ideas on compact, rugged binoculars

[grawp]

Hello all,

Posted this by error earlier today over at the "BFC Recommends" area.
It should have gone here.

Anyhoo...

My nephew will be going off to mountaineering school this coming March, and has asked me to buy him a compact and rugged pair of binoculars.
Since he will be doing a lot of climbing, emphasis on the rugged.
I have considered a pair of Steiner model 288 8x20 Predator Pro's.
I would appreciate your collective input on their suitability for use, as well as other binoculars you'd care to recommend.

Thanks,

grawp

[Woodsman]

This may sound surprising to many, but amongst Zeiss, Swarovski, Steiner, Leupold, Nikon, Leica and others that cost into the hundreds if not thousands of $, I have a pair of Bushnell 8x23 model 13-8230 (no longer made btw) that have been phenomenal for 15+ years and I haven't even had the case for most of that time - and been up plenty of rock faces in every mountain chain in the U.S. They're not armored much - but they are lightweight and compact and have very adequate clarity and work well even during dawn and dusk.

I would recommend finding a used set on e-bay. 15 years hard use - I kill gear military guys say holds up well and I like these binoculars.

[grawp]

Thanks, woodsman.

I am off to Ebay to take a look.
Merry Christmas!

Ed

[Devlin]

I have a small pair of Steiner's that I have had for thirteen years. They sit in a milk crate seated belted in to the passenger seat of a Crown Vic. They have been dropped, bounced, banged. I have spilled cafe con leche on them and even got some filling from a guava pastry on a lens. They cleaned up well. They cost $240 bucks when I bought them but they have done me well.

[Woodsman]

guava pastry on a lens.

Chuckle Chuckle.

[Devlin]

[JOHN O]

+1 on the Steiners, my 8x30 Military Marine have been through two wars and several "Incursions".