Binocular Recomendations

Steiner is by far my favorite. we have a 7x50 pair and the optics are excellent

I have Nikon 10x50 and don't really care for them on the boat, way to shaky underway. They are nice for hunting when you can sit still. 7x50 is probably the way to go.

Gulf Comanche said:

I have Nikon 10x50 and don't really care for them on the boat, way to shaky underway. They are nice for hunting when you can sit still. 7x50 is probably the way to go.

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This is why you need electronic stabilized binoculars. By the time you get a great 15X pair, you can't hold them still enough to see without electronic stabilization. Try a pair. You won't believe how steady they are in your hand on a rocking boat.

Of course I do have the high end Fujis, which I got to compare pretty extensively side by side with the Steiner equivalent, but for me the optics and especially the low light capability of the Fuji carried the day, not by a huge margin, but enough. I have been very impressed with their mid range units too. I had to have one of our mid range units repaired and found the service from the guys in New Jersey to be excellent.. but in my case they just sent me a new pair.

Anyone shopping for binocs should find the opportunity to do a side by side test for which (and I would include Nikons too) fits them better, not just optics but overall ergonomics. I wear glasses, by the way.

You need 2 sets of binos .

Your set is kept in a drawer at the nav table.

The 2nd set is out ON the nav table for general and esp Guest use.

Most nav uses are fine with $35.00 cheapos , but when you need to read a buoy number at dusk, the right tool is in the drawer. Undropped.

FF said:

You need 2 sets of binos .

Your set is kept in a drawer at the nav table.

The 2nd set is out ON the nav table for general and esp Guest use.

Most nav uses are fine with $35.00 cheapos , but when you need to read a buoy number at dusk, the right tool is in the drawer. Undropped.

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Best advice so far.....

I have fujinon mariners. They have great optics. I like that they are light. Mine have a compass which I use occasionally. I also have West Marine 10x42 binos. They were worthless on the sailboat, but are fine on the powerboat. They are compact and light.

FF said:

You need 2 sets of binos .

Your set is kept in a drawer at the nav table.

The 2nd set is out ON the nav table for general and esp Guest use.

Most nav uses are fine with $35.00 cheapos , but when you need to read a buoy number at dusk, the right tool is in the drawer. Undropped.

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Yep, we have a sacrificial binoc for guests. Decent enough glass. Wifey and I are the only ones who use our own respective binocs.

-Chris

The big jump in price is from the $200-300 dollar decent binoculars that are great for everyday use, that you won't cry when you drop them, to the Real nice pair of stabilized binocs. They are totally worth the coin if you choose. My deckhands drop mine, so I ain't going there, even if I had an itch to spend that money on them.

Have had a pair of Fuji, think they are Poseidons. Absolutely amazing in haze or low light. After more than 15 years with this pair, they are worth the price.

I'd like to supplement with a stabilized pair, but given the performance of the Fujis, it's not real,high on the wish list. I can't recall a time using the Fujis, that I felt I was missing out on something better.

Had a chance to try out the new binoculars in varying conditions over the weekend, so figured I should report back. For those who have not read the thread, we already had a pair of Nikon OceanPro 7x50s. We bought them in 2001, and have been very happy with them. During our 9-day cruise I accidentally dropped them off the helm seat which caused one of the prisms to go out of alignment. We have already been in touch with Nikon and are sending them in for repairs. In the mean time, we decided that (a) we don't want to be without a pair while Nikons are out for repair and (b) we really need two sets as my wife and I use them all the time (both for navigation and watching the shore/wildlife).

The new pair are Steiner Navigator Pro 7x50s. These are the middle of the line Steiner marine binoculars (between the Mariner and Commander series). They were about $100 or so more than a new pair of Nikon Ocean Pros. Now to the review.

In mid-day light, we didn't notice much of a difference from the Nikons. The view seemed a little more sharp, but that i likely because the lenses were factory new and clean. I did notice a little less glare, likely due to the new coatings. Where they really shined was in low light (dawn and dusk) and at night. I do believe the light gathering is a little better than the Nikons - not a huge amount, but a little better. Keep in mind that I have not been able to do a side by side test, and won't be able to do so until the repaired Nikons are back. One feature I really like is the dual diopter settings. I wear glasses and my wife does not. I generally take my glasses off when using binoculars as I like to put the eye cups right up to my eyes to block out surrounding light. Once I played with them and found my perfect diopter setting, it made it really easy to set and forget. Then, when I pass them to my wife, I just zero them out. When she passes them back, I just turn them exactly to my settings. Nice feature and much easier than refocusing every time we pass them off. Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase. No idea how much better the Commanders would have been, as we ordered on line without trying them. Also, I didn't want to get into the Commander price range. Again, thanks everyone for all the advice and shared experience.

Forgot to add, the one down side is that the design of the Steiners is much shorter and wider than the Nikons, so they won't fit in our current teak binocular holder. Not a problem, as that is where the Nikons live, but something to keep in mind. They do make a larger holder for stabilized binoculars that may work with the Steiners.

Great follow up report, Nathan! Thanks.

Weems & Plath BN20 Explorer binocs. I wasn't a binocular snob before ("these cheap WM brand binocs will work just fine..."), but after using these all summer I just might become one!

Moonfish said:

Weems & Plath BN20 Explorer binocs. I wasn't a binocular snob before ("these cheap WM brand binocs will work just fine..."), but after using these all summer I just might become one!

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I wonder who makes their binoculars...my search suggests they are not a manufacturer as many companies where others make their binocs.

You can drop the big Fujis all you want; I have personally tested this many times. One's toes and the sole of the boat lose that battle every time. Maybe the difference is having a really really cheap pair as "everyday" and merely a really cheap pair in reserve. I use the binocs intensely when under way. Not just for navigation and safety, but I want to see the world around me as well as I can. One of many many examples: we'd of missed out this turtle porn without them:

Due to wave action, my Steiners dropped four feet on the saloon floor of Mahalo Moi, Giggitoni's 42-foot Grand Banks. (Believe it was the trip to China Camp in western San Pablo Bay.) Thankfully, they remained fully functional.

Has anyone used the Defender house brand 7X50's ? 80 bucks on sale and far from bad "working glasses". A couple of years back I did a S/F delivery with an owner who had all the toys, he used my defenders all the way to the Georgia line where he dropped them down 2 flights of companion way. I left them for him. Bill

We've had the Nikons since 2001 and dropped them before. Even flew them to Alaska in our checked luggage for a cruise right after we bought them (so I'm sure they got tossed around). Never had a problem before. I'm guessing they hit at just the right angle. I did seriously consider the Fujis, and have heard great things about them, but I liked the Stiener form factor this time around. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the three brands. So far, Nikon service has been a pleasure to deal with. On the website they say to send in an original copy of the receipt for service, but when we called they said 2001 was too long to be expected to keep the receipt, so just send them with a note.

I would image that if Defender puts their name on them, they can't be too bad. Same with West Marine brand. I'm guessing the Defenders may be made by Bushnell given the price point. If I were in your shoes, I'd seriously consider the Nikon OceanPros on sale for $211 or the Steiner Mariners (around $180 if I recall). Bushnell seems to be a decent option for less expensive, as well (based on some of the reviews I read).

Can't be too sure....check well first.


Some of the worst binocs I have used were West Marine...whether they started that way or were after a years or two of hard use...shouldn't matter.


They may have been the low end...but even the free Binocs from Marlboro cigarettes my former step sons gave me were better....and they weren't 7X50s but the smaller kind.


While money doesn't buy quality all the time...the companies that make the best stand out by reputation no matter what the price is.


Now if WM binocs are made by Fujinon, Nikon, Stiener, etc...they must be the ones with the reject lenses.

I use a 6x Leopold "Yosemite" made for backpacking. They are small and easy to handle and focus with one hand in rough seas.