Enhance Your Vision: Get The Best Marine Binoculars
Whether it is animal observation, star gazing, or simply looking at objects at a distance when sailing, binoculars are an essential tool for any outdoor experience.
Finding the right one might prove a daunting task however, and you will probably find yourself looking at characteristics that you don’t fully grasp. This guide will help demystify some of these aspects and assist you in finding the best marine binoculars.
1 – Steiner Model 575 Marine 7×50 Binoculars
[Editor Top Pick]
The Steiner 7×50 is a German made pair of binoculars that boasts some very heavy duty construction and a wide variety of options that puts it near the top of the list of the best marine binoculars available in the market today. They come with a web strap, a rain and spray guard for the eyepieces, and an attached objective lens cap.
These Rubber Armored gadgets are able to withstand years of usage under the harsh marine environment. They are designed to fend off any sort of rust or corrosion, and are entirely waterproof and shockproof, resisting violent impacts and long exposure to water.
The Steiner 7×50 is equipped with fully multicoated optics that reduces light loss and offers high quality viewing with very good contrast. The prisms of these binoculars are BAK 4, considered by experts in the industry as the best type of Porro prisms. They provide an extremely high and unmatched refractive index which results in clearer images.
The manufacturer is backing the product with a 10 year warranty.
2 – Bushnell H2O Waterproof/ Fogproof Porro Prism Binocular
[Best marine binoculars for the price]
The Bushnell H2O is pair of exceedingly durable binoculars that are suited for various terrains and environments. Be it water-based activity or any high intensity pursuit where you are exposed to a grating setting, this pair will surely come in handy as they are thoroughly waterproof and O-sealed to prevent moisture and debris from causing any damage. They are also nitrogen purged, rendering them completely airtight.
The non-slip rubber armor that engulfs the entire frame of the binocular serves as a protective shield against shock and the various elements that lead to erosion and deterioration. It also allows for easy handling and gripping of the binoculars even when they are wet.
They come with the coveted BAK 4 prisms that have become the gold standard when it comes to quality Porro prisms. Coupled with the multi-coated optics, the light transmission is remarkably high and the images have crisp clear HD quality.
A limited lifetime warranty is included after purchasing this product.
3 – Bushnell Marine 7×50 Waterproof Binocular
The Bushnell Marine 7×50 is a pair of high quality binoculars that are designed for marine use, but thanks to their extreme sturdiness and array of features, they’re practically effective in any type of environment.
Much of the Bushnell’s robust build is owed to the high quality materials that went into the manufacturing process. They are completely resistant to the corroding effects of water thanks to an impregnable sealing, and are highly predisposed to withstanding the tough maritime environment. They’re also remarkably easy to hold and maneuver around thanks to the non-slip rubber armor that not only shields the binoculars from damage and bumps, but help create a surface that is easy to grip.
The binoculars are equipped with cutting edge technology that enables them to provide a wide and crystal clear view. The optics has Porro prism designs that provides a broad range of view, and are enhanced by Premium BaK-4 prisms and top grade multi-coated optics that transmit the light very effectively and reflect a bright and high definition view. Their 7×50 configuration is the one recommended by the coast guard.
Bushnell offers a lifetime warranty against any material or manufacture defect.
4 – BARSKA Deep Sea 7×50 Waterproof Floating Binocular
These binoculars from BARSKA come at a cheap price, but they still provide a substantial number of premium qualities and features that are not often find in similarly priced products. They are designed specifically for nautical use and come in box that contain a carrying case, a neck strap, lens covers, and lens cloth. They also come with an integrated compass and rangefinder.
They’re O-ring sealed to prevent water from leaking in, and nitrogen purged in order to shield them from moisture and fog, making them highly resistant to rough weather. The rubber armor that covers the binoculars facilitates its griping.
They have a very wide field view of 395 feet at 1,000 yards, and a coast guard recommended configuration of 7×50. The combination of the BAK-4 prisms and fully multi-coated optics contributes in giving the images extra clarity and high contrast. The only issue with these binoculars is their underwhelming efficiency at night.
They come with a limited lifetime warranty.
5 – Hooway 7×50 Waterproof Fogproof Military Marine Binoculars
The Hooway 7×50 is another pair of binoculars that provides great value for the price since they are equipped with most of the properties that you’ll see in high end models. They come with a floating Foam strap, a Carrying bag, and Lens cloth. They’re tripod adaptable and are advertised as being made specifically for marine use.
They’re adept at handling harsh weather thanks to the airtight sealing provided by the nitrogen purging process. They’re water proof and highly resistant to chock and erosion. The quintessential rubber armor subsumes the impact of shocks and enables you to easily have a firm a grip on the binoculars.
The optics and prisms used by the Hooway 7×50 are top grade fully multi-coated ones, and BAK4, respectively. It comes as no surprise that image quality is top notch and rich in contrast and color.
The binoculars also feature an integrated compass and an optical range finder that allows you to determine the distance of a given object.
6 – Steiner 210 MM1050 Military-Marine 10×50 Tactical Binocular
These military style binoculars from Steiner are some of the most rugged and high performing gadgets in the market. Their sturdy construction and resistance to fog and water makes them suited for different types of excursions ranging from marine based activities to hunting and animal observation.
They have an extensive field of view of 327 feet at 1,000 yards and one time focus system that allows precise viewing from 30 yards to infinity. The fully multicoated optics ensures that the images are crystal clear.
Performance isn’t the only thing that the Steiner provides; the binoculars are quite comfortable and have a 17-millimeter eye relief that is very helpful for eyeglass wearers. The soft rubber eyecups are tailor made for extended viewing. The tough rubber coating assists in the gripping of the binoculars while protecting them from bumps and drops.
After purchasing the Steiner 210, customers will benefit from a 10 year warranty.
7 – Bushnell H2O Waterproof/Fogproof Roof Prism Binocular
These binoculars are the roof version of the Bushnell Porro reviewed in this list. Like their similarly built namesake, they are extremely sturdy and can be used in a variety of environments. They’re O-sealed and nitrogen purged, making them immune to erosion.
The binoculars are covered by a rubber coating that serves two purposes; warding off any potential damage caused by bumps or impacts, and providing an easy grip for the user.
The BaK-4 prisms and multi-coated optics reflect a very clear and sharp image, but the drop off in quality from the Porro version is noticeably obvious. There is a discernible lack of brightness in the roof version when the two are compared. This discrepancy is especially palpable when there is dim lighting.
This pair comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
8 – Nikon OceanPro 7×50 Global Compass Waterproof/Fogproof Binoculars
[Our top rated marine binoculars]
The Nikon OceanPro 7×50 is one of the most expensive pair of binoculars that we’re reviewing in this list, and the one with the highest number of features and more solid design. It is exceptionally quick with a very smooth central focus.
The Polycarbonate Body is well built and gives the binoculars ample capacity to handle shock and impact. It is also capable of repelling moisture and preventing fog from building up. The armored rubber that surrounds them makes for easy gripping and provides protection from scratches and drops.
The quality of the image reflected by the Nikon OceanPro 7×50 is phenomenally clear thanks to the Bak4 high index prisms and Multicoated Lenses that virtually eliminate light loss. There is also a feature that accommodates eyeglass wearers by providing extended long eye relief.
Nikon insists that they’re dedicated to customer satisfaction, and On top of giving a 25 year warranty, they are committing to repairing the malfunctions not covered by it for just few $$.
9 – Celestron Oceana 7×50 Porro WP CF & RC Binocular
These entry level binoculars are designed for marine use and contain some specifications and features that we don’t often see in this price range. They are able to weather the effects of climate and temperature changes thanks to the solid aluminum body, waterproofing properties, and nitrogen purging, making them practical for other land based observations.
The Celestron Oceana also comes with an illuminated compass that is practical as a navigational tool for both land and sea. The images captured by the sharp and fully Multi-Coated optics are of very great quality with a high level of contrast and crystal clear resolution.
There are some issues worth nothing with these binoculars, mainly the questionable quality of some parts. The rings surrounding the lenses don’t appear to be attached very well and will likely come off after few months of usage.
Buying these binoculars encompasses a no fault lifetime warranty.
What You Need To Know In Order To Find The Best Marine Binoculars?
If you don’t have a lot of experience with nautical or optical equipment, you will probably find yourself confused with the seemingly complex terminology and numbers. To find the binoculars that are suited for marine activities, you should at least have some basic knowledge of the main features and characteristics. The most important to consider are:
The build
Marine environment is harsh and can easily damage objects that weren’t predisposed to handle it. The binoculars you choose should be waterproof and sealed to prevent the effects of moisture and erosion. The quality of the rubber coating will also affect how easy it is to grip the pair and their level resistance against bumps.
The Field Of View
The general area the binoculars will allow you to view. The widest it is, the less you’ll have to go through the inconvenience of constant adjusting.
The Magnification
Another rudimentary aspect of binoculars is their magnifying capacity. They’re represented by 2 numbers separated by a multiplication symbol. The first one indicates how large the object will appear through the lenses, while the second one refers to the objective size.
The Optics
Their quality is what’s going to decide that quality of the images reflected by the binoculars. A good pair should be equipped with fully multicoated optics that reduce light loss and increase the contrast and clarity of the image.
The Glass
The quality of the glass plays a huge part in increasing the brightness and overall quality of the image. The top quality binoculars feature BAK4 prisms since they have a very high refractive index.
While these basic attributes will surely help you determine whether the binoculars meet the minimum requirement of marine use, it is important to know that there are subtle nuances in specifications that render the interpretation of some of these features a little bit tricky. If you can’t get your hands on a pair to test their quality yourself, reading Amazon customer review section is always a useful approach to determining the intrinsic value of a product.
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Resources
[1] http://www.chsmith.com.au/Wiki/BAK-4-Prism.html what are BAK4 prisms?
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binoculars Wikipedia article about binoculars
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxEfy66r0G8 understanding how binoculars work
[4] https://oberwerk.com/learning-center/binocular-questions-answers/ details about optics and prisms