Rain Guards! (1 Viewer)

A

amh2029

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #1

Hi all,

I have just bought a pair of Nikon 10x42s and they are the first pair of bins I have had that come with a rain guard. I was quite excited by this but now that they are attached - what a pain!! Every time I go to look at some interesting little fella lurking in the bushes I get a mouthfull of plastic, or a nip in the chin or a scrape on the cheek. HOW are these things supposed to work? Are you a rainguard 'on' or a rainguard 'off' kinda birder?

Andrew

 

hornet

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #2

The plastic in the face thing is a pain, as is the "I can't see anything, oops the guard is still on" moment. But bear with it - rainguards are very useful.

As well as protecting your fab new bins from rain, you'll also find they work for soft drinks, pasty / sandwich crumbs and inadvertant thumbs.

 

SimonC

Still listing - I'll capsize one day

• Aug 12, 2004

• #3

Yeah, know that one!
I've found that it helps if you make sure that the 'thin' bits of the strap (I'm assuming you got a wide, 'camera' type strap with the bins?) are long enough to allow you to move the rainguard far enough up them to miss your chin when you're using the bins Try positioning the plastic adjustment clip thingies (what are they called?) as close to the wide part as possible.

Persevere with them though, as mine have stopped all sorts of rubbish getting on the eyepieces

 

pduxon

Quacked up Member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #4

you complain until that moment it chucks down with rain !! Then they are invaluable!

 

digi-birder

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #5

I suppose it does depend what you have connecting the bins to the strap. I don't have too much trouble with my rainguard, but Keith has abandoned his altogether. He carries it in his pocket and puts it on if it starts raining.

 

John N

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #6

I'm not keen on my rainguards but I persevere because they can be very useful. My wife carries her rainguards in her pocket in case they are needed.

 

Andrew Rowlands

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #7

Hi Andrew,

Rainguards are usually best connected to just one strap.

Andy.

 

I

iporali

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #8

hornet said:

But bear with it - rainguards are very useful.

As well as protecting your fab new bins from rain, you'll also find they work for soft drinks, pasty / sandwich crumbs and inadvertant thumbs.

Click to expand...

I agree. We call them jamguards - for a reason...
But seriously, IMO Nikon didn't succeed very well with the rainguards of the SEs.

Ilkka

 

A

amh2029

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #9

Andrew Rowlands said:

Hi Andrew,

Rainguards are usually best connected to just one strap.

Andy.

Click to expand...

:clap:
That's what I like, a bit of lateral thinking!

 

SimonC

Still listing - I'll capsize one day

• Aug 12, 2004

• #10

Andrew Rowlands said:

Hi Andrew,

Rainguards are usually best connected to just one strap.

Andy.

Click to expand...

Except on my Nikons, the attachment is such that it just springs back to it's original position if you try to move it out the way

 

digi-birder

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #11

Mmm! Should have mentioned that mine is only connected at one side.

 

IanF

Moderator

• Aug 12, 2004

• #12

I like the like Leica rainguard. As mentioned above I have it attached to one strap between the buckle and binocular mount so that when not over the lenses it simply flicks out of the way by itself for viewing.

 

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SimonC

Still listing - I'll capsize one day

• Aug 12, 2004

• #13

IanF said:

I like the like Leica rainguard. As mentioned above I have it attached to one strap between the buckle and binocular mount so that when not over the lenses it simply flicks out of the way by itself for viewing.

Click to expand...

OH YEAH!!!!!!!!! Why don't I turn mine round so it springs out of the way???????

I feel a bit thick now :-C

 

Pinewood

New York correspondent

• Aug 12, 2004

• #14

iporali said:

I agree. We call them jamguards - for a reason...
But seriously, IMO Nikon didn't succeed very well with the rainguards of the SEs.

Ilkka

Click to expand...

Ikkla,

Quite right. Buy some other brand of rain guard for the SE.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood

 

weather

Pirate name: Poncy Henry Goodfellow

• Aug 12, 2004

• #15

I don't know....I have the Eagle Optics Ranger. Most bins in the middle to upper price range are water proof, so I didn't see the point. I think I tossed mine a long time ago...

Mike

 

pluvanut

DOCG

• Aug 12, 2004

• #16

Hi Andrew,
Echo the other Andrew re hooking on one strap, but fit so it hangs to one side, away from bins, it isn't noticeable there in use. When you put it on eyecups, slight twist in the strap holds it there, but it flicks off easily when you want.
Works with SE rainguard at least, unless you're a purist....