Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Pocket compact binos

I have need for a compact bino to fit in shirt pocket....lower power like 6X or 7x.....$200 or maybe $300......

Thanking in advance for suggestions.

I like the Cabela's Alaskan Guide Series.

I really like the idea of a pocket binocular and have tried many over the years and have never found a pair that I like. I agree, one of the ways to partially overcome their inherent shortcomings would be to offer a 6x model, but I am not aware of any current 6x pocket binos. The Swaro design gets excellent reviews, but is only available in 8x or 10x. Aside from the price, the most common complaint is that they are so large they are borderline as far as "pocket" bino's and you may as well go to a 8x32 or 10x32.

I have two 6x bino's I'm really happy with - a 6x30 Leupold Yosemite and a Vortex Viper HD 6x32. Both are too large to be called pocket bino's, particularly the Leupold. The Leupold is very impressive for the $85 price. Camera Land just ran a sale (don't know if it's still current) on the Vortex Viper HD's for $400. The Viper HD's are a steal for that price.

Vortex Viper HD's 6x32:







Please keep us posted if you find any viable 6x pocket binoculars.

David

I went through this a few years ago and discovered the same thing
Canazes9 discovered. The pocket models seem to start at 8X.

The Yosemite 6Xs are soooooo hard to beat for the price. But they are what I would call "woods binoculars". They are not good for very far away, but for woods binoculars they are excellent......

Is there a specific reason you want 6X or 7X?
My Zeiss 8X20's have always worked very well for me. You might keep an eye out for some used alpha glass that would be in your price range.
Anymore I feel it is not worth using anything but high end glass.

I have been using the Alpen Wings ED 8x20 bino for close to 1 year now and am very impressed. They are a folding design and are very light and compact and no problem to carry all the time. They are clear and bright w/ very smooth and functional mechanical and optical properties. I believe I payed about $175.00 from Amazon.


mike r

I have a pair of Minox shirt pocket sized binoculars. They are 8x24. They are okay for checking cows and other stuff. Not very good in low light of course. Well within your stated price range.

I had 8x Minox, and they were pretty good to keep in the truck. Sold them, and I have older Swarovski 10x25s in their place. The real deal is my new Leica 8x20s. Beyond the budget, but they get carried in the woods the most.

I purchased these a few years ago. When I dropped them on the concrete floor I called to see if they would repair them. The lady told me, "When we receive them we will send you a new pair. We have a no fault warranty." I told her it was my fault, and I didn't mind paying. But she would not hear it and sent me new ones.

I compared them with other binos that cost hundreds more and was very happy with how well they did. Great value.

Same here; thought I wanted some and tried 9x25 Pentax. Founf them pretty useless. My smallest now is 8x32 Pentax DCF SP

Ringman, your review led to my research and subsequent purchase, good tip, thanks.


mike r

You're certainly welcome. I really like playing with decent optics.

I wouldn't say the Leupold 6X30 Yosemites are only woods binoculars. I've used mine hunting elk in the wide open spaces of Montana and found them alot more effective than I would have thought. Easy on the eyes and very easy to wear around the neck all day.
I've owned a 10X25 Zeiss. I got to use the ex's 8X20 Zeiss a good bit.
The 10X25 is, w/o a doubt, the most useless binocular I've ever owned. The 8X20 is only slightly better. Unless you are planning to use them from a solid rest, do yourself a favor and buy a 6X. E

I have a pair of the 6x Yosemites also and like them a lot. I think the hot ticket for hunting out west would be those in a binocular harness to use while hiking/stalking and then a pair of 10x or 12x on a tripod for long glassing sessions or when something is located with the 6x binos.

The advantages of the 6x are the wide field of view and depth of field. You really can see a lot at once, which helps if you're scanning quickly and looking for movements. They are also incredibly bright. I can actually see better through them at night than I can with my naked eyes.

+ 1 on the 6x30 Yosemites. I love mine, (when I can get 'em away from the wife), and even have a binocular harness for them for hiking, etc. They really are incredibly bright, at least they seem that way when watching deer, fox & other critters in the twilight or at first light. But to me they don't qualify as "pocket" compact binos. For something to put in a pocket I've got some Steiner Predator Pro 10x26's I got a few years ago on sale from Cameraland. So far they seem pretty rugged and they fold up nice and small. Not as bright as the Yosemite's but that's probably due to 10 power and only a 26mm objective lens. But at least they take up very little space. They will slip into the shirt pocket of most of my shirts.

Pull out the billfold and buy the Swaro CL10X25 Pockets. You will find them worth the money.

That's what I eneded up doing when elk hunting the wide open spaces of SW Montana. I'd wear the 6X30 Yosemites and carry my 12X50 Leica BN's in my pack. I'd scan with the Yosemites then do a sit down glassing session for an hour or so with the 12X50's. Worked very well. E

About 8 years ago I had the honor to play with some of those Swaro pocket binos in the great outdoors, (dealer demo's at a bird watching raptor festival). My comment on them was that they were simply "jaw dropping". For something that small they were stunning. But they were out of my price range at the time. I still consider them the finest pocket binoculars that I've ever looked through. If I ever get a set of high end pocket binos they would probably be my first choice.

Opera glasses at best.