Swift Audubon 8.5x44 820ED (1 Viewer)

I'm curious if anyone has had any experience with the Swift Audubon 8.5x44 820 ED binoculars. I have seen them on eBay selling for well under $400.00, and I would like to see the experiences of seasoned veterans. Thanks!

Optically very good, and very easy to look through. With glasses on I find that I can't quite see the advertised field of view, but the remaining field is so wide I didn't notice this till I actually measured it. Build quality on some samples isn't all it should be - I have an ED version where the scale for inter-pupillary distance doesn't work, and I saw signs of the glue weakening on an older non-ED pair. They are NOT waterproof - my pair fogged on me after an afternoon in heavy rain, though it dried out OK. Despite my quibbles, still my favourite pair of binoculars - but given the build quality worries I would argue for paying full price at a retailer close to you so you can return them easily if you get a flawed pair.

They are alright, though the body is not entirely pleasant to hold. Color is great as you would expect. Handling, eyecup, and build quality issues aside it is tough to find a comparable image for the price.

You don't need eBay to get one under $400 either, many online retailers have them for that range brand new as well. Eagle Optics sell them at $369 or $379 if I recall, and with top customer service.