Yep, it’s that time of year. With summer and warm temperatures we also get mosquitoes, ticks and other pests. Break out the insect repellant and let’s head to the woods for a little
birdwatching, hiking, biking and so on.
Not so fast. Some insect repellants and
binoculars are not a good match. Repellants with DEET can and will gum up the finish on certain binoculars.
DEET acts very much like a paint remover. In fact, I have even used it in a pinch to remove old paint on small items I was re-painting! Do you really want to touch those expensive
birding binoculars,
hunting binoculars or
astronomy binoculars with paint remover on your fingers?
Binoculars with the old style leatherette coverings are especially vulnerable to DEET, but don’t assume that your binocular is safe from the effects of DEET just because it is armored. Many chemical formulas are used in the materials that manufacturers utilize for armoring on binoculars and DEET will turn some of them into a tacky, sticky mess that won’t wash off. I know because it has happened to me.
Rather than take a chance, I simply opt for insect repellants without DEET when I am working with binoculars,
spotting scopes,
digital cameras and other optical equipment. True, repellants without DEET don’t seem to work quite as well, at least for me, but I’ll risk a few extra mosquito bites rather than ruin my good binoculars.