Compass - $20(aliexpress) vs $40 vs $80 (made in italy)

[akchan]

Im looking at compasses and noticed that DGX sells the $40 and it says Italy on it. I do an amazon search on some compasses and also see made in Italy. Those are around $80 as well. I look on Aliexpress and they have a $20 one. 5 stars, over 250 user reviews.

I know brass and glass SPG come out of Italy, but what about the compass? Im definitely not spending $80 on a compass. DGX $40 is reasonable. I tried googling compass made in Italy and all I get is Jeep Compass made in Italy stuff. I did read some history on compasses and it Flavio Gioja perfected the sailor compass.


So what's the deal on compasses?

 

[chris kippax]

I have used Suunto SK7's and 8's.
They are a decent compass,
In my personal experience buyer beware with aliexpress.
Buy once cry once, or buy it nice or buy it twice.

 

[akchan]

Yup, I am a frequent aliexpress purchaser and can say there are hits and misses. Most the misses are $1-10 items, and as you go up in price, it tends to get better.

I actually have a 30lb wing that I bought in 11/30/2019. The bladder has a date stamp of 11/27/2019 and the material is good. The seems are solid and precise. The cutout of the material is consistent, and it holds air for over 2 days with no loss of pressure. I wouldn't buy a regulator from there though. I bought some weight pockets, book screws, backplate, and all is good. Just ordered SMDB.

 

[Kupu]

After years of using a Taiwan cheapo wrist mount compass and having no complaints, a decent mid range compass fell into my hands. A definite improvement, quicker to stabilize and less prone to sticking when held at a bit of an angle. I would want a compass known to have tilt potential +/- 30 degrees.

 

[chris kippax]

I am quite lucky as my dive buddy racks up a freakish amount of dive time each year. If gear last him a year or two I am happy buying it.

 

[Pressurehead]

Suunto SK-8
The only suunto kit I have.
The SK8 has a tilt potential of plus or minus 30 degrees.
Pay for quality.

 

[akchan]

Ahh, that is good info. This may steer me towards the $80! I read $40 DGX has +/- 10 degrees and the $60 has 30. This is certainly steering me away from Aliexpress one.

 

[Centrals]

I look on Aliexpress and they have a $20 one. 5 stars, over 250 user reviews.
So what's the deal on compasses?

Certainly not from them unless you just want to waste money.

 

[Pressurehead]

Suunto SK-8 and a Cheap Aliexpress, you can not tilt the cheapie past 10o, and you can see the SK-8 in the dark.
The cheap one lives on my boat as a spare.

 

[happy-diver]

I have 8-10 zmrut suunto compasses


All of my sunto compass capsules have through osmosis


lost all fluid, with no obvious, means of leaking

lost half their fluid and replaced it with bubbles

lost half the fluid and replaced it with sea water

lost the fluid replaced it with seawater and rust

I'm missing one, full of seawater, fish, and kelp.


And multiples of above


They have all lived in these

because you can't do compassing, from your wrist

That is a cheapo, it works better than a bought one


Do you like my fat dump string, standing up by itself



Buy cheap and buy big