leo34 Aug. 3, 2024, 1:23 p.m.
Just upgraded from a kayak to a small fishing boat and realized I need a decent pair of binoculars. Mainly for spotting buoys, checking out wildlife, and maybe a bit of coastline sightseeing.
Never bought binoculars before, so I'm pretty lost. Waterproof seems like a no-brainer, but what else should I be looking for? Any specific brands or models you'd recommend?
Thanks in advance for any tips!
zcjxrf Aug. 3, 2024, 11:11 p.m.
Congrats on the upgrade! Yeah, waterproof is a must for boating binoculars. Also look for fog-proof and a good grip. Nothing worse than watching your new toys sink because of slippery hands.
ttt7 Aug. 4, 2024, 3:19 p.m.
I've been using the Nikon OceanPro 7x50 for a couple years now. Bit pricey, but they're built like a tank and the image quality is fantastic. Great in low light too.
qwerty67 Aug. 5, 2024, 11:05 a.m.
Have you considered image-stabilized binoculars? They're amazing for use on a moving boat. The canon 10x42l is wp are incredible, but they'll put a serious dent in your wallet.
xthtgf[f Aug. 6, 2024, 5:42 p.m.
If you wear glasses, make sure to check the eye relief. Learned that the hard way - bought a pair that looked great, but I could barely see anything with my specs on. What a waste of money that was.
motion Aug. 7, 2024, 6:49 p.m.
get some that float or at least a float strap. Dropped my first pair overboard on a choppy day. Expensive lesson learned. Still kinda sore about that one.
SW Aug. 9, 2024, 1:35 a.m.
Float strap? Amateur. Real sailors tie their binoculars to their beard for safekeeping.
Rozzzz Aug. 8, 2024, 3:17 p.m.
If you're on a tighter budget, the Bushnell H2O 10x42 are pretty solid boat binoculars. Not as fancy as some others mentioned, but they get the job done.
magic_85 Aug. 9, 2024, 9:33 a.m.
Seriously though, consider the weight too. You might be holding these things up for a while, and a heavy pair can get tiring real quick.
11sym Aug. 9, 2024, 8:04 p.m.
Don't go crazy with magnification. I thought bigger numbers meant better, but anything over 10x is pretty much useless on a boat unless you've got super steady hands. 7x or 10x should do the trick. Learned that after wasting money on a 16x pair I can barely use.
Deus Ex Aug. 11, 2024, 9:28 p.m.
Don't forget to practice using them on land first. Nothing more embarrassing than playing I-spy on the water and realizing you've been looking through them backwards. Not that I've ever done that... ))
Miko08 Aug. 4, 2024, 9:23 p.m.
Nikon OceanPro? Fancy! Did you have to sell your firstborn to afford those? xD But hey, if you've got the cash, I hear they're worth every penny.