U.S. Issue Mil-Spec Tritium Illuminated Aluminum Military Lensatic Marching Compass

by Tritium

Product Features

• Manufactured within the past 3 months so tritium is fresh.
• Comes with a lanyard and carrying pouch with belt clip.
• Comes with instructions and one year warranty.
• National Stock Number: 6605-01-196-6971
• Mil. Spec. MIL-C-10436L

Product Description

This Cammenga Tritium Illuminated Military Lensatic Compass has been used by U.S. troops, foreign militaries, law enforcement, and special forces. A total of seven Tritium light sources provide readability in total darkness for 10 years without external power or the need to "recharge" using a flashlight. The compass features a sapphire bearing and the card is induction damped for fast settling with an accuracy of +/- 2 mils. The compass card has both the standard 0 - 360 degree scale, as well as the 0 - 64 Mil scale (one yard at 1,000 yards). The bezel rotates with detents every 3 degrees so you can change the heading reference a known amount without looking at the compass. The front sight has a magnifier to simultaneously view the magnetic heading when taking a sight. When unfolded flat, the marching compass has a straight edge with a standard 1:50,000 map scale. The folded compass measures 3 inches (7.6 cm) long, 2 1/4 inches (5.7 cm) wide, 1 1/8 inch (2.9 cm) thick, and weighs only 5.3 ounces (150 grams). This compass is protected by a durable waterproof cast aluminum case painted olive drab. The compass is brand new with fresh tritium and comes complete with a lanyard and a carrying pouch with rear belt clip. The compass is made in the United States and comes with instructions and a one year warranty.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6 x 6 x 6 inches ; 7 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B0006YXWN2
• Item model number: 417
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,741 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #19 in Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Camping & Hiking > Compasses
  • #23 in Sports & Outdoors > Accessories > Electronics & Gadgets > Compasses

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars $10 CHINESE JUNK SENT, July 9, 2011

By 

V. Pierce (Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: U.S. Issue Mil-Spec Tritium Illuminated Aluminum Military Lensatic Marching Compass (Misc.)

Review for U.S. Issue Mil-Spec Tritium Illuminated Aluminum Military Lensatic Marching Compass (Misc.)from BIGFLYSPORTS. The item sent was not a Cammenga Tritium Illuminated Military Lensatic Compass. It did not have any Tritium light sources. It did not have a durable waterproof cast aluminum case painted olive drab. It did not have a lanyard and a carrying pouch with rear belt clip. It was not made in the United States. IT WAS MADE IN CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is a cheap imitation worth about 1/10 of what I paid for it. Don't buy this item because the description is not what you will receive. Rating should be zero stars.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Pleased, September 23, 2008

By 

Noel C. Beck (Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: U.S. Issue Mil-Spec Tritium Illuminated Aluminum Military Lensatic Marching Compass (Misc.)

After placing the order, I received a genuine Cammenga Model 3H lensatic compass with tritium...the real deal. The compass I received is both rugged and accurate. The model 3H is much better than other, cheaper lenstatic compasses I've used in the past. The difference is stark. From the aluminum constrution to the clarity of the readings...this compass is worth the extra money. It is a little more difficult to operate than some of the more popular baseplate compasses, lacking a "set and forget" declination adjustment and numerous map scales, but the Cammenga is unquestionably more durable than the comparably priced baseplate model.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic Design, May 3, 2011

By 

Brian W. Haren "BWH" (Atlanta, GA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: U.S. Issue Mil-Spec Tritium Illuminated Aluminum Military Lensatic Marching Compass (Misc.)

This is the current US military issue lensatic compass (Model 1950). It is a classic design that has remained essentially unchanged for over 60 years. All for a good reason - it is a great design that has withstood the rigors of hard use in environments from the frozen ridgelines of Korea to the snowy forests of Germany to the damp jungles of Vietnam to the oven-hot deserts of Kuwait and Iraq and everywhere in between.

It is easily the most rugged handheld compass ever made and is the ONLY land navigation compass I know of that is manufactured to meet a formal performance specification - MIL-PRF-10436N - which states that the compass must be accurate to within 2.5 degrees. Other manufacturers may say that their compasses are accurate, but none of them are required to prove it.

One of the reasons for this compass' ruggedness is that it is not a liquid dampened design. Liquid dampened compasses tend to be fragile, and about half of the liquid filled compasses in my collection (18) have developed air bubbles in the course of normal use. The Cammenga M1950 compass uses induction dampening, a very effective system that takes advantage of the natural magnetic reaction between the magnetic compass bar and the copper cup it sits in to quickly eliminate needle oscillation. Since the compass is a 'dry' design it can incorporate a system that lifts the magnet bar/compass card off of the needle when the compass is closed. This protects the jeweled pivot on the magnet bar from damage due to rough handling.

While it may not look it, the design is very ergonomic while being used for sighting. The tritium illumination is excellent, and makes it about the only compass suitable for long term night navigation work. The buyer must remember, however, that the tritium capsules in the compass have only a 10 year usable lifespan. That is a limitation of tritium gas, not the compass design. After the tritium capsules fade the compass will still be perfectly useable, however. If this is a concern then Cammenga sells the exact same compass without the tritium capsules but with phosphorescent paint that must be charged using a flashlight.

I've carried this compass design around the world during my Army career and can unhesitatingly recommend it.

As you are considering your purchase please keep in mind that there is only one company currently making these compasses for the US military - Cammenga out of Dearborn, Michigan. There are a lot of imitations of this design available for sale, and all of them are nothing but cheap copies. Do yourself a favor, if you want a compass that will serve you well for decades get the real thing - get a Cammenga!