Pentax 9 x 28mm DCF LV
I am helping a friend find a light weight, compact waterproof binoculars in the $150 range, that delivers reasonable quality, for beginner bird watching and general use including hiking.
I am seeing the Pentax 9 x 28mm DCF LV, binocular (which I own) for as low as $157 on various sites. .......
That price seems to have gone up quite a bit within the past year. At least looking at the EO website:
http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/pentax/pentax-dcf-lv-9x28-roof-prism-binocular