The Best Binoculars of 2024

We’re not going to lie, it wasn’t easy choosing to have the NOCS Provisions Pro Issue ($295) push the Nikon Monarch M5 out of the top spot. But in the end, it was the extended field of view, as well as the close focus range and overall adaptability between activities, that sealed the deal for us. We also felt that for $20 more, you get more benefits in form and function. 

Earlier this summer, we took our kids to the Vermont Institute of Natural Science and brought the Pro Issue binoculars along with us. Aside from being an all-around great place to explore, VINS has a unique forest canopy walk that takes you up and above the trees. Once you get up there, you can see everything for miles – and there’s a massive gap in the trees where the Ottauquechee River runs.

This area has a lot of bird and animal action depending on when you’re there. These binoculars gave us a crisp and clear view of the world in front of us. What’s more, VINS was selling the entire line of NOCS Provisions products in their gift shop. 

Since then, they’ve been our go-to for hiking. We’ve spotted a few deer off in the distance on an old and unused trail and even did a little stargazing. In all instances and in all weather conditions, the Pro Issue binoculars outperformed all of the other binoculars (and monoculars) on this list. Their textured, rubber grip was a godsend, given that most of this summer has been wet. 

For under $300, the NOCS Provisions Pro Issue binoculars are easily accessible for everyone; however, don’t expect them to be as crisp as our best premium pick, the Maven B 1.2. Whether you’re just looking to have fun with binoculars or if you take your birdwatching and sky-gazing seriously, you’ll love these binos. You’ll enjoy the 6-foot range of focus, which keeps things in your general area crisp and clear while benefiting from the 429 feet of view, which helps you catch any movement on the periphery.

The Celestron Outland X 10×42 Binoculars ($105) are priced so that people who are new to binoculars or folks looking for another pair can pick them up and enjoy them without a heavy investment. Though they may not be as premium as some other binos on this list, they’ve certainly earned their spot here. But don’t let their budget-friendly price fool you, you can still expect a quality build and clear optics from the Outland X.

The initial appeal of these binoculars is their compact size. But since we tested them in the middle of one of the hottest and wettest summers on record, they needed to be both fog-proof and weather-resistant. If the Outland Xs could meet these demands, then they would be optimal for outdoor enthusiasts. We’re happy to report back, after more than a month in the elements, they did.

However, there’s a flip side to every coin. First and foremost, these aren’t for star gazing like their sisters, the Celestron Skymaster Pro 15×70. Also, though the Outland X has a smooth focus wheel that provides crystal-clear imagery, the edges of the field of view are generally blurry. This increases at higher magnifications, which is even more noticeable in low light. These downsides wouldn’t deter us from continuing to use these binoculars, however, they’re worth mentioning.

Overall, we would recommend the Celestron Outland X 10×42 Binoculars to anyone looking to break into bird watching or any outdoor activity where you need to get a clear view of things off in the distance.

The Nikon Monarch M5 8×42 ($270) binoculars are legendary in the binocular world. They’re lightweight, durable, waterproof, and fogproof. Additionally, the visual experience is unparalleled, which is one of the reasons why they’re the best for birdwatching. With a price tag under $300, they’re giving some of the premium-priced binos a real run for their money.

The Monarch M5s, like their more expensive sibling — the M7s — are designed for users of all skill levels. They’re well adapted for hiking, sky gazing, and hunting, but the fact that they take very little adjusting or fine-tuning helped us corral them into the birdwatching category. Additionally, while panning, the distortion is minimal. Nikon’s Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass is designed to work while you’re on the move and in all light conditions.

During testing, we followed a hummingbird and had no issues keeping up with it and locking in on it once it decided to hover in one place. Being the fastest and most elusive of birds, this was a major factor in the decision-making process.

But testing wasn’t just limited to our backyard. We took the Monarchs out in the rain during the day and on windy nights at the beach. In both settings, these binos performed extremely well. Part of this is due to the rubber casing allowing you to keep a solid grip on them in all conditions.

That said, there were zero issues with fog, which is common of all of the binoculars on this list, but not of all binoculars. Our only complaint is the average close range of focus. If you’re looking for a higher-end option ideal for birdwatching, give the Vortex Viper HD 10×42 a try.

When it comes down to tracking down our feathered friends, half of the excitement is keeping up with them. The Monarch M5s were the cream of the crop for the job.

The jury is still out regarding a narrow versus wide field of view for hunting binoculars, but seeing that most hunting in New England goes on in the woods, we’re going with narrow for the sake of argument. That said, the Maven C.3 10×50 ($500) binoculars are this year’s Best Hunting Binoculars award winner, partly due to that narrow view. Though we didn’t take down any big game during testing, we did enjoy a few days out in the woods tracking and glassing deer, fox, and rabbit.

With 10x magnification and a 50mm objective lens, the C.3s are made for seeing long distances and letting in ample light at dusk and dawn when most woodland creatures are active. This is also why we prefer the 250’ field of view, as it allows us to focus on a narrower band, which helps when looking at longer distances.

The C.3s are full-sized, which doesn’t make them as easy to take hiking and trekking as a more compact pair like the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB would. But as they’re incredibly well-balanced, they’re easy to use for long periods when you’re stationary. Though you can expect exceptional clarity during the day with them, you’ll benefit most from these binoculars in low-light and growing-light scenarios. They’re also waterproof and fog-proof and carry a lifetime warranty.

These features combined justify the $500 investment and make them one of the best sportsman binoculars on the market today.

The Diamondback HD binoculars by Vortex ($290) were one of our hottest runner-ups. These optics can hold a candle to any other pair of binoculars on the market.

Users should always prioritize lens quality when buying a pair of binoculars. In this category, Vortex is especially hard to beat. The brand’s patented HD optics are designed to give the ultimate viewing experience in terms of resolution, sharpness, light capture, and color fidelity. No matter the light conditions, the Diamondback HD 8×42 binoculars guarantee excellent visibility.

Further, binoculars are often tossed in backpacks or exposed to the elements on the trail. Vortex recognizes this and has protected its Diamondback HD lenses with ArmorTek to shield them from grime, dirt, oil, scratches, and anything else that could compromise the viewing experience.

Beyond the optics, the Diamondback HD binoculars’ build is tough to beat. At their core, these binoculars are light and durable, and the outer rubber coating adds an extra layer of protection and grip.

Vortex excels in the accessory department, as the Diamondbacks are compatible with both car window mounts and tripod adaptors to help steady the optics when viewing. Like many other binos on our list, Vortex packages its binoculars with a neck strap, lens covers, and a protective case and harness. The only downsides? A tricky-to-manage harness and a few clunky elements on the binoculars themselves.

When considering the best binoculars available, the difference between these and our other top choices is subjective — they’re hard to beat.

Appeal might not be the first thing you think of when you think of binoculars, but when considering binoculars for kids, colors like Poppy, Canary, and Glacial can be a big draw. This was one of the factors we considered when choosing NOCS Provisions Standard Issue 8×25 ($95) for the best binoculars for kids. Additionally, the $95 price tag, easy fine-tuning, and clarity were major deciding factors. You don’t have a long attention span with kids, so you need binoculars they like from the get-go.

The rubber coating on the Standard Issue binoculars isn’t only great for grip, but you’ll appreciate it when your kids drop them in the dirt and they bounce around on the ground. You’ll also be a fan of the IPX7 certified rating, which not only allows these binos to get wet but also allows them to be submerged for 30 minutes.

Our kids loved how lightweight and easy they were to use. A little goes a long way with the focus knob, but it’s not so sensitive that people of all ages will struggle to use them. We loved how easy they were to clean because little kid hands are always grubby and grimy. Based on their waterproof construction, you could dip them in the ocean and wipe them down with a towel. Easy peasy.

Even though we awarded the Standard Issue an award aimed at kids, adults will also enjoy these binoculars. For less than $100 and with a close focus range of 13 feet, there will be some distortion, especially right in front of your field of view. However, the compact size and light weight make them a great pair of binos for casual use.

You might think that at nearly a thousand dollars, the Maven B1.2 8×42 ($950) binoculars are wicked expensive – and generally speaking, you’re right. However, in the world of premium binoculars, this is a bargain. Maven makes some of the highest-quality binoculars available. From the field of view to the clarity to the overall build — the B1.2’s are Maven’s flagship binos for a reason.

Aside from its durable, waterproof, and fog-proof design, the Maven B1.2 binoculars offer incredibly crisp and clear images. They were even a tad bit sharper than the highest-priced pair on our list, the Leupold BX-5 Santiam HD 10×42.

Where most other binoculars suffer from some level of edge distortion, the B1.2s do not. You might not think this is a big deal, but when you’re trying to zero in on a particular subject, they eliminate the need to move your head when something appears at the perimeter of your field of view. Which, by the way, is 420 feet — giving you a considerable landscape to explore without distortion.

We won’t go out on a limb and say that the B1.2s are compact, but they are smaller than the original B.1 binoculars that they are based on. When it comes down to carrying something around your neck or having to sit still and stare through it for a while, weight and balance become a factor. That is unless you want to carry around a tripod, but for $950, you don’t want to have to invest any more money.

The big picture here is that though the B1.2s are incredibly easy to use by people of all skill levels, they’re made for people who use and rely on their binoculars more than the average user.

As much as we enjoy using binoculars, we really love a good monocular. For our day-to-day adventures, we really love the NOCS Provisions Field Tube 8×32 ($125). 

These are the one-eyed version of the NOCS Field Issue ($175) binoculars, designed for all users, in all environments, and in all scenarios. In binocular form, the Field line fits in between the Standard Issue and Pro Issue lines. In our opinion, they represent the best of both worlds in terms of magnification, weight, clarity, and price. Now take one side off, and increase the ease of use by having to only use one eyeball.

We had previously ranked the Nocs Provisions Zoom Tube 8×32 ($75) as the best monocular. This year we have found that the Field Tube is a well-rounded and overall improvement over the Zoom Tube. It has an increase in IPX rating (from IPX4 to IPX7), in the field of view (384’ to 405’), and overall clarity. However, with that comes a price increase of $50.

The Field Tube quickly found its way into our daypack and it hasn’t left since. That was partly because it’s compact enough to fit in a water bottle pocket, and monoculars are easy to dial in and track something out in the field. There’s no need to adjust the width to get both eyes comfortable. You just pick your preferred eye and move the focus knob. 

Every serious birdwatcher has a personal preference for the best binoculars for birding. However, most would agree that the ideal pair should have magnification in the 8x to10 x range to spot birds at a distance while still maintaining a relatively stable hand. Further, binoculars with objective lenses in the 42mm range let in adequate light while promoting contrast in the field of view.

If you want a pair of binoculars that also has a short focus to enable easy observation of the many intricate and beautiful details of avian anatomy, then you’ve found a solid pair in the Viper HD 10×42 binoculars by Vortex ($650).

The simple and elegant design is durable and light, making it a no-brainer to bring them on every birdwatching adventure. We only winced a little at the price, but if you’re a serious birder, it’s a small price to pay for quick identification in the field.

HD glass allows for incredible crispness in the field of view and maximizes light capture in low-light conditions. The rubber coating has become a staple of the Vortex line and provides added strength and grip on the Vipers as well, and the adjustable eyecups promote comfort for everybody.

Built to get you glassing and still have enough gas in the tank to get there, the Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 10×42 ($250) is a favorite in hunting circles for its above-average optical quality, tough magnesium body, and sub-$300 price tag. Available in 8x, 10x, and 12x magnifications (we suggest the 10x for an all-arounder) and 42mm and 52mm objective len sizing, there’s a pair for whatever you’re after — whether that’s from a tree stand or in wide-open country.

The BX-2 Alpines are built around Leupold’s ‘Advanced Optical’ system, which is their base tier prism and lens setup and consists of Abbe-Koenig roof prisms and calcium fluoride lenses. While not as tack-sharp as the BX-5 Santiams we tested concurrently, it’d be unfair to say that the BX-2s aren’t a sharp piece of optics. We did miss out on the hydrophobic lens coating that higher-end Leupold models receive, however.

The central focusing dial provides smooth feedback, and that’s mirrored by an equally smooth open-bridge hinge. The eyecups, too, move smoothly, but they were a bit soft in terms of staying in place in our pair, and we had to take care not to lean too hard into the optics while glassing. Even still, the ability to field-replace the eyecups helps make up for the fact, and it’s a facet that should keep deep-backcountry hunters happy.

For $250, it’s tough for us not to recommend the Leupold BX-2 Alpines — the Vortex Diamondbacks would be another like-recommendation of ours, but those will cost you an extra $80, and have a slightly more narrow field of view. For the price, though, the BX-2 earns its reputation well.

High-powered stargazing isn’t limited to just telescopes, and a good pair of astro-binoculars like the Celestron Skymaster Pro 15×70 ($260) is both an affordable and accurate view piece to seeing far into the night sky.

While many other binoculars on our list have a magnification of 8 or 10, the Skymasters punch it in to 15, providing the necessary zoom to see deep into space. The 70mm objective lens size is also larger than most to make space for as much light as possible. Once we had set the separation between the eyes on these binoculars, we were looking into parts of the sky our naked eye could only dream to spy.

The housing is made up of polycarbonate and aluminum, and clad in a rubber sheath that helps to keep bumps and bruises minimal. The whole kit is waterproofed as well, with dry nitrogen gas within the lenses to prevent fogging. When we tested these binoculars recently deep in the North Cascades, stars jumped out at us with surprising color and clarity. You should be able to pick out larger and brighter galaxies through these binoculars on clear nights.

While holding these binoculars by hand will work, most users will find using a mono- or tripod to be the ticket for long star viewings, and the Skymaster includes a tripod mount for getting it rigged up. The bracket itself is metal and sturdy enough, though we did find the included screw to slip a bit when fully torquing it down.

When used with a tripod, the binos also sport a “Reflex Sight Ready” rail, which allows for a red dot finder to be used in sighting in on celestial objects. Perfect for catching a glimpse of what the night sky holds, the Skymaster Pro 15x70s open up the heavens for binocular users. Catch the astronomy bug? Bumping up to the Skymaster Pro 20×80 will net you a supreme stargazing experience (at a higher price tag).

If you’re looking for compact, folding binoculars, look no further than the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Binoculars ($90). 

This pair is pint-sized but packs a punch. It easily fits in the palm of your hand or your pocket — making it an ideal companion for backpacking, squeezing into a glovebox, or heck, throwing it in a running vest or fishing waders in case you wander across something cool. We even liked bringing it in our ski touring pack to scope out avalanche activity and lines in the distance. 

Larger, pricier models have more bells and whistles that might be important when a top-quality image is paramount. The Trailblazer, for example, has a narrower objective diameter — 25 mm — than other favorites on this list. A broader objective diameter means a lens has greater light-collecting power and, as a result, a brighter and higher resolution image. Don’t expect the crispest image at dawn or dusk.

But we love this design as a less bulky option for the casual bird watcher. These binoculars are especially well-suited for smaller hands and kids, too. 

You won’t regret throwing the Nikon Trailblazer in your pack or sling bag. You’ll barely know it’s there until you need it.

The top-of-the-line from Leupold, the BX-5 Santiam HD 10×42 Binoculars ($1,000) well earned the price tag in our testing. These binoculars get the full treatment when it comes to optical clarity and incorporate Leupold’s Professional-Grade Optical System — a setup that blew us away in the field.

That quality all comes via the open-bridge roof prism design, which has been fully multi-coated on all sides of the prisms for the best reflection control. Those prisms also boast phase coatings to represent true color through the glass better, and the whole affair is protected by the DiamondCoat 2 treatment on the objective lenses — a coating that greatly bumps up the abrasion-resistance — and Leupold’s Guard-Ion hydrophobic treatment.

With binos, what’s on the outside is often as important as what’s on the inside, and the magnesium and rubber-armored body on the Santiams is up to the task. We also truly appreciated the oversized eyecups and eye relief on this set, as it made long glassing sessions more tolerable. The included padded bino case (unfortunately, not quite as nice as other Leupold binocular harnesses) works well enough and keeps these optics close at hand.

Comparing the Leupold BX-5 Santiam to other high-end binoculars like the Maven B1.2 feels like a futile effort — good glass is just good glass — but we did find the Mavens were just a bit sharper across the entire field of view. Our testers also didn’t find the eye cups on the Santiams to be the most comfortable, but this wasn’t a dealbreaker. Critiques aside, the Santiams are a high-end piece of glass that will impress nearly anyone.

As technology continues to creep into our lives, helping children forge meaningful connections with nature has never been more important. There are many ways to do this, and buying a child a pair of binoculars is a great way to build excitement.

When it comes to binoculars for kids, you don’t necessarily need the most powerful optics. Instead, you need a colorful, fun, compact, light, and easy-to-use option. That’s where the Obuby Real Binocs for Kids ($31) come into play.

These binos are great for kids as young as 3 years old and come in various colors to help you customize a pair for your little one. Obuby Real Binocs were specifically designed for kids, and there’s soft rubber around the eyes to prevent any accidents.

The binoculars’ body has been crafted with smaller hands in mind, meaning kids can use these as effectively as an adult can use their own. The smallest of hands on the youngest of users might struggle to adjust some settings, but that’s true with anything needing more advanced fine motor skills. 

Further, these binos were created with an added level of rubber on the outside to combat the inevitable bangs and drops that come when giving a child the responsibility of holding onto a usually delicate piece of equipment — just be wary of the lenses. 

While the Obuby Real Binocs’ construction is impressive, they also boast a pretty solid viewing experience for kids. The high resolution that results from the 8×22 optics is more than enough to help children gain a little added appreciation for the natural world beyond their scope of vision.

When a set of full-size binoculars just isn’t in the cards, taking a monocular can be an excellent lightweight replacement while giving up little in the glass department. The Nocs Provisions Zoom Tube 8×32 ($75) hits the mark perfectly, offering an 8x magnification and fully multi-coated lens.

We first took our Zoom Tube into the field on a cross-country traverse of Alaska’s Chugach State Park during the autumn — prime wildlife viewing season. We were traveling light and greatly appreciated the small footprint of the Zoom Tube in our hip belt pocket. 

In practice, the Zoom Tube became the most borrowed piece of kit on the whole trek, pulled out to spy on rutting moose, Dall sheep, and mother grizzlies with their cubs. It takes a steady hand to balance the tube in front of your eye, but once you’re locked on a target, it’s easy enough.

Light precipitation was no match for the Zoom Tube’s IPX4 waterproofing, which protects it from splashes, no matter the direction. When it did rain, we used the included microfiber cloth to blot the lens before packing it away.

There’s even a standard tripod thread in the bottom of the monocular, meaning you could set up for an extended period of glassing. And at 8.5 ounces, the Nocs Provisions Zoom Tube undercuts every other scope in this review by a wide margin when it comes to weight and size.