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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Steve C" data-source="post: 1338626" data-attributes="member: 56622">GeneralOut of curiosity sake, what do you have on your person in day to day "take it everywhere with me" use?  For example just you and your shirt and pants pockets, a small backpack, or perhaps a fanny pack or just what.  As you are finding out optics choices are more about balancing a set of strong points against a set of weak points and living with the compromise.If your normal routine is out and about with shirt and jeans pockets only and you need/want a binocular always with you then you're down to an expensive alpha brand compact.  Something like the reverse porro like the Opticron Tiags in the attachment from ThoLa's attachment, or the Bushnell Custom Elite.  But the reverse porros are not real pocket friendly, save maybe the cargo pocket on a pair of pants.  Something like a small digital camera pouch with a belt loop might work here too.  As everybody has said, the cheap shirt pocket size compacts don't usually amount to much.  If that's what you need/want, then spend for a good alpha compact first.  Then work on adding to or stretching the discretionary for something that balances the use you will develop for the compact.If you have a pack/fannypack, then judge the size of the spot you will carry the glass in and look for something like the Leupold 6x32 Katmi. Or something else compatible with the size.</blockquote>