Good 10x Binoculars for Birding

Here are 10x birdwatching binoculars that feature comfort and lighter weight than some of the others on the birding optics market.

Medium Price-Range 10x Binoculars: The Nikon Monarch 10x42 Waterproof ATB binoculars weigh only 21.1 oz. or 600 grams. They do very well in the binoculars review section of Cornell's living bird site. They have a good 15.5 mm eye relief. These Nikon 10 x 42 binoculars are roof prism design, and Nikon claims that they are shockproof. The close focus distance is 8.2 feet, so you can have a good view of those close-in birds and butterflies. No lead or arsenic is used in the manufacture of the glass, called Eco-glass.

Lower Price Range Birdwatching Binoculars: In the really inexpensive binoculars category, Cornell's Living Bird magazine, which did an extensive round of testing and rating binoculars in 2005, found that "The Bushnell 10x42s offer the best choice for a truly inexpensive 10x binocular." Now, these Bushnell Natureview 10 x 42 glasses only weigh 23 oz. and have a nice long eye relief of 17mm. However, be aware that their close focus is a fairly far 15 feet.

High-end Price Range for 10 x Birding Binoculars: If you don't wear glasses while birding, and you have ample funds, you might consider the light weight Swarovski EL 10x32 model with Snapshot adapter. The experts at Cornell praised their very wide field of view ( 360 ft./1000 yds. ) and a nice close-up focus distance of 7 feet. They weigh only 21.2 ounces. Although their eye relief is only 12 mm, this may not matter unless you wear glasses. The snapshot adapter could come in handy. These 10x binoculars can be found on the web for well under two thousand dollars.