eitanaltman
Well-known member
Picked up an Ultravid 8x20 BR recently, absolutely love it! It's the perfect pocket sized "emergency alpha", exactly the right size where it's hard to make an excuse not to take it in situations where you wouldn't carry normal sized binoculars around.
And unlike other "pocket" bins I've tried, like the Zeiss VP 8x25, these are truly "pocket sized". So much so, in fact, that I had slipped them in the back pocket of my jeans the other day, and then a few minutes later wondered "where are those little Leicas?" before I realized I had forgotten they were in my pocket!
Living in southern CA, there's not a lot in the way of big bulky jackets with big roomy pockets to swallow up a binocular. Luckily, the little UV are small enough to easily slip into a normal sized pocket of a pair of shorts, or the aforementioned back pocket of jeans. It's really the perfect size.... folded up, about the same size as an old flip phone (the thicker ones, not the flat Motorola Razr type!).
That is, until you put it in a case!
The challenge is that I don't want to casually toss them into a pocket naked, even if just to keep dust and grime off the lenses. Or if I throw them into a backpack (or wife's purse), I don't want them getting scratched by keys or whatnot. So I've got to cover them with something.
I have no interest in objective covers / rainguard. I don't want a bunch of bulky dangly thingies flopping around as I use the binocular. Any extra appendages ruin the minimalist, sleek-and-elegant utility of these for me. I don't even use a strap with them, if I've got them out they're so small I can hold them in my hand securely and discretely.
But every case I've seen adds so much bulk that the "slip into my shorts pocket" aspect is lost. The stock Leica cordura case, while fine for storage, is absurdly large. A lot of compact camera pouches have zippers or big bulky flap covers. I don't want a zippered pouch, because I want to be able to slip the binocular in/out quickly without accidentally scratching them (I've done it, trust me). Don't want a bulky belt pouch (the stock case is fine for that).
The closest thing I see to what I want are the small neoprene compact camera pouches (like from Op/Tech), the smallest of which would probably be a nice snug fit on the little Leicas. But I fear that even the extra bulk of the neoprene padding (plus the extra layer of the flap) will make them too chunky.
I honestly don't need the case to be padded, I trust the build quality of the Ultravid to handle being slipped in and out of pockets and even take a knock here and there without falling apart. If I want more protection, I'll use the stock case.
I basically want a low profile "grab and go" pouch, with a little flap that stays closed if tossed into a pocket or bag. Probably with a microfiber interior to minimize dust on the lenses. The only goal is to protect the lenses from scratches and/or grime, without adding any significant bulk. Because if they get too bulky, I will end up leaving them behind more often than not.
I can't find anything that really fits the bill, but I'm hoping the hive mind of intrepid folks here will rescue me. I'm at the point where I'm considering just making something DIY, but I have to imagine there's some small pouch that's about the right size that would fit the bill, like a small camera lens bag or even something not intended for optics (like a jewelry pouch?).
And unlike other "pocket" bins I've tried, like the Zeiss VP 8x25, these are truly "pocket sized". So much so, in fact, that I had slipped them in the back pocket of my jeans the other day, and then a few minutes later wondered "where are those little Leicas?" before I realized I had forgotten they were in my pocket!
Living in southern CA, there's not a lot in the way of big bulky jackets with big roomy pockets to swallow up a binocular. Luckily, the little UV are small enough to easily slip into a normal sized pocket of a pair of shorts, or the aforementioned back pocket of jeans. It's really the perfect size.... folded up, about the same size as an old flip phone (the thicker ones, not the flat Motorola Razr type!).
That is, until you put it in a case!
The challenge is that I don't want to casually toss them into a pocket naked, even if just to keep dust and grime off the lenses. Or if I throw them into a backpack (or wife's purse), I don't want them getting scratched by keys or whatnot. So I've got to cover them with something.
I have no interest in objective covers / rainguard. I don't want a bunch of bulky dangly thingies flopping around as I use the binocular. Any extra appendages ruin the minimalist, sleek-and-elegant utility of these for me. I don't even use a strap with them, if I've got them out they're so small I can hold them in my hand securely and discretely.
But every case I've seen adds so much bulk that the "slip into my shorts pocket" aspect is lost. The stock Leica cordura case, while fine for storage, is absurdly large. A lot of compact camera pouches have zippers or big bulky flap covers. I don't want a zippered pouch, because I want to be able to slip the binocular in/out quickly without accidentally scratching them (I've done it, trust me). Don't want a bulky belt pouch (the stock case is fine for that).
The closest thing I see to what I want are the small neoprene compact camera pouches (like from Op/Tech), the smallest of which would probably be a nice snug fit on the little Leicas. But I fear that even the extra bulk of the neoprene padding (plus the extra layer of the flap) will make them too chunky.
I honestly don't need the case to be padded, I trust the build quality of the Ultravid to handle being slipped in and out of pockets and even take a knock here and there without falling apart. If I want more protection, I'll use the stock case.
I basically want a low profile "grab and go" pouch, with a little flap that stays closed if tossed into a pocket or bag. Probably with a microfiber interior to minimize dust on the lenses. The only goal is to protect the lenses from scratches and/or grime, without adding any significant bulk. Because if they get too bulky, I will end up leaving them behind more often than not.
I can't find anything that really fits the bill, but I'm hoping the hive mind of intrepid folks here will rescue me. I'm at the point where I'm considering just making something DIY, but I have to imagine there's some small pouch that's about the right size that would fit the bill, like a small camera lens bag or even something not intended for optics (like a jewelry pouch?).
