History of the Silva brand
What is the history of the Silva brand? In 1933, the Silva brand was born in Sweden, when the brothers Björn, Alvar and Arvid Kjellström invented the first liquid-filled compass . It was 14 years after orienteering started. This brand comes to the market with a compass that ensures more accurate navigation and easier use. Then it also launches the first headlamp – Zeiler , which turns out to be an excellent idea for innovation in many sports sectors. Although much has changed, Silva compasses remain the number one choice for many orienteers around the world.
In the 1950s and 1960s, they also produced teak coasters. Björn Kjellström co-founded the United States Orienteering Federation. He became an influential patron and promoter of map and compass orienteering in the US. They also launched a marine electronic navigation device. They even launched the world's first pocket GPS with an integrated digital compass. It had a number of different modes, such as finding the current location, navigating in a certain direction, saving waypoints, etc. The built-in antenna and the sensitivity of the receiver allowed the user to use it in the most difficult situations. They have developed a dual light beam technology that adapts to how human eyes work in the dark. They called it intelligent light and it is still used in all Silva headlamps.
The Scandinavian climate, dark and cold winters, place high demands on outdoor equipment. In recent years, they have received several awards for innovative and aesthetically tuned headlamps. Nowadays, they focus on three areas - sports, outdoor and professional products. In all these different areas you will find products such as headlamps, compasses, pedometers, binoculars, trekking poles and related accessories. At Silva, they are passionate about testing new products and gathering their own experience. They also collect insights from all their supported ambassadors around the world. They transfer the information and experience gained in this way to their products.
