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Hiking with 8x30 Yosemite (1 Viewer)

Quick question:

Thinking about getting a pair of 8x30 Yosemite's (or 6x30) as kind of the backup binocular to 8x42 (not selected yet).

Going to Denali NP in June - spending maybe 4 days camping and hiking - I'm not anticipating trailbazing or rock climbing or anything, but the camp director did suggest that the "trails" are not always well traveled.

Someone suggested to me that the Yosemite's might have issues with hiking or the potential rain. I guess he was concerned the porro design is less rugged than a comparable roof design (for more money of course).

I've searched but cannot find any discussion on the matter.

Does anyone think the Yosemite design is really do fragile that standard hiking with a harness might cause a problem with the prisms?
 
Yankeeflipper:
Welcome to BF, first off I have a 6x30 Yosemite, and for the under $100.00 budget.this model has very good reviews, as you have seen, otherwise you would not be even considering these.
There are a lot of hunters carrying the Yosemites, and from following some of the forums
that I have seen, very few complaints and mostly very satisfied reviews, so that means they are rugged enough.
As far as carrying things with a harness, they will be closer to you than a bin swinging
on a strap, so unless you fall down often, your should be just fine. You can have a
$2,000 Alpha bin break on you also, so as you mention for backup, these should be
a fine pick.
Most reviews I've seen will rate the 6x30 as better optically than the 8x30, so get your
purchases made well in advance of your trip so your can check them out.
Curious, what are you thinking about in your 8x42 choices. You will get many recommendations here, just put in your budget.

Jerry
 
Only time will tell how rugged the Yosemiti series is. Its chassis is obviously not metal, but a durable polymer. It is advertised as waterproof, and for rainy weather it probably is just that. I haven't disassembled one, but from the objective end it appears the prisms are glued into their slots and not held in place by metal straps too, which high end porros usually do. But it is not a binocular you would have to baby. I drag my 6x30 Yosemiti everywhere - recommend the 6x30 over the 8x30 because of the nice 5mm pupil for brightness and ease of centering the eyes. Six power is plenty for a hiker who will generate a good pulse rate. Other than real abuse, you shouldn't have any problems with the Yosemiti models. 'Have a good trip to Denali.
John
 
I've used my 6x30 Yosemite's more than I thought I would, too. I've hunted with them and drug them around in the vehicles a bunch. I think they get more abuse in the truck and car than they do with them strapped around my neck. I wouldn't worry about them. I worked for a company that back in the '80's that designed and marketed lenses produced mostly in Japan. One year we introduced a "plastic" lens that turned out in many ways to be superior to the middle of the road products and was significantly less money. We are seeing the same concept in binoculars now. Composites are more stable across temperature variations and allow precise molds to be made that minimize production tolerances throughout a product run. While the Yosemites don't have the heirloom focusing mechanisms and diopter adjustments (it's main weaknesses IMHO) it should provide many years of quality service for its $80 price. I believe it will serve you well in Denali.
I've been to Denali a couple of times, hope you have good weather, get to see all the animals and have great time! I'm a hunter and a hiker and I'd pay more attention to my management of food and garbage if I were hiking Denali. Don't wan to be giving those big bears any incentive to be curious about your camp.
I'd also suggest if you have a digital camera that allows you to "stitch" pictures together that you make sure you know how to use it. The expanse and scale is hard to capture in pictures.
 
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