Author Topic: Silva Type 4/54 V Suunto M3 Global  (Read 6293 times)

wink

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Silva Type 4/54 V Suunto M3 Global
« on: July 17, 2012, 11:38:23 AM »
Morning fellow members, wonder if you could give me some feedback on the named compasses, I have the Silva & thinking about buying a second. Pros & Cons would be greatfully receiced.

Wink

Hugh Westacott

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Re: Silva Type 4/54 V Suunto M3 Global
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2012, 08:11:35 PM »
Wink

Many years ago I bought a Silva Type 4.
Pro:
Very accurate.
Con:
Not spectacle-friendly.
Not easy to use in foul weather.
Developed a huge bubble sometime after the guarantee expired and Silva declined to accept any responsibility.

I now have a Suunto MC2 which I love
Pro:
Very robust with the bezel protected by the mirror housing.
Needle balanced for five global zones.
Has a scale which can be locked for adjusting the grid magnetic angle.
Inclinometer for measuring slope angle.
Easy to use in foul weather.
Mirror useful when applying make-up and combing hair.

Con:
In good conditions, it is probably not quite so accurate as the Silva 4 when taking bearings.

Hugh
 

Egg

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Re: Silva Type 4/54 V Suunto M3 Global
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2012, 07:00:33 PM »
Hi Wink...

Silva 4/54
There are at least two versions of this compass, sighting for bearings and non-sighting.
Good all round compass although not global and has no inclinometer.
Base plate is "normal compass width" which I find a bit too narrow.
Bezel is small and not easy to turn with gloves or in wet.
Not that great in the dark.

Suunto
Excellent piece of kit.
Large bezel with notches for easy turning in gloves and wet.
Wide base plate which sits nicely the palm of the hand.
Global and has inclinometer. Good in the dark, bezel edge and bezel base bars show up well.

Another option to consider is a Recta DT 420G.
Is pretty much the same as the Suunto.
I prefer the Recta because is has a better needle and thicker luminous bars in the base of the bezel.

I'm sure you'll collect some views from the rest of the peeps on here, then you'll have to make up your mind!
Happy deciding.

Bob



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Batesy

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Re: Silva Type 4/54 V Suunto M3 Global
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2012, 10:47:37 PM »
I have always used Silva compasses for no particular reason other than this was the brand I was introduced to via Scouts and told they were 'the best'.

I recently came to replace my old dog-eared Silva and, having read Lyle's comments about his preference thought I'd look into the Suunto M3. I also checked the comments on this Forum and saw somewhere (sorry, can't remember who it was but maybe it was Egg?!!) that the Recta DT420G was more or less the equivalent of the Suunto so decided to check that too.

From all the info I could find, there were very few, if any, differences between the Suunto and the Recta so, given I could buy the Recta for more than £10 less than the Suunto, I plumped for that.

I agree with Egg's comments regards size and bezel and, of course, it also has extra features.

So now I'm a convert and ex-Silva user (although I'm sure the Silva is still an excellent bit of kit!).