I do search after search, trying to find the right combination of words that will lead me to a Brunton (or similar) 15 mm compass, but I keep coming up empty.

Where can I find these gems?

Try sun compass I have a 20mm size perfect.
Suncompany.net

Lee

Have you tried using the Brunton find a dealer link on their web site?

http://www.brunton.com/find_dealer.php

Try Silva (the brand name for the rest of the world).

The one you want is probably the Silva SERE 40, which is available as a watchband compass (slides onto your, er, watch band) or one with a tiny lanyard hole.

Google for 'silva sere' and you'll get a link to epinions and the Silva site itself. 'brunton watch band' gives you a nice bunch of links (including retailers). 'brunton silva watch band' will give you dealtime.com as the top hit, from where (2/3 down the page) you will find a link to retailers selling the watch band model.

I think the one you are really looking for is top right on this page (the one with the lanyard hole is bottom left).

http://www.silva.se/pg/products/com_sere40.htm

This gives you Silva's part numbers. Good luck.

A

I have the 14mm Sun - very nice - very small.

Another option for you is the Suunto clipper. Its a small compass that can clip to a watch or shirt etc.

I have a couple of the small Silva (brunton) button compasses stashed in kits, but I changed my EDC compass from the Silva watch band compass to a Suunto clipper and have it clipped to my pocket. But it might be small enough to fit in a PSK for you.
Its a 15mm compass in a 25mm bezel, but the clip extends an extra 5mm on one side. Its about 9mm thick. Sorry about the millimeters, but 25.4 mm is equal to 1 inch. (if that helps)

http://www.suunto.com/suunto/main/index.jsp Then go to the products drop box and select all products, then Field Compasses

The Pull-Tab compass from Brunton looks very small. I'm wondering if you can remove it from the triangular base. It's hard to tell on a picture:

I removed a compass from a Coleman zipper pull. I also took one out of the 5-in-1 orange whistle match case thingy too. Just be careful and use something sharp.

www.survivalkeychain.com has 10mm,14mm, and 18mm on their site.

hope this helps

brad

FYI:

Anyone looking for Suunto Clipper compasses.

I stumbled onto this old link at REI:

http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/47930066.htm

It is a 2004 closeout, but still valid. I ordered 4 compasses ($4.93 each) and had them delivered to a local REI store (free shipping).

Rumor has it the compass can be removed from the clip.

TR

I have been trying to order from SurvivalKeychain of some weeks.

The site took my order but nothing has happened. They and their associated company Kochan Consulting have not responded to any of my emails apart from one of the first emails about international shipping.
I sent a cancel email yesterday, but I dont think their system is working at all.
I hope you have better luck than I did if you decide to use this site.

Watch out for some of the small zipper-style compasses. I was looking through a store from a large Australian/New Zealand outdoor gear supplier and they had a compass zip pull for sale. On the back of the package it said 'not navigation quality', and in fact I could make it point any direction I chose, even when I tried to tilt it so it could turn freely.

A

Sounds like it was designed for the wrong hemisphere.
One of my friends went on a trip overseas and took his Silva orienteering compass. When he was in England he had to hold the compass on a 35 degree angle towards north just so the needle would move.

To remove the compass, just pull of the bezel ring and the compass falls out.

easy peasy

Brad

Biggzie, I ordered something from one of their other sites (pocketlights.com), and they took about a month longer then they originally estimated to ship. They didn't communicate until I finally told them that I'd have to contest the charge if I didn't either get the item or hear something, anything, from them before the credit card bill arrived. That got them to give me a shipping date, and the item arrived when they said it would.

They told me that their supplier had been having difficulties getting them product. Easy enough to believe, but certainly no excuse for not letting me know!

I don't think they're crooked at all, based on my one experience, but I think they are unbusinesslike. On the other hand, they are pretty low priced, and they are very accomodating on shipping: they ship to Alaska by U.S.P.O. rather than UPS or FedEx. I might do business with them again, on something I didn't need in a hurry.

Nels

Well they had their chance. If they want my business then all they have to do is email me back. Ive told them to cancel because they wont respond, if they email me now I will see how I feel after their response.
Their shipping was a bit cheaper than most, but everywhere else I've ordered has been pretty accomodating to my shipping needs.

Does anyone out there have one of the SAS survival compasses pictured here ?

If so, is it really worth the cost?

I haven't seen one, but I would be more inclined to get one of the Silva SERE40 models. I have a couple and they are a good little compass.
Silva compasses from Sweden own Brunton in the US, but the old distribution company owns the Silva name in the US. So look for Brunton over there.

Sun makes a decent 14mm compass. I have a couple that are very accurate and reliable...

M

I looked at those but decided if I was going to use a dry compass I would go with on of the Tru-Nord Compasses. I did quite a bit of reading and research a year ago or so on both and at that time the Tru-Nord Compass looked like a better compass for the money.
Tru-Nord Commpasses

I don't think the SAS compass is worth what they're charging, but it just depends on whether or not you really want it or not <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I use a Stocker and Yale "waltham escape compass" that can be found in some US military survival kits.
It's a dry compass, not quite as small as the SAS compass but I like it <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />






(photo credits: don rearic - http://www.donrearic.com/tropicalkit.htm <-- also the kit I got mine in)

Here it is next to a penny...
http://www.kitefarm.com/compass_museum/escape.htm

Apparently they made an even smaller one!
http://www.kitefarm.com/compass_museum/escape2.htm

And smaller still!
http://www.kitefarm.com/compass_museum/eraser.htm