Made in China binoculars

Like so many Americans, I have a great many reservations about buying products made in China, but, also like so many Americans, I sometimes feel I have no choice given my typically limited budget. When it comes to binoculars, though, I have been fortunate enough to afford binoculars made in Japan or Europe, where labor practices and concern for the environment are on a higher plane than what you typically find in China. That is very important to me and I wish I could afford to be as selective in all products I buy, but I do what I can to support fair labor practices and the environment. However, I also know that many folks shopping for binoculars do not have the budget to spend $400 when trying to choose a binocular and that is typically what you must spend to avoid a binocular made in China. I feel the pain of someone on a limited budget that wants to buy a binocular not made in China, but that is globalization and binoculars are just a very tiny tip of that complicated and enormous iceberg.

All this does not mean, however, that all binoculars made in China are inferior products. Quality and performance are not reasons automatically reject a binocular made in China. There are many fine binoculars made in China, just as there are many cheap binoculars made in China. As always, it is price, not country of origin that tells you what to expect in terms of quality and performance in a binocular, but nearly all binoculars, good or bad, under about $400 are made in China (with some very few exceptions), thanks to globalization, and that is irrespective of brand. In fact, all binocular brands that cover both the lower binocular price point and the mid-price point in the binocular market, such as Pentax binoculars, Nikon binoculars, Vortex binoculars, Bushnell binoculars, Burris binoculars and so on have their cheaper binocular models made in China and their more expensive models made in Japan. However, if you want that made in Japan binocular you will need to pay more than for a comparable model made in China. You do have a choice when it comes to binoculars and country of origin, but only if you can afford it. I do, however, wish manufacturers were more forthright as to labeling binoculars with country of origin. It is important to many of us.