This is the Brunton H-3 Military Lensatic Compass, each one is made in the United States, with a powder-coated die-cast aluminum body, a scratch-resistant glass lens, and a rare earth needle that settles 30% faster that a standard compass.
Brunton compasses are famously made to heirloom-quality standards, and they’re the compass of choice for professionals in the geology, mining, surveying, forestry, search and rescue, and for archaeological expeditions.
This is the Brunton H-3 Military Lensatic Compass, each one is made in the United States, with a powder-coated die-cast aluminum body, a scratch-resistant glass lens, and a rare earth needle that settles 30% faster that a standard compass.
History Speedrun: Brunton
The history of Brunton begins back in 1894 when Colorado mining engineer David W. Brunton patented a new surveying and navigation tool that would become known as the Brunton Pocket Transit.
Compact, durable, and capable of replacing bulkier surveyor’s instruments, the Pocket Transit quickly became a favorite of geologists, engineers, and explorers. Brunton partnered with William Ainsworth in Denver to produce it in large quantities, and by the turn of the 20th century, it had established itself as an almost indispensable field instrument.
The design offered both magnetic compass readings and clinometer functions in a single handheld case, making it perfectly suited to geological fieldwork and military surveying.
Its success helped establish Brunton’s reputation for reliable equipment and solid craftsmanship, and it set the company on a course tied closely to the needs of professionals working in remote wildness – the US military later officially adopted a modified version, the M2 compass.
Production remained in Colorado through much of the 20th century, even as the company changed hands a number of times. After Brunton and Ainsworth, the firm passed through a series of owners. In 1996, Swedish compass maker Silva acquired Brunton, bringing together two long-respected names in navigation.
Later, Finnish conglomerate Fiskars owned the company, followed by Swedish outdoor group Fenix Outdoor, which also owns Fjällräven. While under these European owners, Brunton expanded its line to include binoculars, headlamps, and portable power products, but its identity remained centered on high-end compasses.
In 2021, ownership returned to local hands when geologist Lauren Heerschap and her husband David purchased Brunton, bringing the 128 year old firm back under independent, American family control. They focused on both a return to core instruments and the continuation of Brunton’s US manufacturing tradition – a solid footing for the 131 year old company.
The Brunton H-3 Military Lensatic Compass
The Brunton H-3 Military Lensatic Compassis a military-spec lensatic compass that was designed and built in Riverton, Wyoming. Brunton notes that it meets Buy America Act requirements and that it exceeds US military specifications.
The needle is a rare-earth magnet on a sapphire bearing, which settles in about three seconds, 30% faster than its competitors. It sits in a dry, induction-damped vial with no liquid to leak or freeze. The dial reads 0 to 6,400 mils on the outside and 0 to 360º on the inside, the two scales can be flipped, and Northern and Southern Hemisphere versions are available.
Brunton compasses are famously made to heirloom-quality standards, and they’re the compass of choice for professionals in the geology, mining, surveying, forestry, search and rescue, and for archaeological expeditions.
For night use, seven sealed tritium vials glow for 12 years or more without batteries or charging. It has a scratch-resistant glass lens, a bezel built to keep its clicks, and a powder-coated die-cast aluminum body rated waterproof, dustproof, shockproof and sandproof. It weighs in at 5.76 oz (163 grams) and comes with a pouch that fits a belt, Alice clip or Molle webbing.
If you’d like to read more or order your own you’ll find them here on the official Brunton Amazon store, and each comes with a cord for carrying it around your neck when needed.
Images courtesy of Brunton
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Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
