Who includes the best 'gear' with new binos? (1 Viewer)

[Will K]

I would image this topic has been covered before, but if so, I can't find it by searching the forum archive.

I've only bought boxed binoculars from four or five companies so far, and the quality and range of accessories, including covers, straps, bags, cleaning accessorises, spare parts, etc. which come with the optics themselves is highly variable. They have ranged from from impressive (Vortex Crossfire and Razor) through mixed (Swarovski NL Pure, Viking Cygnus) to poor (Pentax SP and Nikon Aculon TO2).

What company or model do you think includes with the best 'gear' with a new pair of binos?

(BTW, I'm knocking the Swaros down for troublesome lens covers and no headrest included, which would have been a class move).

 

[Binocollector]

Of the ones I own -- DDoptics includes Niggeloh-straps with all binos that are excellent. Nice pouches, too and they have really good rainguards/objective covers.
I even put those Niggeloh straps on my Fujinon HC and FMTR -- because the straps included with those Fujinons are cheap in comparison. Especially the one for the FMTR seemed like it can barely hold the weight of the bino.
Kite had a nice pouch and strap, too. But I think I have read once, the more expensive the bino the worse the "extras".

 

[[email protected]]

I like the gear that comes with Zeiss's in general. A nice simple case that holds the binocular with the strap, a nice simple strap with a quality rain guard, and I even like the unconventional one piece objective covers that snap inside the objectives. Swarovski's case is alright, maybe a little overdone, but I never use their big adjustable strap, instead I replace it with a Verovellini strap. The rain guard and objective covers are fine on the Swarovski. Leica's are also pretty nice. I never had a problem with their gear.

 

[tenex]

Overall I've preferred Leica accessories. The contoured neoprene neckstrap made for them by Niggeloh (aka "Verovellini") is my favorite, now attached to all my SLCs. (Don't confuse this OEM version with the red-dot one sold in stores, which stupidly has some kind of internal stiffener that prevents the neoprene from stretching, or Niggeloh's straight one.) Cases, caps etc are simple and effective. What we recently got on a Zeiss FL looks quite similar but the strap has no grip texture for shoulder carry, and the case flap has annoying "ears" and a zipper pull that dangles above the eyepieces. Swaro cases were weird in various ways until the recent FBP which was nice, but now they've gone to side entry and the straps etc have long been awful. Nikon cases are also odd (judging by an EII) but the rest is straightforward enough.

In most cases, information like this is more a guide to finding replacements if desired than which binocular to buy... except in the case of FieldPro where much of it is built into the bin itself.