This is the Brunton Vintage Pocket Compass, it’s a classic design based closely on an original D.W. Brunton compass design from 1894. It has a swiveling lid with a mirror, and classic cardinal direction points.
Weighing in at just 2.2 oz (62 g) and measuring in with a 2 inch diameter and a 0.6 inch depth, this compass is truly pocket sized, and ideal for adding to your outdoor gear for those occasions when you need a reliable compass on hand.
This is the Brunton Vintage Pocket Compass, it’s a classic design based closely on an original D.W. Brunton compass design from 1894.
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 Vintage Pocket Compass Shown Here
Each Brunton Vintage Pocket Compass is made in the USA in Riverton, Wyoming. It’s made using a classic turn-of-the-century pocket-watch style design that can be slid into any pocket, and it’s based on an original D.W. Brunton compass design from 1894.
The swivel-style lid opens to show the compass, and it has a mirror which is handy for signaling. It has a small lanyard loop for keeping it secured, and it’s designed to fit neatly into the palm of your hand.
This compass has a milled aluminum body that was chosen as its durable, lightweight, and scratch resistant. The swivel-style lid opens to show the compass, and it has a mirror which is handy for signaling. It has a small lanyard loop for keeping it secured, and it’s designed to fit neatly into the palm of your hand.
This compass is now available for sale direct from Brunton here, and for an additional $30 USD they’ll engrave the lid – making it ideal as a gift if you happen to know an outdoor enthusiast in need of some direction.
Images courtesy of Brunton.
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
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.
