BruntonTruArc 20 - Compass

The Brunton TruArc20 Sighting Mirror Compass is an excellent compass for a hiker/bushcrafter who wants a durable, accurate, multi-functional compass and doesn't mind a little added weight. I bought mine lightly used as an Amazon Warehouse Deal for $38 and at that price, it was a steal--worth every penny!I was surprised that there aren't more reviews of this compass available on hiking/camping blogs or YouTube. Part of the reason may be that it remains very similar to its predecessors: the Bruton 8099 Eclipse Pro and the Brunton O.S.S. 70M--the previous iterations of this compass. However, there have been some upgrades and since many folks may not be familar with those prior models, I'll go into detail here.ROBUST, "ARMORED" DESIGN, ALBEIT SLIGHTLY HEAVYPerhaps the most noticeable feature of this compass compared with competitors is its unique gray polymer top cover and black rubberized "boot" style base cover. This keeps the compass and transparent baseplate very well protected. I have no doubt this compass could easily survive many drops on the trail, even onto hard rocky surfaces, and still come away with its vital innards unscathed and perfectly usable. The downside of this rugged shell is that it adds weight. Mine weighs in at 109 grams, or just shy of a quarter pound. That's perfectly acceptable to me, but if you're an ultralight hiker who counts every gram, it bears mentioning that this is two or three times heavier than many competing sighting mirror compass models (Silva, Suunto, etc.) which do not have this kind of rugged exterior. I'm fine with the weight in this case, since I like knowing that my transparent baseplate, built in magnifying lens, and baseplate markings are well protected from scratches and wear.FAST, STABLE "GLOBAL" NEEDLE WITH RARE EARTH MAGNETSOne of the best "upgrades" of the TruArc20 over earlier versions is the "global" needle with "ever north" rare earth magnets. When held reasonably level, the needle locks onto north almost instantaneously and appears less prone to interference from nearby metals/signals (though you should still be cognizant of the potential for interference). There's a spirit/bubble level to help ensure you're holding the compass perfectly level when every bit of accuracy matters; however, it's practically unnecessary, considering that the excellent needle seems unaffected even when the compass is held as much as 10 or 15 degrees off of true level. Nice.Also gone is Brunton's previous circle-in-circle (or "Orbital Sighting System") method of aligning the needle to the dial. The TruArc 20 returns to the more conventional "doghouse" system: basically, an arrow shaped outline that you align so that it frames/outlines the needle. I know people who either love or hate the older, circle-in-circle system. I suspect Brunton went back to the doghouse because it's less likely to turn off some potential buyers. I don't have a strong opinion on this, but since I'm accustomed to using the doghouse style, I'm right at home here. More important is that Brunton also restored the meridian lines on the inside of the compass dial (they were missing on previous versions), making it easier to align the compass with reference points on a map.Note that the dial is not luminous, so if you're wanting after-dark navigational functionality (i.e., hunters, hikers caught on the trail after sundown, etc.), you'll need to rely on a flashlight. My experience has been that glow-in-the-dark dials often need to be charged with a flashlight anyway, so I don't see this as a problem. I always carry a light of some kind.QUICK REFERENCE, QUICK ADJUST DESIGNMy favorite feature of this compass is that the rugged design does not hinder the ease of operation. In fact, it's very user-friendliy for taking quick readings to verify that you're maintaining your desired heading. For quick heading checks, you only need to lift the smaller cover (which contains the oval mirror) to reveal the compass dial and a nicely magnified readout of your heading/bearing. (Inside the magnifier you also see the reciprocal heading, so no calculations are required to figure out how to go back the way you came--very handy if you're not the kind of die-hard navigator who already has all the reciprocal headings memorized!).With the smaller (mirrored) cover open to make this kind of heading check, the compass remains well protected by the secondary top cover and its rubber boot. Relief cuts in the secondary cover also expose the outer edges of the compass dial, allowing you to adjust your heading/bearing without needing to open the second cover or remove the boot to gain full access to the compass. It's very easy to adjust the heading, but I have never had it change accidentally when the compass is in my pack rubbing against other gear. At first, I was wary about whether the dial might get bumped and shift my heading, but now I trust that it simply stays wherever you leave it. Wonderful!The most challenging adjustment (though really not too bad once you learn the trick of it), is the tool-less declination adjustment. As others have noted, the instructions that come with the compass are very poor (not necessarily inaccurate, but not model-specific either, which can create confusion). Basically, you remove the rubber boot, lift the gray covers to get them out of the way, pinch the black outer rim/edges of the compass dial very securely to prevent it from moving, then use your thumb to rotate the clear inner portion of the dial until the mark at the TAIL of the needle outline ("doghouse") is set to the desired declination. The first time or two, I was too gentle and couldn't figure out how to adjust it. On the third try, I pushed harder and saw it budge, but also popped the compass dial right out of the base! (No worries, it snaps right back in.) After that, I finally had a "feel" for the right amount of pressure and was able to adjust it as desired. It is finnicky--and this is NOT something you'll be able to do with weak or arthritic hands--but I like the feature and I think it works fine, given that declination needs to be adjusted so infrequently.OTHER OBSERVATIONSThis compass is made in the USA. I like that. It makes me feel all red, white, and blue inside.Reportedly, the rubber boot can be used as an eraser if you use a pencil for mapwork. I haven't tried that, and don't care. Any pencil I carry has its own eraser already.Previous iterations of this design had the neck lanyard attached to the compass, but mine now has the lanyard attached to the boot. That means that if you pull off the boot, you'll be holding a completely untethered compass. I like this layout better. It means the lanyard is out of the way whenever you remove the compass to lay it on a map, and it allows the boot to hang from your neck where it won't get lost. On some older models, you either had to keep the boot and the compass tethered together by the lanyard (which could be annoying when you wanted to separate the compass from the base for map work), or you had only the compass attached to the lanyard (and then had to find a place to put the boot, so as not to lose it, whenever you took it off). In short, this new layout seems to make more sense. Also, since the boot fits on so snugly, I have no concerns that the compass might pop out and fall to the ground inadvertently. It's not going anywhere.Since I bought mine through the Amazon Warehouse Deals as a lightly used product, I was disappointed to see that the previous buyer took out some of the water-resistant (plasticized) quick reference cards with "cheat notes" about how to use the compass, tie knots, administer first aid, etc. Although not essential, they're kind of neat. Fortunately, not all of the cards were missing, as mine did have a couple of Brunton "Topo Buddy" Universal Scale cards and, more importantly, a pure white card that serves as a bright background to increase the visibility of the clear compass dial when it is in the boot. (Otherwise, the black boot would show through the dial, making it hard to see the meridian lines, declination marks, and doghouse.) Of course, you can make/print your own customized cards and then laminate them with packing tape; just be sure to size them so they fit snugly inside the boot.Some reviews of the TruArc 20 on the internet claim that the inner compass dial is not transparent. That is incorrect. It is transparent--which is great when it comes to map work. However, right out of the box, there is a white static-cling sticker (made from the thin vinyl that window-cling holiday decorations are made from) on the back of the dial. Some purchasers may not realize they can remove it, which is easy and necessary if you want the dial to be entirely transparent. (Since it's a cling sticker, you can also put it back on later if you decide you want it on again. I think that's cool, albeit unnecessary as long as you have one of the white background cards that should come in the boot with any new TruArc20.)I suppose I should also mention that the baseplate on this compass has mile markings for the 1:24000 map scale on one side and 1:62,500 scale on the other side. A third side (the front end of the baseplate, opposite the hinged end) has imperial units (inches) with hash marks at intervals of 1/20th of an inch. And, of course, there is a built in rectangular-shaped magnifying lens (probably adequate to start a fire in a pinch, though I wouldn't want to rely on it), the built-in spirit level, and the magnified heading/bearing read out as well. The markings on the baseplate are printed on, not etched, so wear over time could be a problem (eventually, the marks will start to fade); however, unless you're doing a lot of mapwork, they should last quite awhile thanks to the protection of the rubber boot, which will absorb most of the wear and tear that causes other such compass marks to fade quicker.The compass also has three ways to measure slope, which is handy for bushcrafters/woodsmen who may want to measure the vertical height of a tree before felling it, or for hikers who want to measure the slope of a trail, etc. I used it in my back yard to measure a 55' tree that had its base attacked by termites. Using the inclinometer on this compass, I determined that I would need to cut the tree 20' off the ground to prevent it from hitting our house. Sure enough, the top of the tree landed two feet from striking the house, exactly as I had calculated. So that tells me it measured the angle accurately and that Brunton's (included) formula for calculating height works well.The oval mirror on this compass is certainly smaller than the rectangular mirrors on comparable sighting compasses (about half the normal size); however, it is large enough to do the job of helping you align the needle in the doghouse while sighting at a distant landmark to take a bearing. Helpfully, the mirror has a detent position at 45 degrees, which is the angle it should be when you hold the compass at eye level to sight in a landmark and need to see the compass needle in the mirror's reflection. There is a little wobble or "play" in the cover despite the detent position, but not enough to substantially impede the accuracy of the reading (in some cases, it might even help by allowing extra adjustment if you can't hold the compass exactly at eye level for some reason). The mirror is also large enough for two other important outdoors functions: (1) Checking your eye for to remove an embedded object/debris -- trust me, few things are worse than having something stuck in your eye and trying to get it out without a mirror to help you see what you're doing! (2) Signaling for help/attention -- it's smaller than the typical compass mirror, but it still makes a very noticeable flash if used to redirect bright, direct sunlight toward someone you wish to signal.This compass really deserves a dedicated set of instructions specific to this model. If you visit the Brunton website, click About, and then choose Product Manuals, you can navigate to the TruArc instructions and see the generic set they package with all TruArc models, including the TruArc 20. They're poorly written and say nothing about using the advanced features on this compass, which you'll have to learn for yourself.Here are the only other quibbles I have noticed, though none is a big deal to me:- The (north) tip of the needle could be slightly (1/16") longer to match the length of the doghouse outline a little more closely.- The included lanyard on mine was made from two loops of end-fused cordage; however, I think only the sheaths are heat fused (i.e., I doubt the inner strands were actually spliced), creating a potential weak point. For security's sake, I recommend replacing the lanyard with 550 paracord if you're going to wear it around your neck.- It would be nicer if the baseplate markings were etched so they would remain visible even if the paint wears off.CONCLUSIONSThere is more to say about the compass, especially when it comes to the quirks of figuring out how to use it (since the included instructions that came with mine were fairly poor and incomplete); however, if you spend time with it, I suspect you'll come to appreciate its design and usability. I love the responsive, angle-tolerant needle and the ease of adjusting headings/bearings or sighting off landmarks. And for the low price I paid, I think it's a really excellent compass that will do anything I would ever need it for in the woods. Recommended!

This is an excellent compass that seems well constructed and durable, with a boat load of features, it's made in the USA, and it holds a limited lifetime warranty (it sounds like as long as you don't abuse it or misuse it they'll fix or replace your compass for life). It's easy to use in sighting an azimuth. All of the features you'd need for maintaining a bearing are accessible with the rubber protective boot on, and the remainder of the features are accessed simply enough by simply taking the rubber boot off for map work, etc. It comes with two map reading cards, one in metric, one in imperial with various map scales in both UTM and standard miles. One of the features that I didn't know about when I bought it is that there are actually two clinometers. The first is simply a scale on the compass lid hinge that you line up the baseplate level then line up the grey body with your angle to be measured and read the angle on the side. The second, which I find more useful, uses the sighting mirror, declination scale (which goes to 90* in both directions) and a gravity seeking arrow (I supposed the correct term is a plumb). You set the compass to 270* west, turn it 90* on its side, and sight through the window while reading the angle in the mirror. Overall the compass works very well, and I would suggest it to anyone looking for a good compass.I would like to point out a few misnomers that I feel have led to many of the negative reviews.Firstly, the tool less declination adjustment (for those who don't know: declination is the measurement of difference between magnetic north as detected by the compass needle and true north as expressed on a map, this angle is given in degrees east or west depending on where you are). Is the tool less declination difficult to adjust? A little, but I'm pretty sure this is by design, so your declination doesn't change while you're using the compass to not get lost. Having your declination suddenly change while you're trying to keep a bearing could turn out disastrous, even deadly. Is tool less declination needed? Not really. Unless you're hiking all over the place, you'll likely set your declination once and leave it alone. I believe that most people are having a tremendously difficult time setting the declination because they're doing it wrong. Brunton's instructions are a little on the annoying side and difficult to understand, especially since the instructions that come with it, while technically for all of their compasses, shows pictures of the tru arc 5. While the instructions all basically apply the same, this could cause more than a little confusion. To make the adjustment easy, you first have to understand that there are four parts just to the inner circle of the compass (5 including the baseplate): the black knurled ring, the outer white 360 degree marked compass face, the white inner face with declination measurements, and the clear center capsule that holds the needle and declination measurements. To adjust the declination, you have to grip the clear center part, precisely under and on top of the needle, this is the part that's going to spin and make the adjustment; NOT the white ring with the declination measurements. I then find it easiest to grip the black knurled ring and while pinching firmly on the clear part with my right hand, adjust the black ring to rotate the declination adjustment. It's a little finicky, but I have no problem adjusting the measurement in under 5 seconds.The second issue I have read negative reviews about is something to the effect of "I can't use the compass for map reading with the rubber boot is tied to the lanyard, but if it's not tied to the lanyard I'll lose it" type complaint. At risk of sounding like a jerk, there is a simple solution. These folks complain about poor design, where I say it's entirely user error. You have to be 2% smarter than the compass. If you look at my pictures, I solved this problem pretty easily. I tied the lanyard to the compass with a larks head knot, then simply threaded the lanyard through the hole in the rubber boot. To keep the boot from falling off, I then slid the cord lock onto the lanyard, and just as an extra safety precaution, I tied a knot at the end of the lanyards. Now, when the boot is on, the lanyard just goes right through the boot and works great, and when you need to take the boot off to do map work, simply let it hang on the lanyard.The last issue I recall reading about is the compass needle "bottoming out" or pointing down. This is how the needle is designed. It's designed to work anywhere in the world at most angles. As an example of how this isn't an issue, my compass is currently sitting on my desk. On the underside of my desk are metal drawer guides which are attracting the compass needle. The needle is completely bottomed out pointing out the metal, but if I move my compass the needle still rotates freely, pointing to the metal. As soon as I remove it from the false magnetic field (just as if you were near an ore deposit while hiking which might give you a false north reading), it returns to pointing north.

While l love the overall feel and capabilities of the TruArc 20, to me it is not for the newbie. The compass mirror is challenging, one must be mindful of the direction of movement in reading the compass, whilst the mirror is too narrow for ease of use. Despite the above, l find the magnified reader, as well as the green index marker very convenient plus the the size of the baseplate is very comfortable to hold. The use of removable runner chassis and plastic top cover is ingenious. Finally, l find the bezel rather too easy to move. In my opinion, it would be a useful tool for an experienced user.