The wife loves it!  We went to IOLS training and fell in love with orienteering  This is a superb compass.  It may cost a little more but it is extremely well designed and produced.  Suunto thought of everything.  I had considered trying to save money by not getting the "global needle" because I don't plan on going off continent with it.  I am really glad I decided to get this needle system!  By preventing needle hang ups it makes the compass really fast to use!  The global needle system is absolutely fabulous!