There are differences between military and civilian compasses. In my video about the Suunto MB-6 compass, I referred to it as a military compass and, following this, I received lots of messages asking "What's is difference between a military and a civilian compass?" So I thought it would be a good idea to make another video explain what these are.

Of course there is no strict rule separating military and civilian compasses.

You can use both for either hiking or military purposes. However, using the right tool for the right job will make things easier.

Obviously these are just my ideas so have any different insights, please share them in the comments below.

The most obvious differences are that civilians then to use degrees on a compass with a baseplate and the military use mils on compasses without a baseplate and so need a protractor if they are used with a map. Also military compasses will often use tritium instead of luminous paint, so certain sections of the compass will glow all night, not just for a few hours. They’re also built from stronger materials to withstand harsh conditions.

If I were to cut it all down to the absolute basic I may say that civilian compasses are typically designed with ease of use in mind and military compasses, designed for precision.