It's why I'm tempted to keep my distance from the new NL (despite how promising it seems to be, from an optical standpoint).
I've owned the previous EL 'FieldPro', with the 'soft touch' rubber armouring, and I couldn't help babying it. The EL WB (model which came before the fieldpro) had better rubber armouring in my opinion.
Binoculars shouldn't have to be cleaned with a soap and brush to remain in good condition, for f*cks sake. If they're designed for serious field use, they should also be constructed in a way that reflects their intended use.
I've got a pair of old Zeiss porros (60 odd years of age) and the rubber armouring is still going strong.
Are the manufacturers today building status symbols/'toys', or are they building 'tools'?
I think Leica is a step above the rest as far as build quality is concerned. But, to be frank, they're all losing their footing in that area.