The Best Binoculars And Outdoor Equipment Guides

We’re quite fussy about the quality of binoculars we choose. Enhancing your visual field is a Faustian bargain if you’re gaining a migraine with your newfound far-seeing ability. To be the best binoculars on the market, the product had to have features that outweighed its cons, a reasonable price, and a favorable brand reputation.

You can expect to pay between $30 and $250 for binoculars of this quality. The average item on this list costs around $70.

• Gosky 10x42 Binoculars

• Eyeskey 10x32 Waterproof Binoculars

• Aurosports 10x25 Binoculars

• Nikon 8252 ACULON Binoculars

• Occer 12x25 Binoculars

• Vortex Optics Diamondback Binoculars

• Bushnell H20 Waterproof Binocular

• Wingspan Optics SkyView Binoculars

• ZoomX 10x42 Binoculars

• Kylietech 12x42 Binoculars

The Gosky is so beloved, that around this site we like to call our pair “Ole Goss.” The sleek design simply sings, looking great in your hand or around your neck. The magnification the Gosky provides greatly aids in bird watching and stargazing or even seeing concerts from far away. One of the best features of the Gosky is its smartphone adapter. That’s right, you can attach one of the lenses to your smartphone to take pictures of those lovely birds you’ve spotted from what would be an impossible distance to the naked eye. The multilayer coatings make its objects appear in HD compared with those with single layer coatings.

This product can be found on Amazon for around $75.

Sometimes your outdoor adventures take you into the rain and the water. Well, now there’s no reason to leave those binoculars at home, thanks to Eyeskey’s 10x32 Waterproof Binoculars. This model performs excellently in wet conditions and doesn’t fog up the way that other cheaper models will when bits of precipitation condense on the inside. This matte black device feels great in the hand, heavy enough to signal its ruggedness, but not too heavy to have slung around your neck.

This product can be found on Amazon for around $99.

There’s something almost H.R. Giger about the black bumpy exterior of the Aurosports. It feels great in your grip and will make a great companion for low light far-seeing ventures. While this model will not work in perfect darkness, it will greatly enhance your ability to see in low light versus models that are geared only for day use. If you’re a hunter that relies on the periods of dawn or dusk, these binoculars are invaluable.

This product can be found on Amazon for around $27.

Nikon may be known for their cameras today, but they originally began as a binocular company. That’s right, that crystal clear quality you expect from Nikon cameras can be harnessed to magnify the world around you. We particularly love the Aculon for its immaculate lens design, killer aesthetics, and top of the line accessories and support.

This product can be found on Amazon for around $169.

The Occer has a nice pocket-friendly design and a low price point. You don’t get everything that a company like Nikon or Gosky will offer when presenting their version of the binoculars, but the quality that the Occer does provide is pretty impressive for how little they ask. Our team was largely divided over the aesthetics: some loved the grooved “Batman Begins” style look that these binoculars have, whereas others felt it looked too science fiction-y and not rugged outdoorsman enough.

This product can be found on Amazon for around $35.

The Diamondback represents one of the more expensive items on this list, but man is it worth it. Able to magnify things even close by, the Diamondback can be used for counting the spots on a lady bug just as easily as it can view the feathers on a distant bald eagle’s head. One of the few models to boldly deviate from the “all-black-everything” aesthetic that many binoculars on this list participate in, the Diamondback looks great in Army green.

This product can be found on Amazon for around $35.

Fogged up binoculars can really ruin your outdoor venture. Avoid the problem with Bushnell’s H20 Waterproof Binocular. These binoculars are so waterproof, they even wear watery designs on their flanks like dogfighters that mark their kills on their planes. If you need waterproofing and the ability to see clearly through fog and you have more to spend than the Occer, the Bushnell provides a great high-quality image alternative.

This product can be found on Amazon for around $102.

The wide field of view is really what sells the SkyView. Focusing on a single object is great, but when you’re scanning for things that could potentially be anywhere in the sky (meteors, birds, alien spacecraft) you need something with more ...dare we say “wingspan.” We find this model to be particularly great for the birdwatchers among us. The proprietary glass they use for their lenses brings whole new spectrums of color to your eyes.

This product can be found on Amazon for around $147.

As St. Vincent sings “Digital Witness… / If I can't show it, you can't see me / What's the point of doing anything?” In that vein, we might ask “If I can’t show it...what’s the point of seeing anything?” Well, you don’t have to be trapped in your own experience anymore, with ZoomX’s bundled phone adapter you can use your phone to shoot Instagrams through your binoculars. That’s right, bring distant stars and faraway birds into the safe digital folds of your social media accounts.

This product can be found on Amazon for around $147.

Last but certainly not least, we present the Kylietech 12x42. These binoculars may not provide anything above-and-beyond the standard binoculars, but they do everything solidly and don’t ask too much for their far-viewing experience. The dozen-fold magnification greatly enhances your viewing experience, and we love the smartphone adapter this pair comes with. Overall, one of the best options on this list.

This product can be found on Amazon for around $42.

Ultimately your pocketbook will determine which of these binoculars will best suit you. Everything on this list has passed our criteria and none will be a complete waste of money. However, you should know whether you need waterproofing over high-levels of magnification based on your needs. If we have to pick an overall winner, however: the quality that Nikon manages to pack into each of their binoculars is unbeatable.