Currently in the global compass market, the main brands include Bruton, Breithaupt Kassel,Kasper & Richter, SILVA, Suunto and Harbin. Of these brands, the Brunton compass is often touted as the best compass in the world. Harbin take Brunton as benchmark,improving themselves to achieve all specifications matching. Nowaday, Harbin compass have specifications and performance comparable to Brunton. Professionals with high requirements rank the Harbin compasses as their choice for cost-effective products.

In the current geological compass industry, customers pay more attention on quality and performance of the product itself, as well as the cost. On Brunton website, the STANDARD TRANSIT compasses are priced at US$499.99 per piece. Some customers want to find a more economical product, with high quality and performance at the same time.

In terms of the difference between the Harbin compass and the Brunton compass, it is the feedback of customers who have used both products that is most telling.Richard D. Norris made his review on Harbin compass mentioned: I own a Brunton, but I am teaching Field Geology this fall and discovered that our collection of real Bruntons is in a sad state of repair. A web search turned up the Harbin compass, and I bought one on a whim to see if it would work at all for our class needs. I admit my expectations were not high. Sure enough the case is nothing to speak about. But, surprise, surprise, the instrument itself is really a solid, nice build. It has a metal case (painted black), a free spinning, weighted needle, azimuth dial with clinometer, ability to sight (and the sighting arms are stiff enough that they do not flop), a better damper than my real Brunton, and a little catch pin that keeps the top aligned with the rest of the compass when the top is closed. The various parts are held together with actual screws (so you can adjust the stiffness of the hinges) and the internal components are held in with metal keepers just like a real Brunton. The end result is vastly better than the hard plastic -bodied Bruntons that my Department bought some years ago. My only quibble (aside from the black body which will be easy to lose in the field) is that the needle is white with a red end on the SOUTH end, not the north end...I will be popping the glass off my new compass (there is a keeper and everything!) to rectify this issue with a daub of paint. I will also paint the body some day glow colors so I can find it in the field. The other need is to buy a better case. As some other reviewers note, a good leather case (~$38) costs almost as much as the compass itself! I am frankly flabbergasted that Harbin has made such a nice instrument for such a low price.... Another buyer was a geologist, he highly recommend Harbin compass as a functional geological transit for the field after use it.

In terms of parameter indicators, after fifty-five years of production R&D innovation, Harbin compass adopts the most advanced German CNC equipment, the magnetic needle is made of NdFeB material to prevent demagnetization, with magnetic needle locking device, the damping time is less than 15 seconds (actually 9 seconds), the magnetic needle indication and goniometer error is less than 0.5 degrees. The body is made of electrostatic coating process, which is robust and durable. All these indicators are on par with Bruton compass, so Harbin compass is a very competitive rival of Brunton.

Want to know what is the difference between Harbin compass and Brunton compass, you might as well buy it and try it out, you will know after the comparison.