Customer Reviews

Silva Guide 426 - Compass

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Shares a lot of good navigation features with larger more expensive models. Silva included accuracy on this compass by adding a few lines for sighting alignment

I use compasses a lot when backpacking, birding and sea kayaking. Taking a sighting using the mirror is an important feature for my use. Small errors can add up. I was a bit let down by both the Silva Landmark and Huntsman This compass avoided those shortcomings and is a great value at this price. You can spend $50 to $75 and you would be getting the same accuracy. You can not do that with the Huntsmen and Landmark because they lack the rear alignment mark that the Guide has (check the photos).

When I take a sighting I line up the hair line in the mirror with the index line on the front of the rotating bezel (mirror side of compass) and the virtual continuation of that line on the rear of the base plate (closest to me). These 3 points line up my target and the compass for an accurate reading.


Only shortcoming is I was suspicious of a flexible plastic hinge rather than a pin and hinge type. But it has held up very well in field use and I expect it to last a long time. It is well constructed. The fact that it is floats appealed to me since I sea kayak.

The numbers are easy to read and all the appropriate markings for aligning the mirror hair line with the front of the compass and rear of the compass on multiple points for proper alignment are there (unlike the Silva Huntsman and Landmark compass that lack them).

The degree numbers and alignment marks are easy to read.


For me the Guide is a better choice for accuracy than the Huntman or Landmark(in the same price range). It has the marks I made reference to, is a little larger and much easier to read. The Guide floats. The guide only weighs a few grams more than the Huntsman or Landmark.

While Huntsman and Landmark open with a hinge. The Guide has a flexible plastic hinge. The guide is slightly larger than the other two but this is a plus for me. Its a good size. I would recommend the Guide over the Huntsman and Landmark due to the ease of reading and accuracy. At this price its a no brainer. The Guide weighs only 1.2 ounces on my postal scale.

Any compass I have ever used (including watch compass)has been erratic and hard to find north. This Silva 426 really finds north, is lightweight, seems well made and easy to look at. A good item to keep in the car or in any situation where you'll need to find your direction.

This is a good basic compass for general use. The compass itself is accurate. Opening the plastic housing to use the compass is a bit annoying, you have to push the plastic parts just right. However, the "lanyard" that came with it isn't what I would call a lanyard. This was really just a long piece of red string, which you have to figure out how to connect to the compass correctly so that it hangs evenly from your neck. If you plan to start orienteering or map hiking, although this compass does the job, you might want to look for a compass with a clear base plate so that you can see more of the map thru the base plate while taking a bearing with the compass. That said, it's a good compass in this price range (under $20).

Bought this compass a few weeks ago. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice this compass was for how inexepensive it is. Has a lifetime warranty in case of any problems, but it looks like it will last just fine. One of the few in this price range that included a mirror, which was important as this is purchased for backpacking and wanted the mirror to double for emergency signaling without adding another piece of equipment (and extra weight) of carrying a separate mirror. Recommended.

When I found there was a compass in the Silva range that floated, making it the perfect companion on pretty much any trip ... well I just had to have it.

Now I'm not a navigation instructor but this thing seems accurate enough and fairly user friendly given it's small size (which is another bonus for me). It certainly fits into pretty much any equipment pouch or pocket on your person. The light weight construction and plastic case are, in essence, what allows it to float and while many will love the weight saving over more robust models the plastic case is a slight worry for me given that means getting near a heat source (like a camp fire or lantern) could be an issue. The lack of a hinge was a concern for me and, as another reviewer noted, I'm sure it will break one day. Still, for the price I'm figuring many purchasers will be using this as a back up compass for waterborne activities and so despite this slight concern I'm expecting to get several years out of this device. Which ain't bad considering it's probably not the most expensive piece of kit you'll end up buying.

And on a side not, like any male, the first thing I did was check this out in my bathroom basin at home. I mean.... it's a compass that floats! Dude, you just have to have one for that alone....

This is a great starter compass. It accurately finds north and is great for taking a heading and bearings. The lanyard is a little too long and the clasp that holds the mirror down does take some getting used to....however I think this due to the fact that it floats. If you are looking for a nice starter compass this Silva will not let you down.

I wanted a light weight sighting compass for backpacking and decided to try out the Silva Guide 426. It is light weight but also has a very flimsy plastic hinge on the mirrored door. I mean totally plastic! You can't really make it out in the picture. If I had seen that I definitely would not have ordered this compass. I'm sure the hinge will be the first thing to fail. Beware since this item CANNOT BE RETURNED! Consider any other sighting compass with a clear base and stay clear of this piece of junk.

I was really disappointed in the quality of this compass. Furthermore, there was an air bubble in the glass and the inside of the package was wet. I assume it leaked. Don't waste your money on this item. Even if it were not defective or damaged, I do not believe it is worth more than three or four dollars.

I ordered this item largely because the picture clearly shows that the compass was made in Finland. When it showed up I was very disappointed to see that mine was made not in Finland, but in Indonesia. If I would've known that it was made in Indo-China I wouldn't have paid more than $5 for it, or bought it at all for that matter. This is a cheap plastic compass and the quality is very much what you'd expect from a MADE IN CHINA piece. In short, I got ripped off by this ad with their deceptive misleading picture. FALSE ADVERTISING!!!

Ella(6) my granddaughter is interested in how compasses work.
She made a picture from paper of a compass to play at home with her brothers.
I bought this real compass for her and she was really exited when she received it.
A thank you and a kiss was what I got in return.
A happy grandfather.