The Best Binoculars of 2024

There are limitless ways to enjoy the outdoor world and just as many tools to do it, but perhaps no piece of equipment is as rewarding and versatile as the best binoculars for your needs.

We tapped one of our expert writers, Nick LeFort, who’s spent a lot of time looking at the world through a set of clear lenses to test an abundance of binoculars. Over the course of the last year, he’s tested some of the industry’s best to create a list that we think represents the best glass available.

This roundup, which has something for everyone, will help you decide which binoculars are right for you. Whether you want top-performing binos like our best overall choice, the NOCS Provisions Pro Issue 8×42, or you’re looking for a budget option like the Celestron Outland X 10×42, we have you covered.

If have more questions or want more information, refer to our buyer’s guide and price & value sections at the end of this article. They include any additional information you may need to make a decision on your next pair of binos. For side-by-side spec comparisons, check out our specs chart. Scroll through to see all of our recommended buys, or jump to the category you’re looking for here.

Editor’s Note: We overhauled our Binoculars guide on October 10, 2024, by retesting six binos for better comparative information and adding two new options, the NOCS Provisions Standard Issue 8×25 and the NOCS Field Tube 8×32. We also added a price & value section and revised the buyer’s guide to make it more helpful.

The Best Binoculars of 2024

• Best Overall Binoculars: NOCS Provisions Pro Issue 8×42
• Best Budget Binoculars: Celestron Outland X 10×42
• Best Birdwatching Binoculars: Nikon Monarch M5 8×42
• Best Hunting Binoculars: Maven C.3 10×50
• Most Durable Binoculars: Vortex Diamondback HD 8×42
• Best Binoculars for Kids: NOCS Provisions Standard Issue 8×25
• Best Premium Binoculars: Maven B1.2 8×42
• Best Monocular: NOCS Field Tube 8×32

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Binoculars Comparison Chart

Binoculars	Price	Weight	Field of View	Eye Relief	Magnification
NOCS Provisions Pro Issue 8×42	$295	1 lb., 8 oz.	429’	17 mm	8x
Celestron Outland X 10×42	$105	2 lbs.	289′	18.2 mm	10x
Nikon Monarch M5 8×42 Binoculars	$290	1 lb., 6 oz.	335′	19.5 mm	8x
Maven C.3	$500	1 lb., 12 oz.	251-262′	15 mm	10x, 12x
Vortex Diamondback HD 8×42	$290	1 lb., 5.2 oz.	393′	17 mm	8x
NOCS Provisions Standard Issue 8×25	$95	11.85 oz	357’	10 mm	8x
Maven B1.2	$950	1 lb., 10.7 oz.	347-420′	18.1 mm	8x
NOCS Provisions Field Tube 8×32	$125	8.9 oz.	405’	15 mm	8x
Vortex Viper HD 10×42	$650	1 lb., 8.6 oz.	341′	17 mm	10x
Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 10×42	$250	1 lbs., 12 oz.	342′	15 mm	10x
Celestron Skymaster Pro 15×70	$260	3 lbs., 3 oz.	231′	17 mm	15x
Nikon Trailblazer 8×25	$90	9.9 oz.	429′	10 mm	8x
Leupold BX-5 Santiam HD 10×42	$1,000	1 lb., 8.3 oz.	341′	16.6 mm	10x
Obuby Real Binocs for Kids	$31	5.9 oz.	378′	10 mm	8x
Nocs Provisions Zoom Tube 8×32	$75	8.5 oz.	384′	9 mm	8x

How We Tested Binoculars

Our Testing Process

At GearJunkie, we know how important it is for binoculars to deliver crisp, reliable vision. We also know you want them to be durable and easy to use. Whether you’re chasing down hummingbirds in your backyard, scouting for a bull elk, or glassing the night sky, you need to be able to do it efficiently and effectively.

We tested over a dozen binoculars (and a couple of monoculars) to see how they worked for different uses, budgets, and even hand sizes. The kiddos deserve to experience a stellar set of binos as well. We’ve focused the dials, taken them out in the rain, and maybe even dropped them a few times. We’ve put these binoculars through the wringer so you can, with confidence, too. 

Our Expert Testers

Reviewer Nick LeFort leads the charge on this guide. An avid outdoors enthusiast, he’s no stranger to the need for a good pair of binoculars. He also knows how to use them. He spent the summer testing out all of the binoculars on this list in a variety of environments and conditions. The whole time, the weather was hot and humid, which would have made any undeserving optics fog up and fail.

To make his final decisions, he focused on clarity, size and weight, field of view, and durability. He also enlisted the help of his daughters to ensure that the binos we picked for kids were certified by actual kids—not a long-haired kid at heart in his forties.

Kylie Mohr brings an additional perspective and knows the value of top-of-the-line binoculars firsthand. As an environmental journalist, she has accompanied snowy owl researchers out into the field in search of the beloved bird. Weather conditions at the northeast tip of Alaska are no joke, even in the summer.

Mohr spent long hours staring into binoculars looking for a flash of white on the brown and green tundra. Cold hands and biting wind made easy-to-adjust models extra important, and high-powered magnification was essential to find nest sites. If you’re primarily a hunter, check out our guide to the Best Hunting Binoculars of 2024.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose Binoculars

All binoculars are unique. Even within a brand, there can be a variety of aspects that make them completely different from one another. There are many different features and measurements to consider when trying to find the best binoculars for you. By working through our list and prioritizing your needs, finding the best binoculars for your needs should be simple.

We’ve also broken down the typical user profiles of binocular users to better assist you in determining which binoculars are best for you.

Binocular User Profiles

Birders

From birds to butterflies, avian enthusiasts need to be able to lock in on their subject and keep up with it. Many birds are similar, so properly identifying them can be tricky. Because of this, clarity is paramount—especially when panning and following these birds in flight.

Because of this, the preferred magnification for birders is between 8-10x with 40-42mm being optimal for objective lenses. This creates a valuable balance between magnification power and the ability to stay focused on your subject.

For the casual birder or people on a budget, we recommend the Celestron Outland X 10×42 binoculars. During testing, they proved to be great for everything but even better for birdwatching. For those who don’t mind spending a little more money or who are heavily invested in watching birds, the Nikon Monarch M5 8×42 will fit your kit quite well. We were overly impressed with their ability to keep up with birds with little to no distortion.

Hikers & Backpackers

Bumped, battered, and bruised — you’ll want your backpacking binos to be durable enough to put up with it all and not weigh you down in the process. This is where IPX (level of water protection) ratings and rubber coatings really come into play. Typically 8-10x magnification will get the job done outdoors, and an objective lens diameter of around 30 to 40 mm will keep things compact without going too dark.

In this case, NOCS Provisions sufficiently fits this profile. Both their Pro Issue 8×42 and Field Tube 8×32 are IPX7-rated, rubber-coated, easy to use, and provide optimal clarity in a variety of conditions. We’re happy to admit that the Field Tube struggles with changes in light during dusk, but during the day and then later at night, it does a solid job.

Using a binocular that uses roof prisms will also keep the profile slim, at the cost of a slight ding to the overall optical clarity. We are constantly reaching for our Nikon Monarch M5 binos for shorter hiking trips, and when going extra lightweight, one of our favorite luxury items to bring along has been the Nocs Provisions Zoom Tube 8×32, which always becomes the most-oft borrowed pieces of kit we bring. If you need the perfect pack to carry all your gear in, check out our guide to the best backpacking packs.

Hunters

For hunters, binoculars are just as important as their rifles. They need to be able to spot and track their prey from far enough away to do the job. Because of this, 10-12x is the preferred magnification power. However, since most hunting happens at dawn and dusk, they require more light to keep things crisp and clear. This is why an objective lens of 50mm is ideal.

Maven C.3 10×50 binoculars use ED glass lenses that have been multi-coated for clarity. This helps you focus in on your subject and allows you to keep up with them as they move through any complicated environment — like the woods or a field.

If you’re a diehard hunter who doesn’t mind spending a little bit more money to guarantee their results, consider Maven’s B1.2 8×42. Also, check out our guide to the best hunting backpacks for a way to carry everything in style and comfort.

Concert-Goers

Many moons ago, we saw David Bowie live from the second row and the Mohegan Sun Arena, and he was the size of a Barbie doll. Let’s face it — sometimes even the best seats are far away. This is where compact binoculars come in handy, especially ones with a higher field of view. Higher fields allow for a wider landscape. Overall, you’ll want something with a magnification of around 8 to 10x and a field of view of around 350-400 feet.

With a FOV of 429 feet, the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Binoculars make an excellent pair of daytime concert binoculars (as the smaller objective lenses won’t capture as much light). For evening shows, the Nikon Monarch M5, while at a somewhat smaller FOV, will still make the grade.

Stargazers

Telescopes are the be-all-end-all when you want to stare up at the stars. But, when you’re on the go, a powerful set of binoculars gets the job done. That said, you’re not going to find anything compact to get you to see the man in the moon. You’re going to need something powerful, and — in this case — that equates to size.

A pair of binoculars with a 50mm objective lens will let in a considerable amount of light, which also helps with clarity when you’re glassing the night sky. The Celestron Skymaster Pro 15×70 not only has that objective lens, but it also has a narrower field of view, which helps you focus on singular subjects rather than the skyscape.

How Do Binoculars Work?

Put simply, a binocular magnifies an image by utilizing three separate optical components; the ocular lens, the objective lens, and the prisms. These three pieces of glass work in concert to take in light, flip it, and project it for your viewing pleasure.

Those new to buying binoculars will notice a few significant numbers while shopping through different options. The magnification power, followed by the objective lens diameter, is the number you see presented as “8×40” or “10×42,” and it communicates very important bits of information.

Magnification

The first number is magnification, and is relatively easy to understand. This number indicates how many times closer what you’re viewing will appear to you. A set of binoculars with 8x magnification makes objects appear 8x closer. A set of binoculars with 10x magnification makes objects appear 10x closer.

This magnification is thanks to the ocular lens, a concave lens that blows up the image coming into the binoculars from the outer objective lens.

Objective Lens Size

The second number, the objective lens size, is a bit more complicated. At a basic level, measuring objective lenses gives you an idea of how bulky the binoculars are to handle.

Perhaps more importantly, this number indicates the length in millimeters across the lens and, in turn, how much light your binoculars let in when viewing. Higher numbers mean larger lenses and more light, resulting in brighter images. Binoculars with smaller objective lenses are smaller and more portable.

Prisms, Optical Coatings, and Glass Type

Prisms are the final component of the binocular puzzle. When light refracts through a concave surface like the objective lenses, the prism turns the image upside-down. Prisms right the image for final viewing.

We can divide prism design into two subcategories: Porro prisms and roof prisms. Without delving too deeply into each technology, Porro prism binoculars typically have a wider field of view, better depth perception, and more contrast.

Binoculars that use a Porro prism have offset eyepieces and objective lenses. The Celestron Outland 10×42 (as well as a few others on this list) share the same type of Porro prism and provide an incredible viewing experience.

Roof prism binoculars are a more comfortable shape to handle, with lenses and prisms aligned inside the binoculars themselves. This allows the binoculars they reside in to be more compact and durable, as the design is more stable. These designs are more expensive because special reflective coatings must be used to minimize the inherent loss of light caused by the design.

Optical Coatings

Lenses without optical coatings can bounce errant light around, creating a blurry and glare-prone pair of optics. These coatings are applied to both sides of the lens, tamping down some wavelengths of light and allowing for a clear beam of light to pass through them.

Optical coatings are applied in either single or multiple layers, with a multi-coat lens being superior optically. Prisms are also coated with optical coatings, with roof prisms receiving both a reflective coating and a phase-correction coating that ensures high-contrast images.

Glass Type

The types of glass used in both the lenses and prisms can also have a large effect on the overall clarity of your binoculars, and aiming for high quality here is also the best bet. Common formulations are BaK-4, also known as barium crown glass, or BK-7, a cheaper alternative. If a perfect view is what you’re after, aim for BaK-4.

Extra-low Dispersion Glass, or ED glass, helps to limit color defects that can occur when light splits up slightly after passing through the lens system. This is a more expensive glass we often find in higher-end binoculars. 

Field of View

The field of view is a critical piece to consider when buying binoculars. The field-of-view measurement denotes the width you’ll be viewing through your lenses. Our favorite binos for birdwatching, the Nikon Monarch M5 8×42, and our favorite premium pair, the Maven B1.2 8×42, were especially notable for their crisp and clear field of view.

A wide field of view offers users the opportunity to see more of an area, whereas a smaller field of view is more zoomed into a smaller geographical space. The relationship between objective lenses and magnification and binocular design, in general, plays into the field of view measurement.

The field of view is presented in either feet or degrees. Most high-quality binoculars have a field of view between 6 and 8 degrees, or 300-400 feet when viewing a spot 1,000 yards away.

If you wear glasses, it should be noted that binoculars with a wide field of view often have shorter relief and may not be the best choice.

Optical Adjustments

Eye Relief

Eye relief is most significant for those who wear eyeglasses, but it applies to all binocular users who might not immediately understand that a small gap between their eyes and the eyepieces is necessary to see the entire field of view.

The distance your eye should be away from the eyepiece typically measures between 5 and 20 mm. Eyeglass-wearers should seek out binoculars with an eye relief measurement long enough to accommodate their glasses, which is typically at least 10 mm. At 19.5 mm, the Nikon Monarch M5 has the most eye relief of all our favorite binos.

If you don’t wear glasses but found the perfect pair of binoculars that happen to have long eye relief, don’t fret! Most binoculars have extendable rubber-coated eyecups. This serves as a correction and makes binoculars usable for both those with and without glasses.

Interpupillary Distance

Everyone’s face is different, and because of that, you’ll need to set the distance between your eyes (or, the interpupillary distance) to ensure that the image you see is combined between the barrels.

To do this, simply compress or expand the barrels of the binoculars together or apart until your eyes can comfortably see through both eyepieces. This will marry the two images together into one cohesive view.

Diopter Focus Adjustment

In the same way that pupil distance can vary, so can the actual focus between each eye. Because of this, dialing in the focus between the barrels of your binoculars is a surefire way to ensure you don’t get double vision during long viewing sessions.

Most binoculars worth their salt will incorporate a diopter adjustment ring into the eyepiece of one barrel of the binos to accommodate for the variations in focus. To set it, first set the diopter ring (commonly on the right eyepiece) to zero. Then, view through the binoculars with only the barrel that does not have the diopter ring, either by closing your other eye or blocking it with your hand. Using the focus wheel, bring the image into sharp focus.

Once your focus is set in your non-adjustable barrel, then uncover the diopter barrel and use the ring to dial in the focus until it is sharp in that eye as well, while covering the barrel you’ve already adjusted. Once you’ve completed this, both eyes should be adjusted for a crisp, clear image from both barrels. 

Collimation

Binoculars are tools, and since a good tool is meant to be used, they can become knocked out of alignment from time to time. Specifically, the internal prisms can sometimes become unphased with one another, meaning that the image seen is blurred or doubled. To fix this, you’ll need to collimate your binoculars, which we assure is a much more frightening word for bringing images into alignment. 

To be clear, collimation is most often best left to the professionals, and consulting your warranty is an excellent first step toward getting your binoculars collimated. Collimation can also be attempted at home, but this is outside of the scope of this review.

Close Focus Range

Virtually all makes and models of binoculars prioritize focusing on objects in the distance. However, all binoculars are also capable of focusing on items much closer.

The close focus range on a pair of binoculars is the measurement given to the closest distance that a specific pair of binoculars can focus. This distance enables users to examine intricate details of nearby objects. This distance is at least 25 feet for most binoculars.

The close focus range of higher-quality binos comes in at under 10 feet, with the Vortex Viper HD 10×42 having the closest range — 5.1 feet — on this list. Great for getting up close and personal with whatever you’re sighting! 

Exit Pupil and Relative Brightness

The exit pupil is the small pinpoint of light seen in the eyepieces when you hold them at a distance. The larger the diameter of this pinpoint, the more light that is allowed to pass through. This figure is easy to calculate by dividing the objective lens diameter by the magnification power.

For example, a pair of 8×42 binoculars would yield an exit pupil of 5.3 mm. This number can be used to compare binoculars and the relative brightness of the image they provide.

Packed Size & Weight

Depending on your desired use, the size and weight could be key considerations. When you’re hiking and hunting, having the lightest pair possible will make trekking that much more enjoyable. We also like having a small pair handy in the car in case a good animal peeping opportunity arises. Our favorite compact binoculars for adults are the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 Binoculars, NOCS Provisions Standard Issue 8×25, and the much pricier Maven C.3.

Price & Value

Binoculars on our list range in price from around $30 to $1000. Some higher-end models out there will cost a few thousand dollars. While the cheaper pairs that we recommend on this list are high quality relative to their price (or they’re for kids), it is important to realize that there is a reliable relationship between price and overall quality of glass. If you’re seeking high quality binoculars able to hold up to active use and the elements, we recommend investing in the best pair you can afford.

Budget

The lower-priced options ($30-175) on our list include binoculars for children, monoculars from NOCs, and our budget pick, the Celestron Outland X 10×42 Binoculars ($105), which are a good entry pair of binoculars if you use them only periodically or are looking for a second pair.  The Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ($90) is a compact option, but it doesn’t allow as much light in as pricier, full-sized models.

Mid-Tier

Spending a bit more can get you a lot more in the binocular realm, and for $250-300 ,there are plenty of excellent options. Typically, those that fall in this tier will have better glass and improved durability, including higher IPX ratings.

Our best overall pick, the NOCS Provisions Pro Issue ($295), is still a killer value given its extended field of view, close focus range, and overall adaptability between activities. The Nikon Monarch M5 8×42 ($270) excels in all light conditions and requires very little adjusting, making it ideal for birdwatching where you need to be fast on your feet.

The Vortex Diamondback HD binoculars ($240) and the Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 10×42 ($250) have above-average optical quality, which means they both compete with any other pair of binos on the market. And, if you want a pair suited for the night sky, check out the Celestron Skymaster Pro 15×70 ($260).

Premium

Top-of-the-line binoculars can range from $500 to $5,000. The ones on our list top out at $1,000.  At this price point, you’ll get the best glass available. The pricier the pair, the better the glass, and typically the better they perform in low-light conditions, but this may not mean they are better for how you want to use them.

Our favorite premium binoculars, the Maven B1.2 8×42 ($950) have a stellar field of view, the clearest glass and a durable build that will last. Others in this realm, the Leupold BX-5 Santiam HD 10×42 Binoculars ($1,000), the Maven C.3 10×50 ($500), and the Viper HD 10×42 binoculars by Vortex ($650), all have top-of-the-line glass that allows you to see details with great clarity. Which one you choose will depend on your primary use.

Frequently Asked Questions