@@eskimomarine2252 From what I know about them is if they don't have a bubble then yours was taken apart and altered. The bubble is to help it keep its accuracy. If it does not have a bubble then its either taken apart and "repaired" or its a fake. A bubble is required inside of them to keep the needle balanced so that it can stay accurate and if you don't have a bubble that is actually not good and means its broken. That is according to the air force who I have talked to who fought in world war 1, world war 2, and other military people and shit tons of hikers. As a seasoned hiker I don't need a compass because when you actually advance in level of skills things like compasses are not required because you build up the ability to know which direction is which on your own abilities. Also most people never realize this but the military requires that their compasses be replaced every 2 to 3 years because regardless of weather people except it or not a compass loses its magnetic properties over time and its required to replace them or at the bear minimum have them fixed. Even sailors knew to not rely upon an old compass because they knew that the item would lose its ability to tell directions and well they also never actually used compasses either because a compass works by being directed at the largest magnetic pole in their area which does not always means it will point at the poles and in reality a compass often does not point at any poles but a certain mountain that is near where you are. Yea a compass is actually unreliable in real world conditions. Also compasses have not been given to soldiers for decades because of the reality of how actually unreliable they actually are and if they get bumped or turned upside down or any other issues a compass loses its ability to accurately tell directions. That is the sad truth. Yes they are neat but the really stupid fact is they have become a vast waste of money. Really stupid fact is if you take a leaf and put it into a Styrofoam cup filled with water then that point of the leaf has about the same possibility of being as accurate as a regular compass which is both insane and horrifying when you realize you spent so much money on something that can be just as accurately displayed as a free cup of water from a gas station with a leaf in it. Actually if you use a small Styrofoam cup of water and a tear drop shaped leaf that is about 1/2 and inch to 1 inch leaf that is more accurate at telling direction than a $200 compass. Its both stupid and insulting at the same time. Simple cheap is far superior than expensive over engineered item. Another way to identify directions is facing forward and having your left hand on the left side of your body pointing at the direction that the sun is rising form and your right hand at the direction the sun is setting and that means you are facing north, your ass is facing south, your left hand is west, and your right hand is east. That is also how sailors and hikers from throughout time figured out directions. Simple, cheap, and without flaws.
