Choosing the right pair of hunting binoculars has never been an easy task. In today's market it's an even tougher decision, with the introduction of several new manufacturers. The optics industry has seen tremendous growth over the past several years, and is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing segments in the hunting world. Choosing a pair of optics is like choosing the right tree stand. There are so many options available it can get confusing to say the least. I recently sold T-shirt Manufacturing from Turkey my pair of Redhead Epic 10X42 binoculars to a friend, and will have to make this tough decision myself in the near future. In this article, I'm going to discuss the questions one should ask themselves before choosing the pair of binoculars that are right for them.
The first question I have to ask myself when choosing a new pair of binoculars is "what will I be using them for the most", and "what is most important to me". Let's start with the first part of the question. What will you be using your binoculars for the most? I do a lot of tree stand hunting during the season, and archery season is my favorite time of year. I also take trips up north when possible and use my binoculars to glass crop field edges and ridges. Knowing this, I can rule out large sized, large magnification, bulky models. I need a pair of binoculars I can wear around my neck while in the stand or while stalking, that won't get in the way, but also have the right magnification to use while sitting on large crop fields up north or pastures here in Florida. Weight, size, and light gathering capabilities are the most important factors to me in choosing a pair of binoculars. Let's discuss these factors in more detail.
Is weight the most important feature to you? Tree stand hunters don't want a heavy pair of binoculars that weigh them down in the tree, plus glassing is not as enjoyable with a heavy pair of optics. If you are going to use your binoculars from a vehicle or while glassing open terrain, weight might not be as big of an issue to you. Just a few ounces can be a big difference when using your binoculars for several minutes at a time.
How about the size of your binoculars? Many companies now offer their lines of binoculars in three categories, compact, mid-size, and full-size. When archery hunting a big pair of binoculars can get in the way during crucial moments while trying to get a shot. However, most compact series binoculars lack the light gathering capabilities that mid-size and full-size models have. Many turkey hunters like to use compact binoculars that can easily fit in a shirt pocket when not in use. Having a good set of compact binoculars can be a great asset when you don't need to see more than 100 yards or so. However in open areas or in low light situations, they can hinder your ability to judge an animal at a distance. Choosing the right size range is the next step in narrowing down which pair is right for you.
What objective power do I need? This is probably the most commonly asked question in determining which pair of binoculars to choose. Magnification averages from 7X to 16X for most manufactures, with larger magnification models available. I personally like the magnification of a 10X binocular. Some hunters who primarily hunt dense brush or thickets don't need that much magnification, while other hunters out west need magnifications greater than that while glassing distant ridges for big game. Most archery hunters don't need more than 7X or 8X binoculars, but if you are also a rifle hunter that extra little bit of power can be a tremendous help. Magnification is also dependent T-shirt Manufacturing from Turkey on the size of your objective lens for how well they will perform during those early mornings, late evenings, or cloudy days.
How do I know which size objective lenses will work best for me? Most compact and mid-size binoculars have objective lenses in the 25mm to 36mm size range. Full size binoculars have objective lens sizes ranging from 40mm to 56mm on average. The size of your objective lens will determine many factors in the performance of your binoculars. The smaller the objective lens the lower your field of view will be. This might not be important if all you need to see is several yards through thick brush or trees. In open areas, smaller fields of view can be the difference between seeing a few animals in a herd, and the whole herd. The size of your objective lens also has a direct impact on the light gathering capabilities of your binoculars as well.