I've become overwhelmed by all the options out there, hoping for a reccomendation on a set of binoculars suitable for carrying while paragliding. Generally there can be a bit of sitting about waiting for conditions to be just right, keeping an eye out for birds thermalling, other paragliders and also scoping out landing options, similarly there can be a lot of hanging about in a field once landed and scoping out which pilot is coming in next, cheching out the hedge rows/surrounding trees. I think 10x is probably ideal, as everything I'm looking for is pretty far away. First consideration is weight, most of the launches are a serious hike, so sub 300g would be ideal, though I would definitely consider a little more weigh if it meant a drastic boost in optical quality. Second is durability and price, these won't have a very easy life inside of a paragliding bag, launches/landings can be hard, bags are hastily packed unpacked on rocky hillsides, sometimes even in snow, in the likely event of these being damaged/lost, I'd rather it wasn't a huge financial loss at the same time, hoping for <£150ish (UK) .
What I've looked at so far are the Steiner Blue Origin 10x26, though they're a bit pricey and I don't think very waterproof. The RSPB Avocet 10x25. The Vortex 10x28/32, but they are significantly heavier though have an awesome warranty. Pentax Pipillio, thought the highest magnification option is only 8.5x. I'm open to any other options.
Size isn't a particularly important requirement as I've plenty of room, though if they're huge they're less likely to be packed if I'm running low on bag space or taken along on any other activities.
Additionally, I'll be wearing sunglasses a lot of the time as we generally fly under strong sun to take advantage of thermals, so the eye relief is a bit of a consideration, though not a deal breaker for me, though for sharing, with most pilots in their 60's+ most are sporting glasses.
What I've looked at so far are the Steiner Blue Origin 10x26, though they're a bit pricey and I don't think very waterproof. The RSPB Avocet 10x25. The Vortex 10x28/32, but they are significantly heavier though have an awesome warranty. Pentax Pipillio, thought the highest magnification option is only 8.5x. I'm open to any other options.
Size isn't a particularly important requirement as I've plenty of room, though if they're huge they're less likely to be packed if I'm running low on bag space or taken along on any other activities.
Additionally, I'll be wearing sunglasses a lot of the time as we generally fly under strong sun to take advantage of thermals, so the eye relief is a bit of a consideration, though not a deal breaker for me, though for sharing, with most pilots in their 60's+ most are sporting glasses.
. OP never stated he wanted to use these while in the air.
