Binoculars designed for outdoor use boast of impressive features like high magnification, a wide field of view, etc., but not all of them are waterproof. As a hiker, hunter, concert spectator, or explorer, your optical companion must be able to function properly in foggy and wet conditions that come with the outdoors. With the right waterproof binoculars, you are ensured excellent optics come rain, come shine, and can take your explorations to water bodies.
Best Waterproof Binoculars
Below, we take a look at our top five waterproof binoculars on the market that will resist fog and water infiltration while you’re at viewing the magical scenery nature disguises with the elements.
1. Bushnell H2O Roof Prism Binoculars
The Bushnell H2O is an outstanding binocular pair that defies the elements with a 100% waterproof seal while offering excellent image quality with its BaK-4 prisms and multicoated optics. It boasts of durable materials, a rubber-coated armor for a comfortable, non-slip grip, and comes with impressive magnification and a wide field of view. Its adjustable long eye relief makes it a great buy for even those who even wear glasses.
- 100% waterproof and durable, ergonomic housing.
- Compact, lightweight, and portable.
- Long eye relief and adjustable focus.
2. Nikon 7245 Action Extreme All-Terrain Binocular
Like the name suggests, this handy gadget is designed for all elemental terrains, and pulls its weight in its highly fog-proof and waterproof seal, thanks to its durable rubberized armor. Its large 50mm aperture, multicoated optics, and BaK-4 prisms work in tandem to yield the brightest and crispiest images and a wide field of view. It also comes with adjustable eye relief, focus, and inter-pupillary distance for just about anyone’s convenient viewing.
- Fogproof and waterproof seal, with durable ergonomic rubberized armor.
- Crisp image quality and high magnification.
- Seamless controls and great user adaptability.
3. Vortex Optics Crossfire HD Binoculars
This highly functional gadget from Vortex pulls its weight with high magnification and large 42mm objective lenses for impressive range and the brightest images. All the goodness is sealed in a Nitrogen-purged, waterproof casing, armored with rubber for a comfortable, non-slip grip in wet conditions, and impact absorption. It comes with excellent controls for great viewing flexibility and supports tripod mounting.
- High magnification and great image quality.
- Fogproof and waterproof.
- Compact, lightweight, and ergonomic design.
4. Carson VP Series Waterproof High Definition Binoculars
The Carson VP Series boasts of high magnification and wide lenses to catch as much light as possible for the brightest images. It comes in a durable, rubber-coated casing that ensures a fog-proof and waterproof seal, and is streamlined for hand comfort and a no-slip grip in wet conditions. It also comes with BaK-4 prisms and fully multicoated optics to correct image orientation and yield maximum light transmission.
- High magnification and wide field of view.
- Fogproof and waterproof seal, and ergonomic design.
- Excellent image quality and maximum light transmission.
5. Steiner 575 Marine 7×50 Binoculars
The Steiner 575 Marine Binoculars efficiently combine magnification and large objective lenses for the brightest, high-resolution images, and a wide field of view. Its rubberized casing is fog-proof and waterproof, and it comes with a unique floating prism system to minimize the risk of impact damage. The product also comes with a no-charge repair and replacement policy for defective components.
- Wide field of view and bright images.
- Ergonomic, waterproof, and shock-absorbent design.
- Comes with extra accessories.
Waterproof Binoculars Buying Guide
Waterproof binoculars are a must-have for outdoor long-distance viewing enthusiasts. They remain reliably functional in foggy and wet conditions when other binoculars would have fallen out of service and become infiltrated. Choosing the right waterproof binoculars pools together a number of considerations we will now look at.
Our buying guide reviews the best waterproof binoculars from different companies based on their specified features to help you choose a quality product that will serve you in all weather conditions.
Fogproof and Waterproof
Waterproof binoculars should, of course, be ‘waterproof.’ Note that some binoculars are labeled as water-resistant. This should not be confused with waterproof. Water-resistant binoculars will resist the infiltration of water to an extent but will likely get infiltrated if completely immersed. Waterproof binoculars, on the other hand, will prevent water infiltration from splashes like rain and even immersion.
It is also always a good idea to go for binoculars with the fog-proof label. Binoculars are generally made fog-proof by either coating the lenses and interior with fog-resistant substances or flushing out the air inside the binoculars with an inert gas like Nitrogen or Argon.
This way, the moisture normally found cannot fog as the ambient temperature changes.
Magnification
The purpose of waterproof binoculars and any binoculars for that matter is to magnify distant objects through the eyepiece. Determining how much magnification to look out for is very important. Magnifications between 8x to 15x are great for regular use.
Many people tend to think that the higher the magnification, the better the performance, a common mistake. In actuality, the higher the magnification, the smaller the field of view, and the lesser the image brightness and stability. For magnifications higher than 16x, using a tripod stand is recommended.
To balance these factors out, the aperture comes into place.
Aperture
The aperture of a pair of binoculars is the size of the objective lens and places a measure on the amount of light accommodated. More light from an object means better image quality for a particular magnification. A larger aperture also results in a wider field of view and better low-light performance. Greater apertures, however, translate into bulkier, more expensive units.
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