Best Compact Binoculars for Hunting – Review and Buying Guide

Looking for the best compact binoculars for hunting?

A good pair of compact binoculars will help you on your hunting trip. The binoculars will bring animals and other objects that are far away close enough for you to be able to hunt them. This can make a big difference between having a successful hunting trip and one that is not so much.

The new compact binoculars are very easy to carry and they actually fit comfortably into your pocket and allow you to walk around as if you are carrying nothing.

Keep reading this review, to be able to know what to look for when buying a pair of compact binoculars and how to choose the best pair for your trip. In the end, it will definitely be time for you to trade in your full-frame binoculars which are probably worn out and outdated, with a new pair of classy, compact binoculars that are even colored.

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Best Compact Binoculars for Hunting Review.

Read on as we explore some the compact binoculars for you to carry along your trips.

Bushnell H2O Waterproof/Fogproof Roof Prism Binocular

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These are high-quality binoculars that come with a stunning HD clarity like no other. They are also made of 100% quality materials which have been tested extensively.

Their field of view is normally 305/102 feet@1000yds/m@1000m, which is very high.

Their design is beautiful and you will love how they fit perfectly on our eyes and gives a professional look even while bird watching. They are also durable and built to last.

Waterproof: These binoculars are 100% waterproof and can allow you to go swimming. Their O-ring is sealed with nitrogen which is purged for reliability and fog-free performance.

It has 4 prisms and a multi-coated optics that give it a crisp and clear image with improved light transmission.

They are made with non-slip rubber that ensures that you get a very good grip and you are not tired of using them for long periods of time. Their soft texture grip is also shock absorbent and provides good support for your hands.

Its magnification is 10x with a 42 mm diameter and 12-foot close focus distance and a 17mm eye relief.
Its large centre focus knob is also very easy to adjust.

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Vanguard Endeavor ED 10×42 Binocular, ED Glass, Waterproof/Fogproof

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This pair of binoculars is perfect for hunting or nature watching. They have the ability to produce very high-quality, crisp and clear images. You can be able to quickly and clearly see objects at a distance and make a game of them.

They come with a pair of ED glasses which ensure that they reduce the dispersion of colors and therefore the images appear crystal clear. You can be able to easily identify bird species at a distance or even enjoy nature and make these images appear right next to you.

It also has a 7-degree viewing angle and 120 m field of view, which ensures you do not miss a thing.

They come with multi-coloured lenses that do not affect the images, and they also do not reflect the light.

The roof prism makes this a great choice to use during diminished light, e.g. at night. The lens will increase the light so the images will appear to be brighter.

These binoculars are very easy to use. Their focus wheel is conveniently located so as to make easy adjustments and easily bring images very close to you and into a sharp view. Whilst they are not designed to be used by beginners, experienced users will appreciate not having to spend so much time focusing on an object.

They are highly durable and very comfortable to use. This specific model of binoculars is very sturdy and it is backed by an unlimited warranty. This ensures complete protection against any damage as you use the binoculars 100%

They have tightly sealed O-rings that prevent fog and moisture from clouding the lenses and this also ensures a 100% waterproof model.

They come with an open bridge which is designed to make them comfortable to hold on to.

They are lightweight and highly portable and you do not have to feel like you are carrying a very heavy piece of equipment on you as you go hiking or on a nature walk.

They are reasonably priced and they come with very many accessories to make your purchase worthwhile and economical.

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Nikon 7576 MONARCH 5 8×42 Binoculars

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This MONARCH pair of binoculars from Nikon is the real deal. They come with improved agility and an advanced brilliant low light that will do wonders for you when you go hunting.

They have an added ED lens that puts them in a class of their own when it comes to battling darkness with very high quality and clear views.

Main features:
Highly portable – This version of binoculars if actually an ounce lighter than its predecessor. You can be able to move around easily with it to wherever you are going. This, combined with its small size, and easy to grip body makes it the most ideal binoculars to have.

Easy and comfortable viewing – it has a high-eyepoint design that provides a very clear view of everyone. Even if you are wearing glasses, there is always enough space between the user’s brow and the eyecups of the binoculars.

Great light transmission – it has multi-layer coatings that help provide an even high light transmission which makes the entire light spectrum visible. When applied to the lens, it minimizes the light due to reflection.

Gives rich and accurate colors – The technique mentioned above of applying the prism to all the lenses gives it very rich and accurate colors. This brightness can then be perceived by the naked eye and it gives a very high contrast of images and also an accurate color reproduction.

Turn and slide rubber eyecups – You can turn and slide the eyecups to allow for eye-relief. This helps to provide a full field of view which is very comfortable during extended use.

Rubber armoured body – the body is made of very high quality and durable rubber material that will serve you a very long time.

Smooth central focus knob – It has a simple and intuitive design that brings objects into focus like never before.

Waterproof and fog-proof – Its O-rings are filled with nitrogen and sealed for complete waterproof and also fog-free performance.

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Choosing the Right Compact Binoculars

Magnification:

You may be tempted to think that the bigger the better, but this is not true when it comes to binoculars that are specifically designed for hunting. e.g. a magnification of let’s say 7x – 10x is in fact very accurate for all types of hunting.

Now, one thing you need to know is that the higher the magnification, the less steady the image, and you do not want to be trying to steady a 10x pair of binoculars after you have travelled for a long distance to have some fun.

While the larger binoculars have their own advantages, and in fact, some may actually be quite clear, they will require to be sitting on a tripod, and who really has the time for that?

What we are saying here is that when looking for a pair of compact binoculars, you can actually buy the smallest you shall find and they will still perform even better than expected.

Objective size:

This is the second number you will see when buying a pair of binoculars. e.g. the numbers 7×40. This means that the objective size is 40mm. Basically, any that is either 40 or 42 mm is okay for hunting.

Now, please note that the larger the objective size, the more the detail you shall be able to see. You can find some binoculars with a size of even 50mm, but these are very expensive and do wonders at night during hunting.

If you are going to be hunting strictly during the day, then you are good with a 40 or 42 mm objective size, but if you will be doing it even at night, consider buying the 50 mm one.

Field of view:

The field of view of a pair of binoculars is normally expressed as FOV @ 1000 yards. Simply put, this is the area in terms of feet measurements, where you will be visualized by use of the binoculars at a distance of 1000 yards.

A small number means that your field of view will be narrow while a higher number means it will be wide.
There is no rule when it comes to FOV in binoculars, and generally speaking, you do not require a very big one unless you are going to target moving objects.

It also goes without saying that the image quality decreases with the high FOV, and it is more important, so, ensure to balance the 2 when buying a pair of binoculars.

Relative brightness index and the exit pupil:

The magnification and the object size are both used to determine the exit pupil. Its role is to allow light into your eye. It is defined by the number that will result after you divide the objective size with the magnification factor.

Now, the higher the object pupil, the higher the amount of light you shall be able to visualize.

Since all this is difficult and frankly too much work to get the magnification, objective diameter, exit pupil and field of view, it is always a good idea to just use the human pupil. Since the human pupil is roughly 7mm in size, it is advisable to just get an exit pupil that is the same size or larger than your eye.

Prism type:

This can be divided into 2; Porro prisms and roof prisms. Porro prisms are considered to be much more usable than the roof prisms. This is because it is more lightweight and comes in a smaller dimension whose direct line is on the eyepiece. This actually reflects the light 5 times. The only problem with choosing a roof prism is that it is quite expensive.

The Porro prism will need a larger body to be able to reflect the light even 4 times. It is not in the direct line of the eyepiece, and therefore it is not too effective, but, if you are looking for a cheap pair of compact binoculars, it will work just fine.

Type of focus:

Binoculars will come with either an individual eye focus or an individual eyepiece focus. The individual eyepiece focus provides better results when it comes to medium and long-distance work. When you are trying to visualize a game that is 30-40 yards away, this is ideal.

Binoculars made with Individual focus, in fact, do not require any focusing at all and that is why they are very famous in places such as the military.

Center focus is good if you shall be hunting game that is close by, say, less than 30 yards.

Choose the focus based on where you shall be going hunting.

Eye relief:

This is a very crucial consideration if you wear eyeglasses or sunglasses. It is defined by the distance that the user can be able to hold the binoculars away from their eyes, and still be able to see the image in its entirety.

If you do wear eyeglasses, you need to find binoculars that have an eye relief measuring 14-15mm, and always remember that poor eye relief or lack thereof will reduce your field of view.

Optical coatings:

These are normally added to the glass surface in order to reduce or eliminate the light reflection. When you buy a pair of binoculars with an optical coating, you will definitely not suffer from loss and glare as well.

The bright and clear images are as a result of the good optical coating.

Image quality:

What you need from your binoculars is excellent image quality. If you are going to be using your binoculars for hunting, it means you shall be using them for a long period of time, and therefore you will require a pair with an excellent image.

Now, getting a pair of binoculars that are good, dependable and at the same time have an excellent image quality may be a bit tricky, and if this is what you need which means you are looking for high-quality equipment, you should be willing to spend well over $150.

FAQs About Compact Binoculars.

How effective is a binocular when looking at a far object?

Binoculars are designed for this type of work. They will allow you to see images that are very far as though they are near, so, to answer the questions, binoculars are very effective in bringing far objects nearby.

What does Field of View mean?

The field of view of a pair of binoculars is normally expressed as FOV @ 1000 yards. Simply put, this is the area in terms of feet measurements, where you will be visualized by use of the binoculars at a distance of 1000 yards.

A small number means that your field of view will be narrow while a higher number means it will be wide.
There is no rule when it comes to FOV in binoculars, and generally speaking, you do not require a very big one unless you are going to target moving objects.

It also goes without saying that the image quality decreases with the high FOV, and it is more important, so, ensure to balance the 2 when buying a pair of binoculars.

What is the right size of binoculars to buy?

Size doesn’t really matter. You may find a very small pair of binoculars that are very clear in terms of image projection and a very big one that is not as clear.

What you should be asking is what magnification is the best, and you should buy binoculars with a magnification of between 7x – 10x. These will offer you the best images when you use them.

What does optical coating mean?

These are normally added to the glass surface in order to reduce or eliminate the light reflection. When you buy a pair of binoculars with an optical coating, you will definitely not suffer from loss and glare as well. The bright and clear images are as a result of the good optical coating.

Conclusion

It may be hard to believe, but binoculars are actually 2 telescopes that have been attached together using either plastic or metal. They help us magnify things or be able to look clearly at very small objects or objects that are far away.

That is our complete list of the best compact binoculars for hunting in the market today. Of course, for you to get the best and most efficient pair of binoculars will require you to spend time researching and testing various types in order to find the best, but it is very worthy at the end and quite a rewarding exercise.
Remember that this is a sporting good that should be used for very many years, so do not compromise on its quality.