Review on Military Lensatic Sighting Compass Waterproof For Outdoor Activities - GWHOLE by Gavin Hernandez

For the price, it is exactly what I expected: not a precision instrument, but adequate for my needs. I would not bet my life on this for any form of long-distance or super-accurate navigation, however it is FAR more durable than you'd expect for such a low price. It would be great for any boy-scout or weekend camper.The case is cast metal. Judging by weight, probably some zinc alloy to prevent rust and allow fast cheap manufacture.All the metal case-parts are electro-statically painted, not powder coated. Unless you're going into battle, that's good enough. Of course if you ARE going into battle, then your over-funded branch of the military will supply you with a good compass, so you don't need this.The back cover is plastic and has tiny embossed charts for distance, bearing, angles, etc. Those markings are far too small for me to see. Younger eyes in good light might make use of them. In poor lighting, the minuscule markings are practically useless.This has a spot-level, as most sighting-compasses must, and it works well enough. You must hold the compass level to allow free movement of the compass needle for accurate readings.The bezel operates smoothly and stays in place. The knurled edges of the bezel allow easy grip and they are recessed to prevent accidental repositioning.The top-mounted "sight" on mine is off by 4 or 5 degrees.The internal magnification lens is barely adequate for taking readings.It comes as pictured with a sturdy nylon tether in matching military or "Jeep" green. The finish is not the dull non-reflective surface you'd want for a real military compass. It is slightly too glossy and "pretty." Also, there are shiny metal parts that ( in theory) could be spotted by a sniper if they reflected light. so this is not for real war or advanced war games. But then, you knew that after seeing the price, right?I do not use this for any type of camping, so I don't care about its minor quality problems. I should also point out that the last time I used a compass for navigation was as a boy scout, and that was fifty years ago. I got that merit badge with a far poorer compass. I would have LOVED to have such a cool compass back then! So, despite my observations about this item's quality, do not overlook this as a present for your cub scout, boy scout, girl scout or camping enthusiast kids.I do not know if it is waterproof and I won't test it either.I got this solely for checking the magnetic polarity of guitar pickups and other magnetic things, which it does perfectly. The extra features people need for navigation are superfluous to me, but the rugged case makes this great for tossing in a tool drawer or box.I have seen actual Mil-Spec compasses and can tell you this is NOT in that league. So if that is what you want, be prepared to look elsewhere and spend a LOT more.If you just need a cheap decent compass for testing magnetic poles, doing science experiments or casual weekend camping, this is a bargain. It would be marginally acceptable for marine navigation on a large lake, presuming you know how to do that and don't have a modern GPS system in your boat. I wouldn't go sailing on anything as large as Lake Michigan with only this for back-up. Nowadays, you can get better nav from a cell phone. I’m certain no sane ocean-faring mariner will even look at such a compass, let alone read my review.This is a rugged, useful, fun, educational toy, perfect for kids, science students and electric guitar builders. But, .it is a TOY. Just remember that and you won't be disappointed.