Read your compass in the middle of the night. Without a torch.
Tritium light keeps compasses, watches and gear readable in total darkness. It glows faintly and evenly for years, with no batteries and no charging.
What tritium light does outdoors
Readable in total darkness
The compass tritium light sources light up the scale, so it can be read in the dark, at dusk and in daylight, without batteries or switches.
No batteries to change
The light sources need no power. There is no battery to run flat and nothing to charge.
Keeps your eyes dark-adapted
The light is soft and does not disturb your dark adaptation. Read more
Find what you are looking for
Small markers on zips, ropes and gear let you find them in the dark.
How it is used
01 Navigating in the dark
Take a bearing without a head torch
A bright torch dazzles you, and your eyes then need time to adjust to the dark again. The hand bearing compass has four tritium light sources that light up the scale on both the horizontal and the prismatic plane, so you can read it and take a bearing without switching anything on.
- Prismatic hand bearing compass, graduated in degrees (1°) or in mils
- 20° field of view, red sighting line
- Operating temperature -20 °C to +60 °C
- Licence: none for private use. A hand bearing compass with at most 15 GBq of tritium, used only for navigation, is exempt.
The hand bearing compass, degrees See the products: compasses
02 Finding your gear
Mark what you need to find in the dark
A small marker on a zip, a guy line or a piece of gear glows around the clock, so you find it without switching on a light. The light shows where the item is. It does not light up the surroundings.
- Nine colours. Green gives the most light to the eye.
- Tritium Marker Small, LitenX and the Adhesive Marker: no licence needed
- Tritium Marker Medium and Large require a licence from SSM
03 Time in the dark
Read your watch without a light
A wristwatch with tritium light sources can be read all night. Unlike luminous paint, it does not need charging in light first, and it does not fade during the night.
- ProTek 1000 series, made by ProTek
- Licence: ask us
04 Aiming in low light
An aiming point you can see at dusk
As the light goes, so does the contrast of the sight. Tritium-illuminated sights give a visible aiming point in darkness and low light, with no batteries and nothing to switch on.
- Sights: no licence for private use, price and version on request
- Inserts for sights: no licence needed
Licences
- Hand bearing compasses and sights may be bought without a licence for private use. A hand bearing compass with at most 15 GBq of tritium, used only for navigation, is exempt.
- Loose light sources up to 1 GBq in total need no licence, if you hold no other radioactive substances. The 1.5 x 6 mm light source is below 0.93 GBq, so one capsule fits within the limit.
- Markers: Tritium Marker Medium and Large require a licence from SSM. The Small Marker, LitenX and the Adhesive Marker need no licence, for individuals or organisations.
- Buying for an organisation? Contact us about licensing.
Is it dangerous?
No, not in normal use. The beta radiation from tritium is so weak that it is stopped by the glass and does not penetrate the skin. Even if a light source were to break in an accident, it would do no harm, because the gas quickly disperses into the air.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence for a hand bearing compass?
No, not for private use. A hand bearing compass with at most 15 GBq of tritium, used only for navigation, is exempt. If you are buying for an organisation, contact us.
Degrees or mils?
The hand bearing compass comes graduated in degrees (1°) and in mils, the division of a full circle mainly used in defence. Outdoor users usually choose degrees.
How long does the compass glow?
Tritium halves in about 12 years, so the light gradually gets fainter. Ask us about the design lifetime of a specific product.
Questions about a product or about licences?
Call +46 8 88 11 88 or email mail@emitrix.se. Monday to Friday 08:30-16:30.