Negative Positive
Title: OK as a spare or as a casual compass.
Review: I can recommend this as a second compass only. Or as a gee-whiz casual toy. It has a cheap one-piece plastic case that is hard to open, and the hinge is just folded-over plastic. This does not inspire confidence in either its accuracy or durability. Additionally, the hinge does not stay at the angle you need. It just flops around, requiring one more thing to manage when navigating. The angle of the mirror needs to be between 50 and 70 degrees to prevent parallax error. Silva says as much as 5 degrees of error can be introduced by an incorrect angle. A loose, floppy hinge is a deal breaker for me.The base plate is black, not clear, compromising its utility when laying it on a map.It has a clinometer, but it hangs up, requiring tapping to read.Its compactness can be a drawback if your eyes are less than perfect or light is low.It has a viewing slot in the lower part of the mirror, which I really like, being ex-Army. I think all mirror compasses should have a slot.
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