No rubber covering wanted. (1 Viewer)

[Alexis Powell]

Why no rubber? In most cases it isn't actually rubber but rather some kind of synthetic rubber-like plastic. Are you looking for something that also lacks "rubber" on the eyecups and focus wheel? I'm not sure anything is currently manufactured like that, but you will find some from the past. Best best would be to remove the armor from a bin that has a simple "skin" like the Swarovski EL. You could then wrap the barrels, if desired, with cured pig bladder, or vellum, leather bicycle handlebar wrap or the like.

--AP

 

[richard866945]

If you're prepared to carry out a little DIY you may consider buying a cheapish but decent quality used pair of roof binos with rubber armour, stripping away the armour and replacing it with leather. Here's a link to Milly's Cameras in the UK who sell leather sheets to replace worn leather on old cameras:

Black Camera Recovering Leather - Soft Sheen - Milly's Cameras

Enhance the looks and feel of your camera and add years of additional service. Being one of our best selling leathers, this makes for a...

cameramill.co.uk

I should add that this is just a passing suggestion and not something I've considered in any detail. It would probably only be feasible with older roofs.

I have used some of Milly's sheets to recover a couple of Canon IS models where the rubber / plastic coating became sticky.
I removed all the sticky stuff and recovered the important bits that you grip, with Milly's "leatherette"
It looked good and functioned well.

 

[Thotmosis]

As a clumsy guy I wish all my binoculars had thick rubber armor like my Zeiss 15x60 and Habicht 10x42, I also like the feeling because it gives me more grip.

 

[42za]

• The Swarovski Habicht traditional variant
• The Swarovski CL Nomad
• The Nikon 6x15M CF and 7x15M CF have no armor at all

But otherwise, yes, it's mostly Leicas, but even the Ultravid 8x42 BL and 10x42 BL were discontinued so it's the compacts or Retrovids.

That CL Nomad looks good.

 

[fazalmajid]

That CL Nomad looks good.

Yes, but the price premium is ridiculous (over 2x the price of the 8x30 CL CB Companion it is a variant of).

 

[MiddleRiver]

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I'm sure the HD+ are better, but honestly, these are superb alpha class glass. Beautifully made and no rubber armor ;-)

 

[MBS]

Hi, the problem with external rubber coating is that some of them in less than ten years are entering in an irreversible decay process, turning them in a bad smelling and finger sticking mess.

So, enduring this problem with photographic equipments, night vision equipments, and so on, I decided to stop buying everything with an external rubber coating.

According to high end binocular makers, the chock protection is more at the internal mechanical part level than at the external rubber coating level.

With a binocular deprived of an external rubber coating, it is always possible to cover this binocular with scuba diving suit neoprene pieces, plus a special rubber glue (only to be used to join pieces of neoprene and not to glue them on the binocular body), and a minimum of DIY practice.

Then the binocular is protected against chocks and vibrations, and you can choose the thickness of this protection (scuba diving suit neoprene exists from 3 millimetres to 9 millimetres of thickness) and also its colour (black, red, blue, olive drab, camo, etc.).

Furthermore such a protection is easily removable.

By,

MBS

 

[fazalmajid]

Hi, the problem with external rubber coating is that some of them in less than ten years are entering in an irreversible decay process, turning them in a bad smelling and finger sticking mess.

So, enduring this problem with photographic equipments, night vision equipments, and so on, I decided to stop buying everything with an external rubber coating.

it’s not rubber coating as such but cheap and nasty “soft touch” coatings that are basically incompletely polymerized plastic painted on traditional hard plastic. You can strip the coating using isopropyl alcohol. Real or synthetic rubber, or better, silicone, does not decay with age.

 

[Maljunulo]

Does anyone know what is used on the Zeiss SF 8X32?

 

[lmans66]

Why not Leica? ...I have the 7x35 and find it the best binocular I have...love it..... try it. ...jim

 

[Richard D]

it’s not rubber coating as such but cheap and nasty “soft touch” coatings that are basically incompletely polymerized plastic painted on traditional hard plastic. You can strip the coating using isopropyl alcohol. Real or synthetic rubber, or better, silicone, does not decay with age.

Both real and synthetic rubber can and sometimes do degrade with age

 

[Troubador]

My first Zeiss Dialyt 10x40 B did not have rubber armour, just 'leatherette' covering and I was so glad a few years later when I was able to replace them with a Dialyt B GA meaning they had rubber armour. Why? Bear in mind most of our intensive use of binoculars is on the coasts of the islands off the west of Scotland and when scrambling over and through boulders it was tricky having enough hands to steady myself and the non-armoured Dialyts at the same time so as to stop the binos swinging and scraping on the rocks. And in October/November when we went to Islay to see the wintering geese arrive from Greenland, the non-armoured Dialyts got very cold to handle. Yes I could wear gloves but I delayed doing this as long as possible because I found gloves interfered somewhat with accurately focusing the binos quickly. The rubber armoured Dialyts did not get as cold so reduced the need for gloves.

So, summing up, I welcomed the availability of rubber armoured Dialyts as this meant I no longer had to worry about scuffing them while scrambling over rocks and in cold weather I could use them without gloves for longer before the cold meant I had to put gloves on.

Lee

 

[Troubador]

Does anyone know what is used on the Zeiss SF 8X32?

Go to COP Community

And here Zeiss state the following:
"The rubber armoring of the current binoculars in the Victory, Conquest and Terra product series is made of NBR/PVC (synthetic rubber)."

NBR means nitrile rubber (probably the most widely used general purpose synthetic rubber) and with a percentage of PVC to stiffen the resulting mix.
Zeiss also note that "This NBR/PVC material also allows the binoculars to be used by people with a latex allergy".

Lee

 

[MBS]

Both real and synthetic rubber can and sometimes do degrade with age

Hi, you are totally right, rubber (synthetic or not) is not eternal at all, through nefarious effects of ultraviolet sunlight, ozone, many chemicals (in liquid or vapour phase), and natural internal decay.
By,
MBS

 

[Troubador]

My first Zeiss Dialyt 10x40 B did not have rubber armour, just 'leatherette' covering and I was so glad a few years later when I was able to replace them with a Dialyt B GA meaning they had rubber armour. Why? Bear in mind most of our intensive use of binoculars is on the coasts of the islands off the west of Scotland and when scrambling over and through boulders it was tricky having enough hands to steady myself and the non-armoured Dialyts at the same time so as to stop the binos swinging and scraping on the rocks. And in October/November when we went to Islay to see the wintering geese arrive from Greenland, the non-armoured Dialyts got very cold to handle. Yes I could wear gloves but I delayed doing this as long as possible because I found gloves interfered somewhat with accurately focusing the binos quickly. The rubber armoured Dialyts did not get as cold so reduced the need for gloves.

So, summing up, I welcomed the availability of rubber armoured Dialyts as this meant I no longer had to worry about scuffing them while scrambling over rocks and in cold weather I could use them without gloves for longer before the cold meant I had to put gloves on.

Lee

I should add to this a note that down near the sea, the rock surfaces are often covered with barnacles which add significantly to the abrasive nature of the rock surfaces. Using binoculars in this kind of habitat it is good to have the robust protection of rubber armour.

Lee

 

[Thotmosis]

I should add to this a note that down near the sea, the rock surfaces are often covered with barnacles which add significantly to the abrasive nature of the rock surfaces. Using binoculars in this kind of habitat it is good to have the robust protection of rubber armour.

Lee

Rubber rulez!

 

[LucaPCP]

Well, I have the Leica UV BL's and tho not the latest HD+ glass, they are typ excellent UV quality - and no armor. They are still out there and in fact I recently saw a NIB pair very reasonably priced (less than current Ultravids...).

I bought myself a pair of Leica UVHD+ "customized". They have no rubber/plastic, and even the central bridge is metal. They were much maligned here for being a fashion accessory and not serious, but in fact they were the same price as the rubber ones, and are quite wonderful to use. And no worries about rubber degrading. They are no longer made I think, but perhaps Leica brings out such models from time to time.

 

[ragin-cajun]

I can't get past the synthetic tire-rubber feel of the Zeiss to enjoy the optics.

 

[gcole]

Try a pair of Fujinon HC Binoculars, just enough rubber. Some would probably think not enough.

 

[Maljunulo]

I can't get past the synthetic tire-rubber feel of the Zeiss to enjoy the optics.

Wear gloves?