monocular

[another okie]

I don't know much about optics and in our family we have always had inexpensive binoculars, such as Bushnells.

I sometimes carry a small pair of binoculars when hiking, but the pair I have is cheap and has poor glass. I was considering ponying up for something nice, but it occurred to me a monocular might be easier to carry, and since I don't look through it for long periods of time it probably would work fine. I also have a cheap (nine dollars) monocular, which again has such poor glass you can't really see anything very far away.

Is this a good idea, or would I be better off just going with a good compact pair, like Leupold or Zeiss? And if it is a good idea, who makes a good monocular?

 

[OldCowHand]

I've got a little Vanguard 6x25 that I picked up at Sportsman's Warehouse for under $20 a few months back, and it's all kinds of useful for getting a closer look at a wide variety of everyday objects. To paraphrase an oft-quoted line around these parts, better the 6x monocular in your pocket than the 10x binocular at home ...

 

[rcmodel]

I have one I made out of a broken pair of 7x35 Tasco binoculars.

I just cut off one side and attached a carry strap.
Works like a champ for hunting when I don't want the weight of big binoculars.



You could do the same with any pair of old binoculars that have seperate eye focus.

rcmodel

 

[CB900F]

Another Okie;

Check Natchez for Zeiss monoculars. I got an 8X mono from them a couple of years ago & am extremely happy with it. Due to a permanent eye condition, I can't use bino's, the mono is perfect for me.

I obtained the Zeiss, shipping included, for under $200.00. If it were combined with another tube & sold as a bino, I think the cost would be a very great deal higher. The glass is simply outstanding & the best value per dollar you can get right now IMHO.

900F

 

[another okie]

Thanks for the recommendation.

What got me started thinking about going up scale was a chance to look through some very nice European binoculars. I was amazed at how much I could see with them that was fuzzy or unclear with my Bushnell's. I would add that the Bushnell's are about 40 years old and still work fine, so I'm not dissing them, they just don't have the quality glass that I'm looking for.

 

[bond007]

Tasco

I bought this Tasco 10x25 from Binoculars.com a couple years ago which has served me really well. Best $11 (at the time) I ever spent.