Our Binoculars

If you enjoy the outdoors, you more than likely have a pair of binoculars. We have three pairs, one is always on the back porch, one by the kitchen table, and one pair in my car. I also have a monocular that I keep in my bag. We aren’t nosey, we just like looking at what ever wildlife we happen to see. Birds are a big favorite here right now.

I first learned how to use binoculars when I was much younger. My Dad used to go hunting a lot and liked to “check out” an area before hand. Believe it or not, he wasn’t looking for prey, it was the lay out of the land that he was interested in. You know, where roads, paths and buildings are. My Dad has always been and will always be a true Boy Scout, he believes in being prepared for any situation.

There are so many different types of binoculars it can be difficult to decide which ones are right for you. First you have to decide what you are going to be using them for. Then you need to know who will be using them the most. Does the main user have any special needs? Or if it one pair for the entire family. Are there any children who will be using the binoculars?

The numbers, 10x40, can determine what the binoculars are best suited for. The first number is how many times the subject is magnified. The second number is the width of the front lens measured in millimeters. Usually the higher the second number, the sharper and brighter the image. But the first number is the one that can throw you off. I highly recommend that you do not go with any number higher then a 10x if you will at anytime use the binoculars as hand held ones. The higher the first number, the more shaking from hand holding is visible. The shaking is from a number of possibilities, the weight of the binoculars, your blood rushing throw your veins, or just unsteady hands. Unless you spend the extra money to get a pair that has image stabilizing.

If you are looking for kid binoculars, you need to keep in mind that a child’s eyes are not the same as an adults. What I mean is that they are not done “growing” or maturing. And also the child’s face is smaller so the eye pieces may not match up with the child’s eyes. I have found that light weight, compact or semi-compact work best for the younger set. Also, get waterproof, not sealed binoculars. I’ve heard the “sealed” will allow more dust inside of them.

When my son was young, I bought a pair of Vivitar binoculars for him. They were semi-compact and lightweight. Both he and I used them as our birding binoculars. It took a very short time for him to understand how they worked and what he needed to do to enable himself to see clearly. To me, they were the ideal kids binoculars. But to my son, they were our bird watching binoculars.

I still have those Vivitar binoculars, they are kept by the kitchen table now. Look almost new and get used almost daily. I couldn’t have made a better purchase.