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Hello!

 

We've had a good popcorn sale and wanted to reward the pack with a compass and custom lanyard. I was wondering if anyone had a source for 50-100 baseplate compasses at a discount or a place to get a custom lanyard. I've got a quote for lanyards at $1.73 each, but I'd like to do better on all of it. We want to reward them all with something, but on the other hand we don't want to go broke doing it!

 

Thanks in advance.

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What age level?

 

For Cubs, I'd try this:

 

http://paulssupplies.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=422

 

$5 a pop, cheaper if you can use your COR's info for wholesale info. I do not have one, but I've used the company in the past and they are OK in my book. I am a repeat customer.

 

Now if it is for Boy Scouts and Venturers, I love Silva. The 123 Starter reminds me of an old Polaris I had, and is more accurate than the Starter I had back in the day.

http://store.silvacompass.com/products/345164/Starter_1-2-3

 

http://store.silvacompass.com/products/345165/Polaris_177

 

I still have both compasses, plus a vintage 1950s or 60s Polaris. My Starter I don't use anymore b/c it only does every 5 degrees. But it is usable still after 27 years. Polaris lasted about 20 years, and has a bubble in it now. I currently use the Hunter

 

http://store.silvacompass.com/products/345163/Huntsman%20423?pid=9a740d1f23fc9b0d8c0f0c86847b3d48

 

Now it may be cheaper to buy this:

http://store.silvacompass.com/products/345242/Compass_Carrying_Case_with_24_Polaris_compasses

 

case and 24 Polaris compasses for 259.99, about $11/ compass.

 

Also Campor and their unit discount may be able to help too. i saw these

 

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___60744

 

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___81191

 

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___60745

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___81216

 

 

Good luck

 

 

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Regarding purchasing compasses in bulk, you may be able to get some kind of discount through REI. Our council owns a set of Silva orienteering compasses we use for training. I suspect it is something one has to order. I think there are 40 compasses in the carrying case.

 

Here are my personal tips for purchasing orienteering compasses:

 

1. Make sure it is liquid filled.

2. Make sure it has a full set of orienting lines in the bezel. Some Brunton compasses do not.

3. Do not purchase a compass with a tinted baseplate. You will want to be able to use this compass with a map, and tinted baseplate will distort the colors on the map. Baseplates should be clear plastic. Some Brunton compasses have tinted baseplates.

 

Look to the future. Some of these boys will use these compasses when they go into a scout troop. You do not want to short change them on the usability of this compass for more sophisticated applications than they may encounter in cub scouts.

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I won't get into the whole Finland-Sweden debate but I will say Suunto has gotten my family through two generations of Scouting. The compass I have now has given me 10 years of service and still works as well as ever.

 

They're a little pricey but they're as good as they come:

http://www.rei.com/product/727086/suunto-a-10-compass

 

Also, you could use this as a lesson for your Scouts: "A Scout is Thrifty" doesn't mean we should be afraid to buy something that's worth the price! :)

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If I am not mistaken, Brunton was purchased by Silva several years ago. I do not know if any Brunton products are made in the USA today.

 

In fairness to Brunton, they have historically made some outstanding products. It is just their current basic orienteering compass offerings that I don't care for.

 

The original Brunton "pocket transit" was designed by Mr. Brunton (actually a Canadian) over 100 years ago and is still a competitive product for high accuracy work.

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Actually the Silva compasses sold in the U.S. since about 1995 are not made in Sweden, but in the far east (China, Indonesia, I'm not real sure). Brunton did own Silva of Sweden and sold its compasses in the U.S. under the Brunton name, but I think that the Silva company was sold again and who knows who is making the Brunton baseplate compasses.

 

If I were buying a compass today,Suunto would be my first choice.

 

Regards,

DWS

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