Nikon Monarch ATB Binoculars - 10x42

Nikon Monarchs are the standard for intermediate priced binoculars. They are very bright and sharp and have similar functionality as my $800 binoculars (which i also love). The view is not just magnified but brighter because of the light gathering of the lens and very sharp. Best of all you can drop them in the water and hand them to your 3 year old without fear as Nikon Monarchs are rugged and waterproof.

I have bought roughly 20 pairs of binoculars over the last 15 years for a field crew conducting rainforest research. The Nikon Monarchs are hands down the highest quality binoculars I have found for under $600, and provide excellent value for the money. They are lightweight, waterproof, and do not fog (even in an area that receives ~ 5m of rain per year). The first two sets of Monarch binoculars that I bought 11 years ago are still going strong after almost daily use. These binoculars can hold their own with my pair of Leica binoculars costing $1,200-and these are considerably lighter.

great value, quality