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Joined: Oct 2003
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
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I'm considering the Silva Ranger 515 CL and the Brunton 15TDCL - they have a lot of the same features for roughly the same price but also have some slight differences. What are your thoughts on advantages/disadvantages of each? What's your preference and reasoning?
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,718
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2005
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I've got a "real" Silva Ranger from Sweden, and didn't realize until a month ago that they're not the same anymore.
Below is a cut and paste from an REI review. I think it answers your question.
Silva is the original Swedish company that makes the Silva compasses, including the standard Ranger sold outside the US. They also own Brunton in the US. For some reason the "Silva" brand name is owned by Johnson Outdoors in the US, and this company sells the "Silva Ranger" here, a poor quality product made in the far east. (The one I returned had an eyelash floating in the needle capsule, among other things.) The real Silva Ranger made by Silva of Sweden (in Sweden) is sold under the name Brunton 15TDCL, which is a great product. You probably don't need to know all this trivia to buy a compass, but when somebody older than you says "buy Silva Ranger, I've used it for a long time" they really mean Brunton 15TDCL.
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. --Winston Churchill
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Joined: Jul 2005
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Joined: Feb 2008
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Ditto on the Brunton 15TDCL. When you're talking about buying a new Silva Ranger, this is it. I've got the Brunton and it is very good quality.
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 22,690
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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well, I have both the older Swedish Ranger and the current iteration of it, the Brunton 15DCL. That's the one you want, not the cheapo imitation that has the word "silva" on it.
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
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All I've ever used were Suunto
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Joined: Apr 2001
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Campfire Outfitter
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All I've ever used were Suunto I think you'll find Sunnto are now owned by (Swedish) Silva now as well.. Correction, its Recta that are now owned by Suunto..
Last edited by Pete E; 10/07/09.
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Joined: Mar 2009
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 98 |
Brunton 15TDCL but I also like the Cammenga because I've used it a lot. A lot of people have seen the really cheap knockoffs and disregard it as a compass but the Cammenga's are the real deal. I have the one with Tritium. The Brunton is 3 oz and the Cammenga is 8 oz so the Brunton is a good option. If it was my main navigational tool I'd use the Cammenga myself. http://www.cammenga.com/cammenga-products.php?category=1
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Joined: Aug 2004
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2004
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I've got a "real" Silva Ranger from Sweden, and didn't realize until a month ago that they're not the same anymore.
How do you know which one you have, when did the change over take place?
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
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1998. Silva AB of Sweden was sued by Johnson Outdoors (a Johnson Wax Company) in 1997 re: marketing rights of the trade name "Silva" in the US. Johnson won. Silva AB of Sweden had purchased the Brunton label in 1996 and began marketing it's Swedish products under both the Brunton and Nexus labels in the US by 1998. I also found a link stating Gerber (A Fiskars company) signed an agreement to purchase Silva AB of Sweden (and it's Brunton subsidiary) dated 2006. gerber buys bruntonwiki on silva Fiskars on owning silva AB of swedensee? simple, right?
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Campfire Outfitter
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I honestly don't know. I've had mine since '92, so I know it's an original. I just checked, and it doesn't say Sweden on it, but it looks different than the current models. I've also got a Brunton type 12NL seen here: http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/793400I bought it three years ago IIRC, after a buddy who'd had one for years showed me how handy it was. His was a Silva, and I wore out the 'net looking for one, only to find that it's now a Brunton, and still made in Sweden. So the advice others have given about getting Brunton TDCL rather than Silva makes sense I me.
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. --Winston Churchill
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Joined: Aug 2004
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2004
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Well I guess that explains why I lost all the fluid in mine at 10,000 feet. They were nice enough to send me a new one, but I was kind of surprised that a company known for compasses would have the top of their line crap out at 10K
Son of a beach
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Joined: Aug 2004
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Do you know what the difference is between the 15TDCL and the 15TDCLQ?
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Joined: Aug 2004
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2004
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Never mind, I finally found it, degrees or qauds.
thank you for the help, I found one for $40 no tax, free shipping.
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 22,690
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
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the "Q" has a 0-90* quadrant scale on the bezel instead of the 0-360* azimuth scale on the "non-Q". all else is equal between the two. so saith this product description
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