Could anyone suggest binoculars or a monocular that I could take hiking? Preferably lightweight, but with decent magnification?


This is one peak I do a few times a year, and I'd love to see details across to other trails in the area.

Broad topic. How much do you wish to spend? I like Meopta for a quality bino that is mid-level price but not far off of top tier optic quality.

Do not be fixated on weight. You can use a bino harness. Which will help with a heavier pair. But in many cases a heavier bino will give you way better performance.

Nikon Monarchs will probably get a lot votes here. I have their 10X42s that I really like. Kind of big and bulky though, if that's an issue.

These threads often go to Nikon binoculars. I have a pair that I like. Also often brought up is the question of hand-held. Too much magnification and you won't be able to hold them steady enough to see. I believe 40x is about max.

ETA correction...meant 8x

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 6guns,

$300 or less. I’d mainly use them to plot a route when the Alltrails app isn’t clear or to enjoy views like the one above. I do own a pair of the Monarchs, but hoped to find something lighter.

I use the vortex solo r/t 8x36 for shorter ranges, very compact and light. decent glass for the money and great warranty. for longer ranges I have the vortex recon r/t 15x50 and a small ultralight tripod. both I think are good value without going overboard on price. the tripod is made by Oben.

I have a few pairs of these in 8x22 and 8x32

ZEISS Terra ED Binoculars

Compact Lightweight Waterproof, and Fast Focusing with Coated Glass for Optimal Clarity in all Weather Conditions for Bird Watching, Hunting, Sightseeing

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
These threads often go to Nikon binoculars. I have a pair that I like. Also often brought up is the question of hand-held. Too much magnification and you won't be able to hold them steady enough to see. I believe 40x is about max.

More like 12X is max for being able to hold them steady. Even then, a lot of people use a tripod.

For something small and light, I like my Steiner 8x22s. The lower the second number (22) the lower the light transmission will be so these are not great for low light conditions but they work pretty well for being so small in good daylight situations.

I also have a pair of Zeiss Conquest 8x32 which are fantastic but it of your price range. Nikon, Leupold, Steiner, Vortex all have pretty decent options in the sub 300 range.

Nikon Monarch or the Vortex. For bang for the buck.

I attended a hunting trade show recently and Swarovski had a booth with a large selection of their scopes and binoculars to try out. It was the first time I had ever looked thru any of their products and I was completely blown away. The binoculars in particular had a level of clarity and brightness that I had never seen before.
Unfortunately, $2k and up isn't in my budget but if it was, I wouldn't hesitate to get some.

My Nikon Monarch 8 X 36 are a good size. Not too big and not too small.

This is my third attempt to answer as apparently my previous posts contained some sort of trigger word(s)? WTF.

Bushnell Engage 10x42

Gotta decide how detailed of a view you desire. Seeing people is quite a bit less difficult than picking out a specific person.

A value priced 12x binocular cannot compete with a reasonable quality 8x when it comes to distinguishing that specific person. Ambient light levels can change everything when dealing with compact vs. full sized models.

So, what you need is a 10x42 Zeiss. Pick the model that fits your budget. Substitute Nikon, Steiner, Vortex, etc.

You really need to checkout Binocularsreviews.com, its the best site on the web for binos. Checkout their "compact" bino reviews. I bought a pair of Steiner's (8x26 or 10x26 I think) based on their info and am happy with my selection. My only problem is in low light, you just need bigger glass. It's just a matter of physics. For their size, they have some mass, magnesium chassis not plastic...lens are top quality glass and not polymer lenses.

Given your price range, go with either Vortex or Leopold. Go to a store that sells both and try them out, preferably outside. It's the only way to choose what is right for your needs.

Jim

ditto on Nikon Monarch. I have 8x42s for hunting. 7 or 8x are good for general use, you can get 10x but they are often heavier and you have to hold them steadier or use a rest.

I have put my $250 Nikons (1995 dollars) side by side with $1,000 Leica and it was challenging to find the difference.

You can often find Steiner Miltary/Marine for $200-300. They are my preferred bingo. No fiddling with focus, sharp and vibrant glass.

quote:

Originally posted by 10X-Shooter:
You can often find Steiner Miltary/Marine for $200-300. They are my preferred bingo. No fiddling with focus, sharp and vibrant glass.

I have one from the deal thread years ago That is a funny memory.

quote:

Originally posted by sigspecops:
I attended a hunting trade show recently and Swarovski had a booth with a large selection of their scopes and binoculars to try out. It was the first time I had ever looked thru any of their products and I was completely blown away. The binoculars in particular had a level of clarity and brightness that I had never seen before.
Unfortunately, $2k and up isn't in my budget but if it was, I wouldn't hesitate to get some.

I took a class for precision rifle and one of the students was a woman who had a cable television hunting/shooting show with sponsors.

We paired up for the really long shots (2 man teams, one to send the other to spot).

Got to watch the crystal clear trace w spin drift right onto steel @ 1000+ yds; she had a very nice Swarovski spotting scope that was incredible. I lucked out on my partner that day.

FWIW … I own both Steiner Marine and Zeiss ED compact binoculars. Zeiss smokes the Steiners in optics.

A couple of my friends bought the Carson 8x42, sold on Amazon. They are very clear and weigh 1.4 pounds, should be good for hiking. I don't usually carry binos but some of the chest rigs look great, that'd be the way I'd go.

We have an older pair of Pentax 8x42 that I keep in our Jeep, a backup pair of discontinued Chinese and a pair of Sig 10x42 for the house.