What does "shock proof" mean to you?

[Robert / Seattle]

Hi all.

Have long wondered, when I read the specs of many binocular reports that claim their product to be "shock proof", what that actually means. Is there a standard to substantiate the claim? ...

Dropped 4 feet to a carpeted hard wood floor? 6 feet to pavement? Shaken like a pair of castanets during a particularly aggressive fandango? Or just looked at menacingly?

Anyone have a clue, short of experimenting with your own beloved bins, exactly what one might expect to assume from this term?

[Curtis Croulet]

Sorry. Which ones claim to be "shock proof?"
-----------------
Answered my own question. Eagle Optics Ranger SRT 8x42 claims its "Strong, shockproof chassis protects the optical elements on the bumpiest of rides." I looked at the descriptions on EO's website for Leica Ultravid, Nikon LXL, Swarovski EL and Zeiss FL, and none of those claim to be "shock proof." Hmm. No matter how rugged the EO Ranger SRT is, I find it very hard to believe that it's "shockproof."

[Robert / Seattle]

...Sorry. Which ones claim to be "shock proof?" ...."

Hi Curtis. Actually, it's a term - loosely used, of course - that I've come across over the years in more literature and advertisements than I could possibly remember. If you do a quick Google search for "shock proof binoculars" you'll find more than a few references from retailers making that claim for many of their product lines.

I never expected there was a binocular industry standard for the term, but it may prove interesting if others write in and tell of their experiences with unintended drops of their bins and the attendant consequences, or revealing lack thereof.

Cheers!

[Pileatus]

Hi all.

Have long wondered, when I read the specs of many binocular reports that claim their product to be "shock proof", what that actually means. Is there a standard to substantiate the claim? ...

Dropped 4 feet to a carpeted hard wood floor? 6 feet to pavement? Shaken like a pair of castanets during a particularly aggressive fandango? Or just looked at menacingly?

Anyone have a clue, short of experimenting with your own beloved bins, exactly what one might expect to assume from this term?
Shockproof:
(1) A $1700 binocular that doesn't flinch when it sees it the price tag dangling from its eyepiece.
(2) An optics buyer with more dollars than sense.

Seriously... a friend has an old 10X40 Zeiss Classic that left his hand when he slipped on a boulder field. The bin hit a ROCK with enough impact to remove glass from the objective (~3/4 inch long). Fortunately, we told him, the objective was wounded and not the eyepiece! The binocular functions the way it always has. I'd call that shockproof.

John

[ceasar]

I have an old, pre phase coating, circa 1980 8x32 Minolta Mariner that has internal focusing by moving the objective lenses. They have a couple of severe dents in the ends of the objective barrels from contacts with large rocks. They also had sand in the focusing wheel for a while until I managed to get most of it out. They still work fine. They never did have great optics and they have virtually no eye relief but they are built like the proverbial tank. I'd say they are about as shockproof as they get.
Bob

[Robert / Seattle]

I have an old, pre phase coating, circa 1980 8x32 Minolta Mariner that has internal focusing by moving the objective lenses. They have a couple of severe dents in the ends of the objective barrels from contacts with large rocks. They also had sand in the focusing wheel for a while until I managed to get most of it out. They still work fine. They never did have great optics and they have virtually no eye relief but they are built like the proverbial tank. I'd say they are about as shockproof as they get.
Bob

Great remarks. Thank you, Ceasar, (and John, too!). That's the kind of input I'm looking for. Anybody else? (i.e., -- looks like we'll have to make up our own definition for "shockproof".

Keep 'em coming. I want to know that if I drop my $1,800.00 - $2,400.00 USD bins that it's not the end of the world! ......... or is it?

[Robert / Seattle]

Shockproof:
(1) A $1700 binocular that doesn't flinch when it sees it the price tag dangling from its eyepiece.
(2) An optics buyer with more dollars than sense.

Seriously... a friend has an old 10X40 Zeiss Classic that left his hand when he slipped on a boulder field. The bin hit a ROCK with enough impact to remove glass from the objective (~3/4 inch long). Fortunately, we told him, the objective was wounded and not the eyepiece! The binocular functions the way it always has. I'd call that shockproof.

John

That's impressive. I'd call that "shock proof", as well.

[gw4aurora]

When I dropped my 10x42 Swaro's full height onto a tarmac path. They passed with flying colours.
That was the 'drop test' of course.

Chris.

[Sancho]

Is it a semantic thing? Define a shock first. Maybe the manufacturers should say "Resistant to shocks up to X-pounds in force" or something. I reckon nothing is really shock-proof, but some things may be resistant to severe knocks. A large meteor strike would be a shock of sorts, but I wouldn't imagine my EL's would survive (not that it would matter to me in the event). But I've dropped various bins on various occasions, never with consequences.

[ThoLa]

Is it a semantic thing? Define a shock first. Maybe the manufacturers should say "Resistant to shocks up to X-pounds in force" or something. I reckon nothing is really shock-proof, but some things may be resistant to severe knocks. A large meteor strike would be a shock of sorts, but I wouldn't imagine my EL's would survive (not that it would matter to me in the event). But I've dropped various bins on various occasions, never with consequences.

Ill-defined term, but ones that induce easy to grasp images and usally printed in bold-faced capitals, are the bread and butter of hype, aka merchandising, marketing, sales promotion ........... or - in the vernacular of secret agents - brain washing.

Customers asking awkward questions such as "what exactly do you mean by this" or "Resistant to shocks up to X-pounds in force" are any salesman's nightmare and pain in the neck.

Keep on asking! :t:
Tom