Binocular weight
It’s a sign of the times, I suspect, what with calorie counting and everyone watching their weight, but binoculars have been getting lighter and lighter over the years. There was a time when a full size 8x42 binocular or 10x42 binocular averaged somewhere between 30 and 35 ounces in weight, with a few even pushing 40 oz. I remember telling customers back in the 90’s to be sure to get a binocular under 35 ounces if they expected to carry it all day, since even a few ounces of binocular weight can make a difference in comfort when a binocular hangs from your neck for a few hours
Those days, fortunately, are gone. Today’s 8x42 binocular or 10x42 binocular rarely tips the scale at more than 30 ounces and, even at 30 ounces, a 42mm binocular is at a serious competitive disadvantage; customers want a lighter binocular and the market has responded. Most 42mm binocular on the market now weigh less than 30 ounces, some much less. For example, the latest version of the Nikon Monarch 8x42 – the world’s best selling $300 class binocular – now weighs a very svelte 21.5 ounces. That’s even less than many 32mm size binoculars. That is some serious binocular weight reduction.
This binocular weight trend has been achieved by the use of polymers and lighter metal alloys, such as magnesium, for the binocular body. Aspheric lens designs also have helped, since it takes fewer lenses in an optical system to accomplish the same degree of optical correction. This weight reduction, however, has not come at the expense of durability – some of these new polymers can withstand cracking and crushing better than traditional metals used in binocular housings.
Are you carrying too much weight (binocular, that is)?
