Binoculars?

Time and time again I find myself wishing I had a small pair of binoculars to save myself some unnecessary hiking.

A little research indicates that you can spend quite a bit of money on binoculars if you’re into hunting, birding etc, but I’m pretty certain that I’d be happy with something on the cheaper end. Besides the best sellers on Amazon, not sure where to start.

Anybody got some binocular recs or discussion for me?

It's all about the $. You can get a decent-enough pair from any number of retailers - or Amazon if you swing that way - for $60. Or you can listen to the folks who pay attention to this sort of thing and spend $800. Only you can say what it's worth to you.

I have a pair that I keep in the car when I go ice climbing; sometimes they save a mile or two of walking to the cliff to figure out conditions. Mostly they just take up volume under a seat. For ~30$ you can pick up a used pair and find out whether you'd really ever use them. 

I can't imagine ever wanting to actually carry them any distance from the car.

If you're thinking of spending big bucks, consider getting a nice digital camera and telephoto lens instead; that way you'll be able to scope the .jpgs for climbs later too. 

I picked up these recently for my girlfriend, who wanted a pair for some reason.

https://www.rei.com/product/744598/nikon-trailblazer-atb-waterproof-10-x-25-binoculars

Having no previous experience with binoculars, my main consideration was not wanting to appear too cheap.  $90 was about the nicer side of the middle of the road at my local REI.  The resolution is pretty sharp, they're waterproof (supposedly), and they collapse into a case that is about the size of my hand so they stuff into a pack easily.  Unless you're buying them for a specific reason I'd say go with whatever you feel comfortable paying.

P.S. She's still stoked on them.

Bushnells likely have the best price performance. In fact, my kid was in town visiting and I was going to give a pair so he could hunt. He chose a pair of Bushnell Trophy based on their viewing quality alone over some much more expensive Nikons and Vortex that were both highly rated. He's got good eyes. Shocked the hell out of me, but I kept some expensive gear so it worked out for us both. 

I do, however happen to own @ 10 other brands. My fav for backcountry hiking to spot distant cliffs is a small monocular. There's lots of decent brands for @$10-15. It works good for leading when your eyes go to shit so you can spot distant bolts and not get shitsideways. Going shitsideways can happen to younger folks. Happened to Hank Caylor on Southern Belle and that's a great story. 

Somewhere in between the cheap $10 monocular and a pair of Swarovski's is a bunch of great product. My mom had bought me some small German binocular that hikes well, the Nikons noted just above would do the trick as well. 

I have a pair of 15 x 56 Swarovski's that sell for @ $2000 that nothing will touch. But they likely weight 4-5 lbs being steel construction and when they get that heavy and that expensive, you don't want to drag them all over hell and back. For my truck, I bought a Zeiss Jena (East German) Monocular. It fits in the door panel perfectly, didn't cost all that much at the time, Zeiss has world class quality, and as the DDR is no longer, they'll most likely be a collectors item when I kick off and the kids get them. 

I carry a monocular when I'm scrambling (class 3/4 stuff), so I can use it to scope out lines without having to get up and close to check out every possible option. I bought mine on Amazon because it's cheap (<$20), but there are tons of options depend on your budget. The image quality is ok. Noticeably soft around the edges, center is sharp enough for my purpose. For the best viewing result, I usually place my hand (while holding it) on something solid, like a rock, and cover one eye with my other hand so I don't have to squint. For the price point, I don't mind putting in a little side pocket on my backpack. If it falls out or scrapes up against something and gets damaged, I won't cry myself to sleep at night.

I'm with aikibujin. A cheap monocular tends to get carried in brutally rugged conditions. You don't worry over dropping one down a hillside or into a stream, or worry over pocket lint and sweat killing one off -  and they are decent enough.  I just went to get a link on the lil Brunton Echo 7 x 18 Monoculars for you that I prefer. Sorry man, price is currently listed at $26 or so on Amazon. Whoh. Things have gone up. 

I'd got these from B&H photo in 2014. Bought several of the Bruntons at $12.20/each, like them. 

Vivitar VI10X25GS
10x25 Classic Monocular
USA $11.95

Brunton BR7X18EPSGR
Echo Pocket Scope 7x18 Monocular (Green)
$12.20

Here's one place that lists it for @$20. https://www.sunnysports.com/p-brnepsbl/brunton-echo-pocket-scope-monocular-blue?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Sunny%20Sports%20-%20US%20-%20SP%20-%20Shopping%20-%20HP%20-%20CL4%20-%20On%20Sale%20(All%20Visitors)&utm_term=4580084408300432&utm_content=SP%20-%20HP%20-%20CL4%20-%20On%20Sale%20-%20All&gclsrc=3p.ds

Growing up with parents who were avid bird watchers I have been spoiled with high quality binoculars so I might not be much help. But my suggestion is to spent a little bit to get descent optics so to see fine details especially in low light. Send me a note if you have any interest in a pair of vintage (West Germany) Zeiss 8x20 compacts worth $200.

Same as many above, I love binoculars for looking at various climbs from afar. Particularly in red rocks and yosemite. Also they offer a really unique view of the world that we don't normally see. It's cool to see mountains and valleys and birds and all kinds of things compressed into one image.

I have Vortex Diamondbacks in 8x42, they're the best binos for the money that I have found. They're hella durable, weigh about a kilo, and have beautiful optics. They are kind of pricey, around $130, but you can frequently find them on sale. I justified the expense for them as I also use them for school and just like good glass (stingy photographer creeping in). Also it's an American company based outside of Madison, WI, if that's something you want to support. Their binoculars start around $100.

Here's another thread on the subject with some good suggestions.

I use a small monocular. its attached to a biner on my pack, weighs nothing and has helped me spot many a bolt. Monoculars are cheaper too.

Nikon trail blazer 8x25 binoculars For $90 They are more compact than most other 8x25 because they fold and you can actually fit them in a pocket and they have the best viewing angle of almost all binoculars that are 25mm.  (don’t get the 10x zoom they don’t provide much benifit vs they make the image more shakey in your hands)  You really won’t find a noticeable increase in image quality beyond these without spending above 300 dollars.

I am actually in the process of wanting to try a 8x25 monocular though for something even smaller,

I was thinking Vortex optics 8x25 I am exited to try them and I think I will replace these with the Trail Blazers for climbing trips.  But it’s worth noting the vortex have a worse field of view and worst close focus range, it’s like 5ft close focus for the Nicon vs 16ft for the vortex. I will still use the Nikon for all other hiking though 

Trailblazers 8x25 on the left vs some 8x42 on the right and a carabiner for size 

Thanks for all of the responses.

Seems like the monocular will be the move based on current budget and size/weight. Maybe get a nice heavy pair for the truck or something one day.

All for Nikon's binoculars! They have great optics, are light, durable, practical, have been using them for many years, really decent choice! 7x50 action extreme is top(article), due to price and functionality

All the best! 

Alternate idea, pick up an older hyperzoom camera (I have the canon SX530 which is 1200mm 35mm equivalent). I got mine off ebay for less than $150.

* Pros
- Tons of zoom
- Is a camera too!
- Optical image stabilization will 'lock' onto a given focal point

* Cons
- Batteries eventually die
- Not stereo for DOF

whatever the mini binos they sell at Wal Mart.....8x or 10x....you won't pay over $20....i have carried them in my pack and used them routinely for years.  I consider them indispensable.  Save your money on those pricey models.  Mine get some rough duty sometimes but because i only paid $14 or whatever, no heartbreaking loss when they need to get replaced.   

Swarovski, Kahles and Zeiss all make outstanding optics, but are super pricey. Bushnell, Burris, Celestron, Vortex are low end, not very durable and heavy. 

I find the Nikon Monarch line to be both durable and light enough if you are happy with a 42mm objective lens. Super clear glass with high light transmission. 

After breaking or hating the Burris/Bushnell combo I had, I bit the bullet and got a Swarovski 80 spotting scope for Elk hunting, and the Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 bino's for general hunting. I haven't been sorry yet. The spotting scope has been put through checked luggage multiple times...;-)

Nikon Monarchs rock for the price (not dirt cheap, but reasonable) and would be my suggestion if you actually want a decent pair of bins. Optics have improved a lot, and you don't have to break the bank to get something you'll be happy with. Sounds like you are trying to find the perfect combo of low price/weight/quality, and I would absolutely try the cheapest, lightest option if you want something to bounce around in your pack and occasionally find bolts. You can always get something better if the cheap monocular doesn't do it for you. That's what I have in my pack. I also have a pair of good compact 8x20's in the glove compartment, and $2,000 Zeiss Victory 8x42's around my neck if I want to really see color and details. One of these days I'll get a scope. Buy what you need.

+1 For the Nikon Trailblazer as your small, light, compact, budget-friendly, regularly-on-hand pair.

My ideal set-up would be to regularly carry the Trailblazers for frequent use (e.g. while cragging - "Hey, what's the deal with that formation across the valley?")

and a higher power, crisper, beefier, more expensive set for specific purpose-driven investigations (e.g. scoping a  desert tower or alpine peak for useable holds and the details of feature systems)

I ended up snagging the Nikon Trailblazer 10X25 pair at REI a few years back (after reviewing this helpful thread). Comparing options in the store that day (while keeping online options in mind), the Nikon Trailblazers seemed like the right balance of compact size and magnification power, and it was the best option on the shelf when shopping the "$100 and under" price-point. The one caveat being that while they are great quality for the price-point, I definitely noticed a step-up in magnification power and image clarity when comparing to the $400-$1000 glasses and scopes. I don't like to have to worry about protecting fragile or super expensive equipment, though, while out on wild adventures, so $100 was the most I was willing to spend on an everyday carry. That's still a decent chunk of change, but I didn't notice many good options useful for scouting climbing features in the $30 - $60 price range. For image quality, the $5 plastic toy mags seemed almost as good as the $60 pair, the $60 just had a little bit more weight and durability to the housing and stability in the focus wheel.  

I used them for a handful of adventures over the year or so I had them. Loved having them on hand for general scenic scoping while on mountain roads and ridges. Made watching animals and exploring landscapes much more engaging and exciting. Not sure I would have generally enjoyed using a lower quality binocular. And for scouting features, it was immensely helpful in studying a mud tower/mesa I was curious about attempting in Central Utah, for scoping snow conditions throughout the Front Range, and just generally useful for studying crags "across the way" without having to hike all the way over to them (e.g. scoping all the outcroppings scattered across the South Platte).

Ended up leaving them behind somewhere in Idaho/Wyoming - absent-minded moment last Spring, somewhere between pulling over to scope the late-season snow conditions on a ridge in Pocatello and scoping lines on Devil's Tower. Definitely missed having them while exploring Spearfish Canyon and the Rushmore area. Sucks to have lost them, and I've searched every crevice in my car and gear storage for where they might have gone - point being that I really enjoyed having them in my pack. But I also tend to misplace things when tired or over-stoked, so I'm glad not to have lost a more expensive pair. Once the budget permits repurchasing a fun and useful but not 1000% essential bit of kit, I plan to buy a replacement pair.