After reviewing the previous post about Urban Survival Kits I realized that I do indeed need a small compass and signal mirror. I have no problem getting around Chicago since I grew up there put this past weeks adventure in Houston helped me realize the benefits of having a compass in an urban environment that is not so familar. <br><br>Question that I have is where do I find these Brunton 15mm button compasses? I've seen references to popping out the compass in a Coleman combo thermometer. Is it hard to pop the compass out without damaging the compass? Is this compass really the Brunton 15mm or is there a place that I can actually buy a geniune brunton 15mm compass. Second, where do I find a decent signal mirror that will fit in my altoids box. Any ideas? Thanks for the help.

Our friend Barry @ Blueline Outfitters stocks the Brunton compass. He carries a wide assortment of mirors also. Just check the retailers list for his contact info.

Your best shot at fitting a mirror in a tin, unless you are using the tin itsself as the mirror, or some aluminum tape on the tin, would be to get the REI Featherweight Mirror from REI.com and trim to fit.<br><br>The best source of button compasses are any of the small items such as zipper pulls, key chains, watch-band compasses, etc. that have button compasses built-in. Sometimes they are the Brunton brand, but others are as good or sometimes better. They come out easily, typically being held in by double-sided tape. You can pull them straight out with pliers. One particularly good one is 20 mm and comes in the "REI Mini Compass" key chain.

Not all zipper pull compasses are easily removed. I found that the ones from REI are both easily disassembled and decent compasses. OTOH the coleman ones seem epoxied in and won't come out without damaging the compass. YMMV.

Silva make great button compasses both with and without luminous markings.<br><br>Free credit card sized CD samplers make OK mirrors and have sighting holes already in place, or you can cut down a regular CD to fit. Cheap and nasty, but at least as effective as aluminium foil or using the altoids tin itself.

i found my mirror at the local sporting goods store (i believe its made by coghlan), it is made of acrylic.cost $1.99 <br> i took my dremel tool and cut it down to the shape of an altoids tin and glued it to the bottom of it. the compass i have i got from the ranger digest site.... http://www.therangerdigest.com/ it cost me $5

Actually, the Coleman zipper pull compasses come out quite nicely if you put your coat in the dryer and, umm, forget to take the zipper pull off first. By the time I realized what that horrible banging noise was, the zipper pull was in four pieces - front, back, thermometer and compass.