I tried some "big-eyes" previously, a cheap Chinese-made 20x80 (just for kicks - lovely and wide but lousy CA), and a Pentax 20x60 PCF WPII (lots of CA, keyhole-FOV). But I came into possession today of a used Minox 15x58 ED (via a trade with BF gentleman Binoboy), and I am well-impressed. Heavy (just over 1.5 kilos), but I find them quite stable, I hand-held them for fairly long periods today, and can keep them very steady on a monopod. The thumb indents underneath dictate that your thumbs be perpendicular to your eyes, pointing back, and this is a very comfortable and stable way to support them. Big wide oculars, very easy eye-placement, no blackouts. Practically flare-free, even at sunset pointing almost towards the sun. Bright and sharp, wide FOV (about 4.1 degrees), very flat field, minimal pincushioning, fairly good CA control. They´re just what I was looking for, as like a previous poster on a Minox 15x thread, I don´t find the jump from 8.5x to 10 or even 12x particularly dramatic. But jumping to 15x gives me the "oomph" I want for resting the eyes from scoping on long days out seawatching. I wouldn´t recommend dragging a scope and the big Minox around all day, but for stationary viewing they are great. (I assume that originally they were marketed at hunters who used them from shooting-posts?). Maybe one day in the future I´ll go Swaro 15x, but for the moment these Minox fit the bill very nicely.
P.S. - they have a very interesting (to me) diopter arrangement - big wide friendly focusser, and on the same spindle, but just on the far side from your eyes, a diopter with a raised notch with which you can make fine adjustments, with the focussing finger.
P.S. - they have a very interesting (to me) diopter arrangement - big wide friendly focusser, and on the same spindle, but just on the far side from your eyes, a diopter with a raised notch with which you can make fine adjustments, with the focussing finger.