Human capabilities have natural limits. Humankind has learned how to grow a portion of food, extract resources, fly into space, hear better, and see better. However, the curious mind is always looking for ways to expand these boundaries. Ancient human craft, hunting, is now, literally, armed with a magnificent rifle with a quality optical sight, or even a night vision device or thermal imager. However, one of the main tools of a skilled hunter - binoculars. A simple optical device that allows you to get more information about the environment and the course of the hunt. And the ability to be at a greater distance from your aim makes hunting much more efficient. The modern market offers many models and modifications of binoculars, but choosing one that suits you is a task that needs to be considered. After all, this device must become a faithful helper and partner who can be relied on in all-natural conditions and situations.
To understand how to choose comfortable binoculars just for you, you need to break down the problem into several characteristics that you should pay attention to when choosing.
So, let's start with the magnification power. This is the leading property. Marking on binoculars usually consists of two digits, the first of which is the magnification power. This means how close the object will appear when viewed through this optical device. For example, if the body has the inscription 8x42, it means that the thing at a distance of 1,000 yards through binoculars will seem eight times closer, that is as if the object is 125 yards from the viewer. The second number, 42, is the size of the lens (millimeters), which we'll talk about later. However, another important indicator of such marking is the problem of light passing through the optical device to the viewer's eye, taking into account the size of the pupil of the eye. That is, dividing 42mm by 8x magnification, we get 5.25mm binocular pupil size, which allows us to know how well the observer will see the object, namely, it is known that the pupil of a teenager is 7mm, the elderly - 4mm, which allows us to calculate that for a middle-aged man this figure is 5.5 mm. Thus, 8x42 binoculars will enable the light reflected from the object to pass through a hole size 5.25 mm, which is slightly narrower than the retina of an adult male. That is, it allows you to see the object quite well.
Currently, there is a relatively wide range of binoculars with variable zoom, which is a very convenient feature but provides unreliability of the product by increasing the number of moving parts.
The next indicator for choosing comfortable binoculars is the problem of short-range hunting, which should be noted that such an optical device usually shows the excellent value for use in the woods, allowing you to notice small details, body parts of animals, determine the exact location of the bullet, to search for and track of the wounded animals. Therefore, binoculars with power from 6x to 8x are considered the most acceptable because they allow you to keep in view most of the space and move with it without losing image stability. Because the disadvantages of powerful binoculars are, first of all, the reduction of the field of view and the sharper depth of field of the image, and the effect of movement on the focus of the target.
And when hunting long distances (mountainous terrain or something), you should use binoculars from 10x to 12x, bearing in mind that such optical devices provide a clear image only under conditions of maximum fixation. That is, you need to have either strong hands, or you should use either factory tripods or universal adapters, or improvised ways to keep the binoculars in a static position, such as sitting on a hard surface and pressing your elbows to your knees and palms resting on your forehead while holding binoculars in a fixed position, either leaning on a backpack or using a trekking pole in a sitting or standing position, pushing it into the ground and placing the optical device on the other end.
The peculiarity of hunting binoculars is that their use usually takes place in the wild, which considers factors such as strength, moisture resistance, protection against dirt and dust, and protection against fogging. Thus, even an expensive and high-quality product will not serve as a reliable partner during the hunt because it will have damage that will interfere with work from the first minutes of use. It is necessary to understand that staying alone with nature. We must play by its rules, that is, be just as strong and harmonious, have confidence in their knowledge and equipment.
By the way, the price is not a decisive factor. Still, it is essential to buy a product from an unknown manufacturer or one used a lot before. You can fall into the trap of your economy and regret your greed.
Also necessary is a quality coating of lenses (transmits more light) - requires ultra-low dispersion, poor coverage of light transmission from the lens to the eyepiece is about 70%, you need lenses with a full multilayer covering. We recommend not buying mini binoculars because they have smaller exit pupils.
Binoculars should be as large as possible because we will have a more transparent and brighter image, especially in low light. But given the fact that larger lenses weigh more, you should keep in mind your own ability to travel on rugged terrain with a bulky optical device that will slow down movement and affect your mobility and endurance. Thus, you should ask yourself whether you can and need to follow from a long distance, whether you will move quickly and follow the general situation.
So, if you have decided on the primary purpose of your binoculars, you should think that the best magnification is 6-8x because that's how you will have a wider field of view and a more stable image. Also, such binoculars are lighter, cheaper, and more helpful in any hunt.
Another critical factor is the unloading of the eyes - this is the ability to keep binoculars away from the eyes when wearing glasses, etc.
And choose under what weather conditions you will use the optical device. If you are set up for rainy or just wet weather, then really think about binoculars with rubber protection, which will also provide a firm grip on the hand. When used in frosty conditions, it is necessary to determine whether the binoculars are purged with nitrogen from fogging or something. It is unnecessary to worry about hunting in heat conditions because even a simple optical device will provide satisfactory work.
In general, binoculars are divided by size into compact - 25mm-28mm, medium - 30mm, full-size - 40-42mm and large - 50mm +.
Thus, it should be concluded that the choice of binoculars for hunting - is essential. A device selected for a specific task can be a reliable assistant. Still, it is worth remembering a few simple tips, namely: solid and waterproof case, power approach 6x-8x, high-quality lens coating, large enough but the light lens, the ability to use a tripod, comfortable position in hand, personal attitude to the device.
So we wish you a comfortable and successful hunt.
Good luck.