I got my PSP at last and I like it.

I have questions about the compass though. I walked from the store (I live close to it) and it took me about 20 min at a temperature of -10° C (14° F) so the compass developed a bubble which disappeared in my apartment at room temperature. I am concerned about liquid compasses used in the field at extreme temperatures. Wouldn't they become completely frozen? I have an eye on the brass Pyser-SGI FB-1605 15mm dry NATO compass sold by TADgear but it would cost me at least twice as much money as the whole PSP. So I have to make sure that it would work in extreme temperatures like -40° C/F (That's the idea).

By the way I'm curious to know what brand it is. All it says is "made in China". I checked out the Sun Company web site http://www.suncompany.net/ and they are a lot alike except that the dial isn't luminous, is it? Does your experience tell you that a luminous dial is a useful feature?

I like the Spark-Lite which is orange in color as expected. I lit up a coton ball in no time. No problems. I'm still wondering if I can find Spark-Lites separately in Canada. And NATO matches for that matter. I'd like to have some but I don't want to bother ordering them every time from the US because matches are "deteriorating items" and I would prefer them to be easily found and purchased.

Thank you

By NATO matches, I assume you mean the life boat matches with the big 1" head on them?

If that's the case, I've had some that are easily thirty years old and they are still fine. Every few years I have cause to use one and they don't crumble, light up as they are supposed to.

Who knows maybe the quality of them was better back then. But in all, they have not deteriorated to any appreciable degree.

As to where to find them in Canada, hhhmmmmhhh. I think I may have noticed them at Pay-More (Save-More) in Toronto a while back. Not certain though. Have you tried all the surplus stores in Montreal?

Wow, 30 years... I just read Flipper's note : "Never had a problem with NATO matches personally as long as they are dry, mine are 20 years old and work fine." So I guess it's the same compound as back then. Okay I'm sold. I should order them along with other items.

Frankie

The sample compasses have been personally tested to -20F. I would expect it to work at lower temps, but it has not been tested any lower by me.

I am not at liberty to reveal the manufacturer, but it does not come from Sun. As you note, the Pyser-SGI FB-1605 15mm dry NATO compass costs more than the whole rest of the kit. I will readily admit that the compass we use is not as good as that compass or some others we have looked at, but it is adequate for most circumstances, better by far than others we examined that cost the same or less or which are used in competitively priced and sized kits and the cost is within the limits necessary to keep the kit affordable. Anything else we have seen to date that is noticeably better in any respect is a mutlifold increase in price and would significantly adversely impact the cost of the PSP. We continue to search for better at an affordable cost.

Hope this answers your question

Thank you very much for answering. That's what I wanted to know about liquid compasses. I guess mineral oil doesn't freeze easily and I guess they add alcohol to it too. I'm far from complaining about the package which is really smartly designed and I'm pleased with the compass now that I know that it has been tested to -20F. You've done a great job and I'm very thankful for it. I don't often buy products and ask questions to the designer. That's wonderful.

I don't know much about compasses in general. I'll try to read some documentation about dry compasses versus liquid compasses.

Thank you
Frankie

In the same idea as the Coleman's Zipper Pull Thermometer/Compass business, does anybody know if it's possible to remove the compass from the Brunton's Micro Pull Tab to put it in a PSK?

http://www.brunton.com/catalog.php?item_...d_category_id=4

BTW It seems the Pyser-SGI NATO compass was swallowed by military pilots during capture so that is could later be used as an escape compass (during WWII)

Very interesting!

Does it mean it comes in different flavors you can choose from ?
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Geesh!:

Swallowing a compass would take a lot of intestinal fortitude going in a non-linear route so that you could later find your latitude after bearing down during bowel movements so that you could find your bearings.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Well, I know from personal experience that if you put the Coleman zipper pull compass/thermometer, clipped to your parka, in the dryer for about 20 minutes, it all comes apart just fine ... and do NOT ask me how I know that.