Hi map reading company!!Wow!! 10 amazing!! Thank you so much!! I’ve learned so much from you! And it really helps me, as I’m get older, my eyes are not working as well and it’s been difficult using my Cammenga, however, it’s awesome to be educated and informed, this channel really helped!! Thank you for what it’s worth! At least I’m informed and I’ll take it from there, also, we really miss your waffles, they’re so educational, my wife and I love watching your episodes, you have a gift, my friend!!we feel like, we are there with you enjoying the journey!! We’re looking forward to watching your awesome videos 👍🏿💯❤️ From Washington State 🇺🇸
Hi Hector, waffles are on their way 😊. I made a choice to restrict the Review Videos to 3 mins, so there not much time for anything other than reviews.
And the winner is.... Yes, nothing to add, I agree fully. As a former artillery firecontrol soldier in Germany back in the seventies we used the Breithaupt Conat 3 at that time. And we got information about the Cammenga and the Francis Barker from our comrades during combined NATO drills in Gravenwöhr and northern Germany. Compasses at this time were much more important than with todays GPS based systems. The "FALKE" system was just in Service, when I left the Bundeswehr in 1979. As a civilian I got more and more convinced about the advantages of baseplate compasses. And the Silva Expedition 4 is indeed the best you can get for civil use. Thank you for this clear review.
My compasses are either baseplate with mirror, or military compasses. Until Tuesday, that is, when my Expedition 4 shows up. This was a will timed video for me. Thanks again, Sir.
Just bought one after watching your glowing recommendation. I’ve been watching your videos over the last 7or 8 months and found them very clear to understand and I’ve put them to use on several solo hiking and camping trips in Scotland. This from no previous hiking experience beforehand so thank you very much. And I do find your waffling wet entertaining as well.
I love your videos. You should consider emphasizing the importance of taking the magnetic declination into account once the azimuth is determined from the map. Newbies might forget and the 14 degrees here in Oregon USA can hurt. 😊
I've been a map & compass fan since I was a Boy Scout. I have two Silva Type 1070s, one stamped with a Boy Scouts of America logo and a melted corner. (We had a campfire get away from us in a wind storm.) The other belonged to my father. I've been looking for a decent compass with a few more features, and I think this is the one. Thank you for the review!
as absolute beginner , i just ordered expedition 4 after watching your video, you make me to learn how to use compass,, please make more videos for absolut beginners,, thank you and best wishes for you from switzerland
Commenting for the algorithm, thanks for the review! I have most of what I need for my "bug out bag", but realized I don't have a compass or paper maps. I also realized that I don't actually know how to use a compass (but hopefully I will after watching a few more of your videos!). I looked up the Silva on Amazon, and it seems pretty expensive at $50, but I can see why someone who uses one regularly would want one that is high quality and accurate.
I love your videos. I just have to say that inclinometers can be useful for determining your distance from an object of known height. I also use mine to assess potential avalanche terrain.
I will definitely be listening to these reviews on a drive and watch the ones i think would what i think i will use most efficiently. Ur reviews, as expected, are excellent. Thank u.
*WARNING - MUST READ FOR PEOPLE IN NORTH AMERICA* I posted some info below and there's something essential everyone in North America must know: There's is a good reason why the Expedition 4 is not readily available in North America.... it has no 24k scale. And guess what? "The U.S. Geological Survey publishes maps at various scales. The scale used for most U.S. topographic mapping is 1:24,000.". You often can order maps on a different scale, but still, it's important to know the Expedition 4 doesn't have the 24k scale. Expedition: 24, 25, 40 and 50k Expedition S: 24, 25, 40 and 50k Expedition 4: - , 25, 40 and 50k only. No 24k
Great to see the Sunnto RA 69. My favourite compass at the time. I always found that the needle "sat" a lot smoother than the Silva and turning the bezel with gloves on was easier too. Pity it's no longer produced
I got the compass today, based on your recommendation. I like it overall. Only issue I had from the the start was that the index mark was positioned a bit askew to the side. It is basically a white sticky paper with a black line and needs to be positioned exactly on spot on top of the white ring/bezel. Luckily it was not hard taking the compass apart by turning it onto its back and taking out the copper wire from under the bezel with a pointed blade tool. Once the the bezel was separate from the base plate, it was no problam peeling off the yellowish white sticker with the index line and to reposition it in the correct place. Then bezel back into the base plate and wire re-inserted using the blade tool again. Anyone else had this problem with this compass? Beside from this little issue, I can second everything you said about this one. It is going to be a worthy backup to my Recta DS 50 mirror compass outdoors. Thanks for the thorough review!
Yep, totally agree that why I have two. I've found my bezel quit stiff to turn but turntable with glove on. If you paranoid that the bezel is loose and may turn put a elastic band around the bezel and base plate. 😊
0:18 No declination adjustment to keep it simple (when you're in a zero declination zone anyway). I agree on the mirror, a top mirror is no real bonus on a well-designed baseplate compass
Thank you for your awesome videos. I just discovered your channel and can't stop watching the lesons. I recently bought this compass and this video shows me that it was a good decision. It's really fun to apply what I learned in the videos so far. I used GPS a lot in the past but I really want to get more of the basics now. I tested it during night yesterday and I noticed that the needle is not illuminated very well while all the other marks are very bright. It was hard to see the needle during my short hike last night. It seems it's the same for your compass at least it looks like it in the few seconds you show it. I was surprised a bit as the needle is quite some important part of a compass. Is this by design and there is a reason for it that I can't understand yet?
Thank you, but I wish Silva would market the same product internationally the way Suunto does. Silva has different models and names for the U.S. and it seems there is no U.S. version of the "Expedition 4". Without the 1:24K scale and a truncated standard ruler it finds limited use. The Suunto equivalent of the “Expedition 4” seems to be the “A-30.” It has no romers or printed parallel lines, but would you consider all other things generally equal? Build quality, feature set, etc? I ask because the “A-30” is available in a “NH USGS” version. It’s unfortunate Silva doesn’t follow the same convention.
My Expedition 4 died a couple of weeks ago, I had it for many years and I felt genuine loss at it's passing, it was an old friend and we had many a wild adventure, going to have to buy me a new one but not get so attached.
Hello! Congratulations on this content. Your channel is amazing! Could you please make a video recommending books on land navigation? It would also be interesting to see your opinion on these books. Even making a division between books for basic, intermediate and advanced levels.
It seems like this is the one all the compass aficionados have been waiting for? Up until watching your reviews I had no idea. So, thank you for pointing out the all the pros and cons. It enables a much more informed decision. Good stuff 👍 But where are the waffles I ordered?? 😊
Another short and concise review. I miss you waffles though😂 Edit: I made an attempt to find one of these here in Australia but none to be found. I contacted Silva and they said they never manufactured this for the Southern Hemisphere. I guess they there is not big enough market to justify making this. Cheers
Could you please review the brunton 8010? I looks fairly similar to this one without few features but that one has full circle lum and global needle! Thanks for the great review!
Hi Wayne, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience regarding all things compass. No surprise, or arguement here about your rating for the Expedition 4. My only problem is I can't find a seller on line anywhere that sells a Magnetic South version of the Expedition 4. No problem finding sellers of the new Expedition, or the military version of the 4 in MS, but I'd prefer the 4-360. If you, or anyone knows where I can obtain one, please let me know. Cheers from The Great Southern Land.
The radioactive version is presumably good for testing and calibrating detectors, so that version would actually be handy for me. Good to know. Cheers.
Unhappity, not available in Canada. Bought a very similar model (differences: adjustable declination, inclinometer, ruberrized dial, no lum under dial numbers). 70 CDN $ Ouch! (On the «added functionality for GPS», yeah, my seller mentionned it. When I asked what it does, her answer was «No Idea!»...)
Comparto tu opinión. Tengo varias brújulas de diferentes modelos, y todas de marcas de prestigio (Silva, Suunto, Recta y Brunton) y la mejor de todas ellas con muchísima diferencia es la sencilla, pero muy completa, Expedition 4. Espejos, clinómetros y niveles sólo sirven para quitar agilidad a las acciones rutinarias de la orientación, y cuando llevas muchos kilómetros caminados con una mochila en la espalda y ya estás muy cansado físicamente todos esos "extras" no aportan nada de precisión, más bien todo lo contrario. Yo sólo le echo en falta una lupa más grande, porque mi presbicia la necesita, lo del cordón más largo que dices tiene muy fácil sustitucion. El problema es que Silva ha quitado absurdamente este modelo de su catálogo y lo ha sustituido por otro con un limbo más "ergonómico". No hacía ninguna falta. Ah, mucho cuidado con limpiar (cosas del COVID) la brújula con alcohol, pueden borrarse las marcas. Un abrazo desde España. Gracias por el vídeo.
Hi Wayne, another great video thank you, what did you think of the Silva Expedition 54 Lensatic Sighting Compass which I thought was the best designed compass before it was discontinued.
suppose I go hiking in Sweden and than later in Chili would I need a global compass or is that really not necessary? Many thanks for charing you knowledge!
The *Expedition GLOBAL *was given a 6. But the *Expedition "regular"* should get a much better rating since it has a better needle. Here's a comparative between the *Silva Expedition* and *Silva Expedition 4*. It's based on the information found on SILVA's website. For me, the winner is the Expedition "regular" since you can adjust and forget it the declination. I think it's much better unless you travel a lot. *Ex Ex 4* - 360 x x - clinometer x - - declin adjust x - - decli scale - x - gps scale x x - magnifier x x - n/s red black x x - night x x - scale lanyard x - - scales x x - slope card x - - waterproof x x
Hello, I enjoy the videos on this channel. However, I must point out that the Silva Expedition 4 is made in China, not Sweden. This model seems to target the UK market, and the unit I purchased was shipped from Canada. On the back of the packaging, by the bar code, the model name is "Expedition 4 UK" and "Made in China" is the country of origin. In my opinion, the quality is not consistent. The black ink for the numbers and tic marks on the bezel are not uniform. One half has heavy thick ink, while the other half has the correct amount. Hence, the tic marks with the heavier ink have smaller spacing and are not as legible. I also have the Suunto A-30 compass, which is the most similar to this Silva model. The A-30 costs about 10 USD less than the Silva Expedition 4, and seems to have higher quality control.
Whast your view of the Silva Spike Jet Zoom? It's a bit pricey but it's stable, fast setting, very clear to read and even has a parallax line just for you. 😉
Hi Wayne! Your content is consistently excellent and this recent series of reviews has been no exception. Sadly, I had to agree with your evaluation of the Truarc20 compass. It is not all it's cracked up to be. I probably will not be purchasing one. However, you have shown the TruArc 10 compass in several of your videos, and I would very much be interested in your honest opinions of that model. Could you possibly work it in to your lineup of compass reviews, please?
It would be also informative if quality compasses stated the liquid they used to float the needle. Kerosene or Mineral Oil. They will mention the pivot sapphire as manmade or natural. Or Cammenga states air filled with induction damping, just fun to know. Cheers!
@@2adamast Induction damping slows the rotation of the magnet. Allows the Dial to seek Magnetic North and come to a complete rest in much less time. It is a velocity dependent force as the speed of the oscillation of the dial comes to rest the damping force is zero. Yes it is a common method in air filled compasses but the quality of this construction makes a difference in response times. Average 6 seconds to settle a Cammenga Lensatic Compass. Shell housing is made of copper in a Cammenga. The temperature range is outstanding minus 50 degrees to above 160 degrees F. Cheers!
At seventy-three I've had loads of compasses, and they all end up with bubbles in them, does anybody have any tips on how to prevent this? Thanks for doing these informative videos, it is much appreciated🧭.
A quality liquid filled compass like Silva rarely gets bubbles . A big factor for getting bubbles = Shock and extreme temperature changes . Having a compass in an unpressurized aircraft environment , can also be a factor . If I'm flying , the compass is in my carry on baggage and has the foam pouch around it . All the best from an old guy.
I find that often if I just leave it the bubble disappears again. I suspect that some ordered from online which arrive with a bubble have been sent by airmail, and the bubble goes after a while.
Hi there! Loving this review series. Question: what type of compass would you recommend considering that I'm in the southern hemisphere, very near to the south Atlantic magnetic anomaly, or maybe even in it, not sure.
Compasses should still work, the magnetic field is just like half to a third of the strength elsewhere. The declination is reasonable. In South America you'll probably want global balance unless you're down south and never travel north. If you can afford it I would recommend the M-3G with jewel bearing.
Nice review. How much better than the copies are the originals? Completely off topic question from a tyro. You often refer to walls (thin continuous black line) when showing us routes on an OS map, but no matter how long, hard and carefully I look I can't find 'Wall' in the legend. The only thin continuous black line I can see there is a single track railway. Please educate me.
Here are some info regarding the Expedition and Expedition 4 (Expedition S at the end). *BOTH COMPASS* - both have the inches and mm ruler - both have the magnifier - both have the 25,40 and 50k scale. *PROS FOR EXPEDITON* - the Expediton has the 24k scale, not the Exped. 4 - you can adjust the declination on the Expedition, not on the Exped. 4 - the expedition has a much better lanyard than the Ex. 4 - the Expedition has a measuring lanyard, not the Exped. 4 - has a clinometer, not the Exped. 4 - has a slop card, ot the Exped. 4 - looks better than the Ex. 4 *CONS FOR EXPEDITION* - the "tools" are more cramped than on the Ex. 4 (however, the Ex. 4 doesn`t have the 24k scale) - the paralax line is cut by the magnifier - better view of the rullers on the Exped. 4 I'd say the Expedtion has a big advantage on the Exped. 4 since I can set and forget the declination (unless traveling a lot) *As for the Expediton S:* The only difference between the regular and the S seems to be: - S version has a mirror - S version doesn't have the circle with the crossair (will you ever use that?...) - S version has, 10, 24 and 50k. Not the 40k. Is it a big deal for you? - S version doesn't have the direction line since it has a mirror. Is it a big deal for when plotting on a map? Ex Ex 4 - 360 x x - clinometer x - - declin adjust x - - decli scale - x - gps scale x x - magnifier x x - n/s red black x x - night x x - scale lanyard x - - scales x x - slope card x - - waterproof x x
A question: This review is so intriguing that I want this compass, although it’s not currently available in Denmark. One adventure sport shop claims this is an outdated compass so the Silva Expedition (with orange color) is recommended instead - but your review is only 4 months old, so I find their claim questionable. Any thoughts?
On the (new) Expedition compass they have removed one of the best features - the parallax line. Why? So they can put the Silva Logo in that space. The have put in an inclinometer - which is never needed for walkers. There are better compass available for those who do need an inclinometer such geologists, engineers, off piste skiers, etc. The (old) expedition 4 is the best compass (in my opinion - others may disagree) for people who are going walking in the hills and countryside. I think, from a business point of view, Silva has to keep pushing out new models, so they do. If you really want an inclinometer, a semi-permanent declination, big orange bezel, etc. That’s fine. I don’t.
@@TheMapReadingCompany Thanks for the clarification. Your reasoning is S tier. In both video and comment. I decided to order the Expedition 4 from the UK and probably won't regret it! (Military user by the way)
My mind must be a little slow. That's because I'm only now realizing that this video series is inspired by the Olympic Games. An Olympics of compasses, so to speak. Nice idea. 😀👍
I bought a "SUUNTO CLIPPER L/B NH COMPASS" and the plan was to have it clipped on my backpack as a quick way of navigating. But, now I am not able to actually operate it. Do you have any experience with this small compass?
Sometimes this is caused by dust and bits around the wire. You’ll need to get a tin of compress air from Screwfix or somewhere. Turn the compass over and spray the air into the gap with the metal restraining wire. This should remove any dust or other bits. Do not use oil to lubricate it as this will just collect dust and make it worse.
Hi Really enjoy all of your videos, awesome! Would it be possible to do a review of the Silva 55-6400 prismatic compass, would really value your opinion 👍
I used to have one of those, but I lost it some time ago. So, sorry I can only review compasses which I own (I have a LOT of compasses). But as far as I remember they are OK. The addition of the tiny lens is not a bad idea, but even when I had one I didn't use the lens very often.
The Silva Store on Amazon. BUT, as others have pointed out, most maps in the US are 1:24,000 scale and the Exped 4, at the moment, doesn't have this roamer - just 1:25, 1:40 and 1:50. Maybe all the folk in the USA should email Silva and ask for a 1:24 roamer
I do have a silva expedition but I don't have time to do a review for every compass I have - I have a LOT of different types. So there was no time to cover any of the Recta's, the Conat's, etc.
Hi. Great content, thanks for sharing your knowledge! Have you noticed Silva have released a new Expedition model, called Expedition Neo, both standard and S version. Plan to review it? PS: I love strawberry jam and sour cream on my waffles! :)
@@TheMapReadingCompany I see. Silva's own webshop says sold out, but comming soon. I see several shops in Norway claims to have it in stock, so I guess Silva "filled up" the Scandinavian re-sellers first then.
@@TheMapReadingCompanyhmm Looking at picture of the NEO in Norwegian webshop, I notice is has a "thumbscrew" for adjusting declination without using a tool (screwdriver). BUT when I look in Silva's webshop, the picture there show the model with the traditional screw. Speculating: Could the first batch have showed them that the "new" solution did not work so well, so they have reverted to the old and trusted? Don't know, but will ask..
@@TheMapReadingCompanyNo reply from Silva (yet), but meanwhile I ordered one from a Norwegian shop that showed picture of the model with the "thumbscrew". But the one that arrived from them today had the "normal" screw. And since this is also the model Silva show on their site now, my guess is that they must have dropped the "thumbscrew" idea and gone or the tried and tested. I would think a "thumbscrew" would imply a risk for the declination setting being changed by accident, so I prefer the "old way".
@@TheMapReadingCompany I was right! Got a reply from Silva support today: "We had noticed problems with some NEO compasses that were related to this integrated knob. We are therefore updating our current range. The images on our website are therefore already improved and show the revised NEO compass."
The one weak point of the Expedition 4 (and all baseplate compasses) is that it is very bad at taking bearings. Very, very inaccurate. Luckily, that's not something people do very often when out hiking. And even when you do it, an accuracy of +/-5 or so degrees is acceptable when you just want to get a rough estimate of where you are. But if taking bearings is something that's useful to you, then bring along a nice lensatic compass, something like the Brunton 9077 reviewed earlier, or a Cammenga lensatic (if you can afford it). Combining a baseplate and lensatic compass will cover 100% of all use cases.
If seeking hair splitting accuracy I enjoy using a course plotter with compass rose to align my map bearings. Then adjust for declination and GO ! Course plotters are nice for avoiding metals in the surrounding environment, and simple to carry along. Cheers!
@@andrewskowronski6283 I may have misspoke. I didn't mean taking directions from the map and then walking them. I meant taking directions from the field and transferring them to the map.
Roger that, I find bushwacking in Ontario Canada is so forested that changes in direction are always needed, swamps, bogs, boulders, felled trees. Navigating a straight line is mega cursed and rough travel direction is enough. Cheers!
@@UT-CLANS I didn't say it's difficult. I said it's not as accurate as a lensatic. With a baseplate you need to compromise between aligning the compass with the target and aligning the needle in the shed. You either have great visibility on the target by holding the compass at eye level, in which case you cannot see when the needle is aligned in the shed, or you have excellent visibility on aligning the needle in the shed by holding the compass to your chest, but you cannot see along the compass to align it properly. You can seek a compromise between these two positions, but it will always be just that: a compromise. A lensatic compass is designed to allow you to both align the compass to target and take a bearing reading without moving anything other than your eye. The accuracy is just not comparable.
I take multiple bearings back and forth ground to map and vice versa. No adjustable declination is a deal breaker for me. And no 24k scale, the scale used for most U.S. topographic maps.
9. 9.5 at a stretch. It's a great product but it has one rather awful problem and that is being very prone to bubble formation. The choice of capsule material is the problem and for decades Silva have been quite happy to sell us this faulty product which has a limited useful life.
i can't stand silva's prints on the top surface of the plastic. this alone is a deal breaker because this makes accurate reading a chore. for all suunto's fault its prints are on the bottom surface, no parallax needed.
Hi map reading company!!Wow!! 10 amazing!! Thank you so much!! I’ve learned so much from you! And it really helps me, as I’m get older, my eyes are not working as well and it’s been difficult using my Cammenga, however, it’s awesome to be educated and informed, this channel really helped!! Thank you for what it’s worth! At least I’m informed and I’ll take it from there, also, we really miss your waffles, they’re so educational, my wife and I love watching your episodes, you have a gift, my friend!!we feel like, we are there with you enjoying the journey!! We’re looking forward to watching your awesome videos 👍🏿💯❤️ From Washington State 🇺🇸
❤❤❤❤❤
Hi Hector, waffles are on their way 😊. I made a choice to restrict the Review Videos to 3 mins, so there not much time for anything other than reviews.
And the winner is.... Yes, nothing to add, I agree fully.
As a former artillery firecontrol soldier in Germany back in the seventies we used the Breithaupt Conat 3 at that time. And we got information about the Cammenga and the Francis Barker from our comrades during combined NATO drills in Gravenwöhr and northern Germany.
Compasses at this time were much more important than with todays GPS based systems. The "FALKE" system was just in Service, when I left the Bundeswehr in 1979.
As a civilian I got more and more convinced about the advantages of baseplate compasses. And the Silva Expedition 4 is indeed the best you can get for civil use.
Thank you for this clear review.
My compasses are either baseplate with mirror, or military compasses. Until Tuesday, that is, when my Expedition 4 shows up. This was a will timed video for me. Thanks again, Sir.
Your videos are the biggest reason I bought this compass for my already large collection.
You can never have enough compasses 😊
Just bought one after watching your glowing recommendation.
I’ve been watching your videos over the last 7or 8 months and found them very clear to understand and I’ve put them to use on several solo hiking and camping trips in Scotland.
This from no previous hiking experience beforehand so thank you very much.
And I do find your waffling wet entertaining as well.
I love your videos. You should consider emphasizing the importance of taking the magnetic declination into account once the azimuth is determined from the map. Newbies might forget and the 14 degrees here in Oregon USA can hurt. 😊
I've been a map & compass fan since I was a Boy Scout. I have two Silva Type 1070s, one stamped with a Boy Scouts of America logo and a melted corner. (We had a campfire get away from us in a wind storm.) The other belonged to my father.
I've been looking for a decent compass with a few more features, and I think this is the one. Thank you for the review!
as absolute beginner , i just ordered expedition 4 after watching your video, you make me to learn how to use compass,, please make more videos for absolut beginners,, thank you and best wishes for you from switzerland
Commenting for the algorithm, thanks for the review! I have most of what I need for my "bug out bag", but realized I don't have a compass or paper maps. I also realized that I don't actually know how to use a compass (but hopefully I will after watching a few more of your videos!). I looked up the Silva on Amazon, and it seems pretty expensive at $50, but I can see why someone who uses one regularly would want one that is high quality and accurate.
I love your videos. I just have to say that inclinometers can be useful for determining your distance from an object of known height. I also use mine to assess potential avalanche terrain.
I will definitely be listening to these reviews on a drive and watch the ones i think would what i think i will use most efficiently. Ur reviews, as expected, are excellent. Thank u.
*WARNING - MUST READ FOR PEOPLE IN NORTH AMERICA*
I posted some info below and there's something essential everyone in North America must know: There's is a good reason why the Expedition 4 is not readily available in North America.... it has no 24k scale. And guess what? "The U.S. Geological Survey publishes maps at various scales. The scale used for most U.S. topographic mapping is 1:24,000.".
You often can order maps on a different scale, but still, it's important to know the Expedition 4 doesn't have the 24k scale.
Expedition: 24, 25, 40 and 50k
Expedition S: 24, 25, 40 and 50k
Expedition 4: - , 25, 40 and 50k only. No 24k
very important note yes, gotta make sure you know what kind of maps you're working with if you want to measure properly!
Great to see the Sunnto RA 69.
My favourite compass at the time.
I always found that the needle "sat" a lot smoother than the Silva and turning the bezel with gloves on was easier too.
Pity it's no longer produced
I got the compass today, based on your recommendation. I like it overall. Only issue I had from the the start was that the index mark was positioned a bit askew to the side. It is basically a white sticky paper with a black line and needs to be positioned exactly on spot on top of the white ring/bezel. Luckily it was not hard taking the compass apart by turning it onto its back and taking out the copper wire from under the bezel with a pointed blade tool. Once the the bezel was separate from the base plate, it was no problam peeling off the yellowish white sticker with the index line and to reposition it in the correct place. Then bezel back into the base plate and wire re-inserted using the blade tool again. Anyone else had this problem with this compass?
Beside from this little issue, I can second everything you said about this one. It is going to be a worthy backup to my Recta DS 50 mirror compass outdoors. Thanks for the thorough review!
Excellent series. Very informative.
Yep, totally agree that why I have two. I've found my bezel quit stiff to turn but turntable with glove on. If you paranoid that the bezel is loose and may turn put a elastic band around the bezel and base plate. 😊
0:18 No declination adjustment to keep it simple (when you're in a zero declination zone anyway).
I agree on the mirror, a top mirror is no real bonus on a well-designed baseplate compass
I bought this model many years ago. Glad I appear to have made a good choice 👍🏼
Cheers,
Gary B
Thank you for your awesome videos. I just discovered your channel and can't stop watching the lesons. I recently bought this compass and this video shows me that it was a good decision. It's really fun to apply what I learned in the videos so far. I used GPS a lot in the past but I really want to get more of the basics now.
I tested it during night yesterday and I noticed that the needle is not illuminated very well while all the other marks are very bright. It was hard to see the needle during my short hike last night. It seems it's the same for your compass at least it looks like it in the few seconds you show it.
I was surprised a bit as the needle is quite some important part of a compass. Is this by design and there is a reason for it that I can't understand yet?
This is just what I have been looking for.
Thank you, but I wish Silva would market the same product internationally the way Suunto does. Silva has different models and names for the U.S. and it seems there is no U.S. version of the "Expedition 4". Without the 1:24K scale and a truncated standard ruler it finds limited use.
The Suunto equivalent of the “Expedition 4” seems to be the “A-30.” It has no romers or printed parallel lines, but would you consider all other things generally equal? Build quality, feature set, etc? I ask because the “A-30” is available in a “NH USGS” version. It’s unfortunate Silva doesn’t follow the same convention.
My Expedition 4 died a couple of weeks ago, I had it for many years and I felt genuine loss at it's passing, it was an old friend and we had many a wild adventure, going to have to buy me a new one but not get so attached.
Hello! Congratulations on this content. Your channel is amazing! Could you please make a video recommending books on land navigation? It would also be interesting to see your opinion on these books. Even making a division between books for basic, intermediate and advanced levels.
Hi - I don't really know much about navigation books, sorry. I have seen a few really good ones, but I also have seen a lot of very bad ones.
It seems like this is the one all the compass aficionados have been waiting for?
Up until watching your reviews I had no idea.
So, thank you for pointing out the all the pros and cons.
It enables a much more informed decision. Good stuff 👍
But where are the waffles I ordered?? 😊
Thank you for this review!
Another short and concise review.
I miss you waffles though😂
Edit: I made an attempt to find one of these here in Australia but none to be found. I contacted Silva and they said they never manufactured this for the Southern Hemisphere.
I guess they there is not big enough market to justify making this.
Cheers
I think they'll be coming on the next video......🎉
Could you please review the brunton 8010? I looks fairly similar to this one without few features but that one has full circle lum and global needle! Thanks for the great review!
Have the military version of this. Has both mils and degrees.
Previous ‘employment’ required mils 😊😊
Hi Wayne, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience regarding all things compass. No surprise, or arguement here about your rating for the Expedition 4.
My only problem is I can't find a seller on line anywhere that sells a Magnetic South version of the Expedition 4. No problem finding sellers of the new Expedition, or the military version of the 4 in MS, but I'd prefer the 4-360.
If you, or anyone knows where I can obtain one, please let me know.
Cheers from The Great Southern Land.
Do a Google search for the MS (military South) version. It will have mills as well as degrees
Any luck finding a magnetic south version of the 4-360 here in oz?
Fantastic channel. Very informative. Thank You...
The radioactive version is presumably good for testing and calibrating detectors, so that version would actually be handy for me. Good to know. Cheers.
Unhappity, not available in Canada. Bought a very similar model (differences: adjustable declination, inclinometer, ruberrized dial, no lum under dial numbers). 70 CDN $ Ouch! (On the «added functionality for GPS», yeah, my seller mentionned it. When I asked what it does, her answer was «No Idea!»...)
Buy on the Internet or get the Expedition "regular" (not the 4 or the S). the regular has even more features than the 4
Lacks 1:24K scale, so less useful in the U.S.? Or is 1:25K close enough?
The Expedtion (not S, not 4) has the 24k scale.
Comparto tu opinión. Tengo varias brújulas de diferentes modelos, y todas de marcas de prestigio (Silva, Suunto, Recta y Brunton) y la mejor de todas ellas con muchísima diferencia es la sencilla, pero muy completa, Expedition 4.
Espejos, clinómetros y niveles sólo sirven para quitar agilidad a las acciones rutinarias de la orientación, y cuando llevas muchos kilómetros caminados con una mochila en la espalda y ya estás muy cansado físicamente todos esos "extras" no aportan nada de precisión, más bien todo lo contrario.
Yo sólo le echo en falta una lupa más grande, porque mi presbicia la necesita, lo del cordón más largo que dices tiene muy fácil sustitucion.
El problema es que Silva ha quitado absurdamente este modelo de su catálogo y lo ha sustituido por otro con un limbo más "ergonómico". No hacía ninguna falta.
Ah, mucho cuidado con limpiar (cosas del COVID) la brújula con alcohol, pueden borrarse las marcas.
Un abrazo desde España. Gracias por el vídeo.
Puedes conseguirlos en Amazon
@@TheMapReadingCompany en Amazon creo que ya sólo disponen de la versión militar, con el limbo graduado en milésimas. Gracias por la respuesta.
Easiest review ever. Great compass.
Hi Wayne, another great video thank you, what did you think of the Silva Expedition 54 Lensatic Sighting Compass which I thought was the best designed compass before it was discontinued.
I used to have one of those, but I lost it. It was OK, but I hardly ever used the sight
suppose I go hiking in Sweden and than later in Chili would I need a global compass or is that really not necessary? Many thanks for charing you knowledge!
Either get a Global or buy a new compass when you get to Chili
The *Expedition GLOBAL *was given a 6. But the *Expedition "regular"* should get a much better rating since it has a better needle. Here's a comparative between the *Silva Expedition* and *Silva Expedition 4*. It's based on the information found on SILVA's website. For me, the winner is the Expedition "regular" since you can adjust and forget it the declination. I think it's much better unless you travel a lot.
*Ex Ex 4*
- 360 x x
- clinometer x -
- declin adjust x -
- decli scale - x
- gps scale x x
- magnifier x x
- n/s red black x x
- night x x
- scale lanyard x -
- scales x x
- slope card x -
- waterproof x x
I am assuming "expedition 4" is optimized to NORTH HEMISPHERE then ?
My favourite compass, been everywhere with mine. Agree with the lanyard comment, I replace mine with some thin paracord.
Hello, I enjoy the videos on this channel. However, I must point out that the Silva Expedition 4 is made in China, not Sweden. This model seems to target the UK market, and the unit I purchased was shipped from Canada. On the back of the packaging, by the bar code, the model name is "Expedition 4 UK" and "Made in China" is the country of origin. In my opinion, the quality is not consistent. The black ink for the numbers and tic marks on the bezel are not uniform. One half has heavy thick ink, while the other half has the correct amount. Hence, the tic marks with the heavier ink have smaller spacing and are not as legible. I also have the Suunto A-30 compass, which is the most similar to this Silva model. The A-30 costs about 10 USD less than the Silva Expedition 4, and seems to have higher quality control.
Whast your view of the Silva Spike Jet Zoom? It's a bit pricey but it's stable, fast setting, very clear to read and even has a parallax line just for you. 😉
@inky4763 I've always thought of those as a beginner's orienteering compass. They look ok but never used one so can't give any advice
The Silva baseplate compass is the only type I've ever used in more than 40 years of wandering.
Hi Wayne! Your content is consistently excellent and this recent series of reviews has been no exception. Sadly, I had to agree with your evaluation of the Truarc20 compass. It is not all it's cracked up to be. I probably will not be purchasing one.
However, you have shown the TruArc 10 compass in several of your videos, and I would very much be interested in your honest opinions of that model. Could you possibly work it in to your lineup of compass reviews, please?
It would be also informative if quality compasses stated the liquid they used to float the needle.
Kerosene or Mineral Oil.
They will mention the pivot sapphire as manmade or natural.
Or Cammenga states air filled with induction damping, just fun to know.
Cheers!
Is induction damping not just marketing. Any metal body compass has induction damping
@@2adamast Induction damping slows the rotation of the magnet. Allows the Dial to seek Magnetic North and come to a complete rest in much less time.
It is a velocity dependent force as the speed of the oscillation of the dial comes to rest the damping force is zero.
Yes it is a common method in air filled compasses but the quality of this construction makes a difference in response times. Average 6 seconds to settle a Cammenga Lensatic Compass. Shell housing is made of copper in a Cammenga. The temperature range is outstanding minus 50 degrees to above 160 degrees F.
Cheers!
At seventy-three I've had loads of compasses, and they all end up with bubbles in them, does anybody have any tips on how to prevent this? Thanks for doing these informative videos, it is much appreciated🧭.
A quality liquid filled compass like Silva rarely gets bubbles . A big factor for getting bubbles = Shock and extreme temperature changes . Having a compass in an unpressurized aircraft environment , can also be a factor . If I'm flying , the compass is in my carry on baggage and has the foam pouch around it .
All the best from an old guy.
I find that often if I just leave it the bubble disappears again. I suspect that some ordered from online which arrive with a bubble have been sent by airmail, and the bubble goes after a while.
Don't obsess about bubbles, they rarely matter.
Any chance of a review of the Silva 55?
Hi there! Loving this review series.
Question: what type of compass would you recommend considering that I'm in the southern hemisphere, very near to the south Atlantic magnetic anomaly, or maybe even in it, not sure.
Sorry I don't know. I understand the SAMA but I have never been in that area.
@@TheMapReadingCompany oh bummer! Thanks for the reply though!
Compasses should still work, the magnetic field is just like half to a third of the strength elsewhere. The declination is reasonable. In South America you'll probably want global balance unless you're down south and never travel north. If you can afford it I would recommend the M-3G with jewel bearing.
@@jwnomad thank you, that's a very comprehensive answer. I'll look into it.
Nice review. How much better than the copies are the originals?
Completely off topic question from a tyro. You often refer to walls (thin continuous black line) when showing us routes on an OS map, but no matter how long, hard and carefully I look I can't find 'Wall' in the legend. The only thin continuous black line I can see there is a single track railway. Please educate me.
Here are some info regarding the Expedition and Expedition 4 (Expedition S at the end).
*BOTH COMPASS*
- both have the inches and mm ruler
- both have the magnifier
- both have the 25,40 and 50k scale.
*PROS FOR EXPEDITON*
- the Expediton has the 24k scale, not the Exped. 4
- you can adjust the declination on the Expedition, not on the Exped. 4
- the expedition has a much better lanyard than the Ex. 4
- the Expedition has a measuring lanyard, not the Exped. 4
- has a clinometer, not the Exped. 4
- has a slop card, ot the Exped. 4
- looks better than the Ex. 4
*CONS FOR EXPEDITION*
- the "tools" are more cramped than on the Ex. 4 (however, the Ex. 4 doesn`t have the 24k scale)
- the paralax line is cut by the magnifier
- better view of the rullers on the Exped. 4
I'd say the Expedtion has a big advantage on the Exped. 4 since I can set and forget the declination (unless traveling a lot)
*As for the Expediton S:*
The only difference between the regular and the S seems to be:
- S version has a mirror
- S version doesn't have the circle with the crossair (will you ever use that?...)
- S version has, 10, 24 and 50k. Not the 40k. Is it a big deal for you?
- S version doesn't have the direction line since it has a mirror. Is it a big deal for when plotting on a map?
Ex Ex 4
- 360 x x
- clinometer x -
- declin adjust x -
- decli scale - x
- gps scale x x
- magnifier x x
- n/s red black x x
- night x x
- scale lanyard x -
- scales x x
- slope card x -
- waterproof x x
Sadly, the Silva Expedition 4 isn’t available in the United States. What other baseplate compass do you recommend?
A question: This review is so intriguing that I want this compass, although it’s not currently available in Denmark. One adventure sport shop claims this is an outdated compass so the Silva Expedition (with orange color) is recommended instead - but your review is only 4 months old, so I find their claim questionable. Any thoughts?
On the (new) Expedition compass they have removed one of the best features - the parallax line. Why? So they can put the Silva Logo in that space.
The have put in an inclinometer - which is never needed for walkers. There are better compass available for those who do need an inclinometer such geologists, engineers, off piste skiers, etc.
The (old) expedition 4 is the best compass (in my opinion - others may disagree) for people who are going walking in the hills and countryside.
I think, from a business point of view, Silva has to keep pushing out new models, so they do.
If you really want an inclinometer, a semi-permanent declination, big orange bezel, etc. That’s fine. I don’t.
@@TheMapReadingCompany Thanks for the clarification. Your reasoning is S tier. In both video and comment. I decided to order the Expedition 4 from the UK and probably won't regret it! (Military user by the way)
Please review the Silva Guide 2.0 Compass! 🙏
My mind must be a little slow. That's because I'm only now realizing that this video series is inspired by the Olympic Games. An Olympics of compasses, so to speak. Nice idea. 😀👍
I bought a "SUUNTO CLIPPER L/B NH COMPASS" and the plan was to have it clipped on my backpack as a quick way of navigating.
But, now I am not able to actually operate it. Do you have any experience with this small compass?
No sorry. I have only seen them on the Suunto website
Wayne, Is there any way to adjust this compass so the dial is easier to rotate?
Sometimes this is caused by dust and bits around the wire. You’ll need to get a tin of compress air from Screwfix or somewhere. Turn the compass over and spray the air into the gap with the metal restraining wire. This should remove any dust or other bits. Do not use oil to lubricate it as this will just collect dust and make it worse.
Hi
Really enjoy all of your videos, awesome!
Would it be possible to do a review of the Silva 55-6400 prismatic compass, would really value your opinion 👍
I used to have one of those, but I lost it some time ago. So, sorry I can only review compasses which I own (I have a LOT of compasses).
But as far as I remember they are OK. The addition of the tiny lens is not a bad idea, but even when I had one I didn't use the lens very often.
Thanks for sharing
I swapped the lanyard from my 20 year old ranger to my expedition because it is a far superior one. Silva skimped big time on the crappy lanyard.
What about compass like Recta DP6?
Here you go: ruclips.net/video/ilXLMlzL9vE/видео.html
@@TheMapReadingCompany Gracias!
Where can you buy these in the States?
The Silva Store on Amazon. BUT, as others have pointed out, most maps in the US are 1:24,000 scale and the Exped 4, at the moment, doesn't have this roamer - just 1:25, 1:40 and 1:50.
Maybe all the folk in the USA should email Silva and ask for a 1:24 roamer
@@TheMapReadingCompany Thank you!
What about the Silva Expedition?
I do have a silva expedition but I don't have time to do a review for every compass I have - I have a LOT of different types. So there was no time to cover any of the Recta's, the Conat's, etc.
Sold
I’ve been waiting for your 10 out of 10 review. I just ordered two.
Hi. Great content, thanks for sharing your knowledge! Have you noticed Silva have released a new Expedition model, called Expedition Neo, both standard and S version. Plan to review it? PS: I love strawberry jam and sour cream on my waffles! :)
I saw it when it came out - but not available in the UK yet.
@@TheMapReadingCompany I see. Silva's own webshop says sold out, but comming soon. I see several shops in Norway claims to have it in stock, so I guess Silva "filled up" the Scandinavian re-sellers first then.
@@TheMapReadingCompanyhmm Looking at picture of the NEO in Norwegian webshop, I notice is has a "thumbscrew" for adjusting declination without using a tool (screwdriver). BUT when I look in Silva's webshop, the picture there show the model with the traditional screw. Speculating: Could the first batch have showed them that the "new" solution did not work so well, so they have reverted to the old and trusted? Don't know, but will ask..
@@TheMapReadingCompanyNo reply from Silva (yet), but meanwhile I ordered one from a Norwegian shop that showed picture of the model with the "thumbscrew". But the one that arrived from them today had the "normal" screw. And since this is also the model Silva show on their site now, my guess is that they must have dropped the "thumbscrew" idea and gone or the tried and tested. I would think a "thumbscrew" would imply a risk for the declination setting being changed by accident, so I prefer the "old way".
@@TheMapReadingCompany I was right! Got a reply from Silva support today:
"We had noticed problems with some NEO compasses that were related to this integrated knob. We are therefore updating our current range. The images on our website are therefore already improved
and show the revised NEO compass."
Lost it ! thanks for videos
👍👍
The one weak point of the Expedition 4 (and all baseplate compasses) is that it is very bad at taking bearings. Very, very inaccurate. Luckily, that's not something people do very often when out hiking. And even when you do it, an accuracy of +/-5 or so degrees is acceptable when you just want to get a rough estimate of where you are. But if taking bearings is something that's useful to you, then bring along a nice lensatic compass, something like the Brunton 9077 reviewed earlier, or a Cammenga lensatic (if you can afford it). Combining a baseplate and lensatic compass will cover 100% of all use cases.
If seeking hair splitting accuracy I enjoy using a course plotter with compass rose to align my map bearings. Then adjust for declination and GO !
Course plotters are nice for avoiding metals in the surrounding environment, and simple to carry along.
Cheers!
@@andrewskowronski6283 I may have misspoke. I didn't mean taking directions from the map and then walking them. I meant taking directions from the field and transferring them to the map.
Roger that, I find bushwacking in Ontario Canada is so forested that changes in direction are always needed, swamps, bogs, boulders, felled trees. Navigating a straight line is mega cursed and rough travel direction is enough.
Cheers!
I have the E4 . Quite easy to take visual bearings if held correctly.
@@UT-CLANS I didn't say it's difficult. I said it's not as accurate as a lensatic. With a baseplate you need to compromise between aligning the compass with the target and aligning the needle in the shed. You either have great visibility on the target by holding the compass at eye level, in which case you cannot see when the needle is aligned in the shed, or you have excellent visibility on aligning the needle in the shed by holding the compass to your chest, but you cannot see along the compass to align it properly. You can seek a compromise between these two positions, but it will always be just that: a compromise. A lensatic compass is designed to allow you to both align the compass to target and take a bearing reading without moving anything other than your eye. The accuracy is just not comparable.
Why give full marks when it wastes space with obsolete inches? That's 1 mark off at least.
I take multiple bearings back and forth ground to map and vice versa. No adjustable declination is a deal breaker for me. And no 24k scale, the scale used for most U.S. topographic maps.
Ordered. No romer in 1:24,000. Wah
I made a new lanyard out of parachord. Boom! Problem solved!
Prefiero utilizar cordino de 3 mm...
9. 9.5 at a stretch. It's a great product but it has one rather awful problem and that is being very prone to bubble formation. The choice of capsule material is the problem and for decades Silva have been quite happy to sell us this faulty product which has a limited useful life.
It would be rude not to...
The Expedition 4 is used by the German military in a militarized version with mills and what not 🤭
We all knew where this was going.
i can't stand silva's prints on the top surface of the plastic. this alone is a deal breaker because this makes accurate reading a chore. for all suunto's fault its prints are on the bottom surface, no parallax needed.
On the Exped 4 there is no printing on the top. It's all stamped into the base.
@TheMapReadingCompany >>> Great review...👍