I used it for training. Moisture started getting underneath the glass, then the bezel ring started coming off and eventually the front glass fell out. First time I used the product and now I cant even return it because it's been over a month since I ordered it. Would not reccomend.
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A rugged, simple design I can count on time after time in any conditions.
by Barnacle Bill The Sailor (5 out of 5 stars)
May 11, 2016

I was an infantry officer in the US Army for 15 years. Before that, I backpacked in my high school and college years. In both cases I was comfortable navigating with topo maps and a compass or by terrain features and a compass. This exact compass is what I'm used to so it's what I bought to get back into backpacking.

What I like about these lensatic compasses vs popular map compasses with built in protractors.........
1.) Precise. Super easy to get precise readings. Map compasses are not less accurate but harder to get precise readings from.
2.) No fluid! Fluid filled housings are an accident waiting to happen. The magnetic damping in this compass won't leak and it won't form a bubble at altitude or with temperature changes. It won't leave you stranded.
3.) Tough. The aluminum housing can be tossed in a pack, a pocket, or hung around your neck. It is not delicate.
4.) Trituim. This is one of the few if not the only compasses using radioactive tritium for night illumination. Again, reliable in any conditions.

So what do you give up vs a flat plastic map compass.....
1.) The flat plastic protractor. No big deal. I don't need one but if you do, buy one for a few bucks.
2.) Declination adjustment. A nice convenience but hardly a necessity. I mean we're talking addition and subtraction of whole numbers here folks, not trigonometry. I'd rather have the more reliable compass.
3.) Size and weight. This is probably a little larger and heavier than most plastic map compasses but not dramatically so. The upside is it's also a lot tougher with no fluid to get screwed up.

In short, this lensatic compass is a simple device that will last a long long time and give reliable, precise readings time after time. Isn't that what you want when you're cut off from civilization?
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completely useless now.
by J. Donovan (1 out of 5 stars)
July 18, 2018

NOT a mil_spec compass! This is a cheaper copy. Not real tritium either. Only lightly used and the bezel has leaked and now has a large bubble in the fluid, completely useless now.
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Didn't last
by P. Montero (1 out of 5 stars)
July 22, 2018

Already busted. The compass is sticking and starting to not rotate by itself. I've had others for years

And never had this happen before.
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I've used it extensively but it's hard to shoot an azmuth because of a darkening of the wall at the
by John14733 (5 out of 5 stars)
February 6, 2016

This is the real deal!! I've wanted one for years but the price has been to high. I bought one at a garage sale almost twenty years ago for $5.00 it is a Korean war vintage non luminous by Fee & Stemwedel, I've used it extensively but it's hard to shoot an azmuth because of a darkening of the wall at the aiming point and my eyes just aren't that good anymore. I can't find a problem with this new compass by Cammenga. I've read the negative reviews and it seems to me that there is some kind of damage through shipping or people are expecting too much. With the exception of some Army vets it seems like people think this is suppose to be some kind of magic GPS. If anybody has doubts about what these are capable of in the right hands, let me enlighten you. I am a Viet Nam Army vet and served with a LRRP (Ranger) company. When I was new to the company one of our classes was Map reading, much more extensive than Advanced Infantry Training stateside. After the class we went out side where to the west there was a couple hill tops any where from two to three Clicks (Kilometers) away. We were told which one to shoot an azmuth to then compared numbers, as long as everybody was within three deg. or so our compass was a keeper. Our AO (area of operation) was in the central highlands. Sometimes the triple canopy and surrounding hills made it seem like twilight in the middle of the day. Our distance was recorded by dead reckoning and obvious terrain features. But where the compass came in handy was calling in our position or for gun fire support. We would climb a hill then our Team Leader would climb a tree and shoot some azimuths to hill tops or prominent terrain features and triangulate to get our position. Some guys were better than others at doing this and when calling in fire support you really had to know what you were doing.
To this day I like to go out with a map and compass and yes a 301 Foretrex and do some triangulating, get my position and then read the position off the 301 and see how close I am. If I'm within three hundred meters I'm good to go, that's about all you could expect in Nam and from the air three hundred meters isn't much. These compasses are capable of saving your life. learn to use it properly, jut remember.....When technology fails......!
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Worth the Money
by Douglas Terry (5 out of 5 stars)
November 4, 2014

This one is the real deal. The case is aluminum with a good solid lid and a good locking mechanism for the needle. It is US made and is the tritium model. I got it in Oct 2014 and it was manufactured in Sept 2014 I checked it outside at the deer lease on a dark night and I could easily read the compass, even set a heading and follow it in the dark. The tritium is on the compass card, that is "the needle", marking E, W and N, on the sighting line (lubber line), and on the lid for sighting, seven spots in all. It's bright and easy to see in the dark and of course does not require activation by a light like a phosphorescent model does. I will take this to Colorado in a couple of days on an elk hunt. Yes I'll take a GPS but I know a good compass will work in heavy timber or if there is heavy cloud cover. Take a heading when you start in and you know which direction to go to get back to the trail, road or other reference point. This is a good, solid, well made compass that should last a lifetime. Yes it's expensive but it will take some knocks and still potentially save your life. If you wander around in wilderness areas this compass is well worth the money. It came with a long neck lanyard and a canvas carrying case.
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If you need a lensatic compass, this is the one
by stotch (5 out of 5 stars)
December 26, 2014

The key features of this compass are clearly and concisely bullet-pointed on the manufacturer's page, not on the Amazon page. So, if you want to know those, I'd suggest looking them up. But, since I own two of these for personal use, I can attest that the features are true to spec. So, I won't focus on those details.

If you need a lensatic compass, this is the one you want. Here are my reasons why:
- It's built by the contractor "Cammenga" to the US Military's demanding standards (MIL-PRF-10436N)
- There are many knockoffs of this compass, this is not one of them
- Because the US Military, various federal and state law-enforcement and intelligence departments depend on it, you can expect it to remain on the market and to be kept up to the same military standard indefinitely, making it easy to replace if needed
- The price is excellent for the quality and resiliency
- It has tritium markings for ease of use at night

I have attached a more realistic picture of just how the illumination looks to the naked eye in near total darkness. As has been pointed out by earlier reviewers, the marketing photos and many of the customer photos are unrealistic. I tried to get an as-realistic shot as possible with manual shutter control on my camera and made no exposure compensation adjustments to the photo. It's pretty close to what the naked eye would see on a new moon night with minimal starlight.

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