Toughest & most robust bins (1 Viewer)

John Cantelo · Oct 10, 2016

A good friend who birds hard and a great deal was bemoaning the fact that yet another pair of his newish bins were already showing signs of his heavy (ab)use. The rubber armour was already getting loose & other problems being signalled. I wonder what the experts out there regard as the most solidly built bins with the best abuse proof armour etc. My money would be on Swarovski SLCs or perhaps the Meopta Meostar range which always strike me as being very solid bins.

etudiant · Oct 10, 2016

The Docter 7x40 and 10x40 series are probably the most robust binoculars available, being rebadged military glass. The NVA acceptance tests for their EDF ancestor were severe.
Downsides are that these are IF and not phase coated.

Maybe your friend should instead consider inexpensive porro options such as the Nikon AX. If his fieldcraft repeatedly beats the optics to a pulp, that might be a more effective course of action.

Binastro · Oct 10, 2016

Some Fujinon binoculars are made to military specs for impact etc.

The Conquest HD did well, but maybe not the rubber?

I suppose military binoculars might be best.

jgraider · Oct 10, 2016

The toughest roofs I've ever used were the Leica Trinovid BA, Meopta Meostar HD, and the Leupold Gold Ring HD. These are all robust, built like a tank, and have some heft.

John Cantelo · Oct 10, 2016

etudiant said:
The Docter 7x40 and 10x40 series are probably the most robust binoculars available, being rebadged military glass. The NVA acceptance tests for their EDF ancestor were severe.
Downsides are that these are IF and not phase coated.

Maybe your friend should instead consider inexpensive porro options such as the Nikon AX. If his fieldcraft repeatedly beats the optics to a pulp, that might be a more effective course of action.

His fieldcraft is superb, he just does a lot more of it and in tougher conditions than most!

jring · Oct 10, 2016

Hi,

my money is on the NVA EDF7x40 - being run over by an NATO tank was part of the design specs
The 7x version should also be acceptable w/o phase coating if you can live with a smallish FOV and a strong yellow tint.

Joachim

John Cantelo · Oct 10, 2016

jring said:
Hi,

my money is on the NVA EDF7x40 - being run over by an NATO tank was part of the design specs
The 7x version should also be acceptable w/o phase coating if you can live with a smallish FOV and a strong yellow tint.

Joachim

I didn't make myself clear as I should have said the toughest binoculars that are also practical birding bins which, I suggest, rules out IF glasses, those with restricted FOV or strong colour tints.

jring · Oct 10, 2016

I know at least one gentleman birding with an EDF7x40. The IF is not much of a problem at 7x, the field is 7.5 deg which is not wide but not terrible. The tint is severe though, although the later Docter version is supposed to be better.

Joachim

denco@comcast.n · Oct 10, 2016

Probably the Leica 8x32 BA or BN.

etudiant · Oct 10, 2016

John Cantelo said:
His fieldcraft is superb, he just does a lot more of it and in tougher conditions than most!

Apologies, not meaning to impugn his skills in any way.
However, for his circumstances, maybe just accept that damage will happen. Hence the idea of a more sacrificial unit.

elkcub · Oct 10, 2016

John Cantelo said:
His fieldcraft is superb, he just does a lot more of it and in tougher conditions than most!

I think you were on the right track with the Swaro SLC, particularly the 8x42 or, even better, the original <8x42 SLC HD>. Given Swarovski's great reputation for no-cost repair/refurbish, they're hard to beat.

Ed

BruceH · Oct 11, 2016

As mentioned, there is the Zeiss Conquest HD!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qri4RuT7Bk

marinemaster · Oct 11, 2016

From what I read the Swaro 8x30 with the front focus. However 8x30 format I personally think is a bad idea. They should have kept in production the 7x30.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

jremmons · Oct 11, 2016

Aside from the above, Steiner produces tough bins. The Vortex Viper and single-hinged Razor are quite well regarded by hunters who are rough on their gear.

PHA · Oct 11, 2016

Hi,

To me, four serious candidates, plus their very good and superb optics, respectively, are: Trinovid BA series, Zeiss Victory FL series, Zeiss Victory HT Series and the Swarovski Habicht W but the GA version. I had one of the Habicht, but made in the '70s, wich in his "life" suffered some tortures of all kinds. And, after 10 years of really hard use, without any leather like cover, was in "perfect" optical and mechanical shape, still collimated as new and all the movements and regulation still tight. I cannot ask for more to a binocular.
I have seen the video about the torture test on the Zeiss Conquest HD and is really amazing....!
PHA

Hermann · Oct 11, 2016

jring said:
I know at least one gentleman birding with an EDF7x40. The IF is not much of a problem at 7x, the field is 7.5 deg which is not wide but not terrible. The tint is severe though, although the later Docter version is supposed to be better.

The Docter version is better. No obvious tint anymore. However, I doubt IF binoculars are really suitable for hardcore birding. Try using a pair at a coastal migration site, e.g. on Helgoland ... :king:

Hermann

John Cantelo · Oct 11, 2016

PHA said:
Hi,

To me, four serious candidates, plus their very good and superb optics, respectively, are: Trinovid BA series, Zeiss Victory FL series, Zeiss Victory HT Series and the Swarovski Habicht W but the GA version. I had one of the Habicht, but made in the '70s, wich in his "life" suffered some tortures of all kinds. And, after 10 years of really hard use, without any leather like cover, was in "perfect" optical and mechanical shape, still collimated as new and all the movements and regulation still tight. I cannot ask for more to a binocular.
I have seen the video about the torture test on the Zeiss Conquest HD and is really amazing....!
PHA

This I assume ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qri4RuT7Bk - I couldn't watch it without wincing!

Hermann · Oct 11, 2016

PHA said:
To me, four serious candidates, plus their very good and superb optics, respectively, are: Trinovid BA series, Zeiss Victory FL series, Zeiss Victory HT Series and the Swarovski Habicht W but the GA version.

Agreed, especially on the Leica Trinovid BA/BN series and the Habicht GA. They're built for *very* heavy use. The newer Ultravids seem to suffer more, mainly because of the softer armour. The Victory FL is close IMO, but as far as the HT is concerned I'd like to see more heavily used pairs to be sure. Can't comment on the Meoptas because I don't know them well enough. And I don't see many in the field at all.

What's clear though is that many modern roofs with their soft armour won't really look very nice after a few years of heavy use. Plus I don't think the focusers of many roofs are as reliable as they used to be. I've heard of too many defects for my liking.

Hermann

Hermann · Oct 11, 2016

jremmons said:
Aside from the above, Steiner produces tough bins.

Steiner says they make tough bins. Whether they are really tough is an open question in my mind, simply because so few people actually use them ... o

Hermann

jring · Oct 11, 2016

Hermann said:
The Docter version is better. No obvious tint anymore. However, I doubt IF binoculars are really suitable for hardcore birding. Try using a pair at a coastal migration site, e.g. on Helgoland ... :king:

Hermann

Hm, I don't have the EDF or their Docter successor at hand but my experience with 7x bins (soviet ZOMZ 7x50 and Fujinon M22 - the latter are IF) is that the depth of field is so huge, that I don't need to change focus from 20m on to infinity - this will probably change for the worse on the road from forty-something to sixty-something...

Joachim

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