Best Binoculars for Boaters???

[Babyboomer]

Best Binoculars for Boaters???


IF I had been a good boy this year...and IF Santa Clause was going to bring me some binoculars for Christmas... what kind should I tell him to get???

These from West Marine are kinda cool and at $100.00 (were $170.00) not too pricey. Santa's on a budget don't ya know. (Free shipping too on orders over 100.00)
7 x 50, nitrogen filled, water proof, and they float. I don't want 12 x 100 with compass and range finders, etc.
Is there better out there for the same money?
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/gA9evNJOVXg&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/gA9evNJOVXg&rel=0</a>

[themaniam1]

I really like my Bushnell marine 7X50s model 137500.  Nitro filled so no fogging, float, H20 proof.   They do have the compass and range finder but they are not in the way.  Very good optics.  I have used them a lot and they can take a pounding and have had no issues with them.  Mine have fallen from the top  of the cabin to the floor more than I would like and still work great.  Rubber humored so they are tough and do not slide all over the place.  The case is cheap and front lens caps are not attached but for the price, I would not buy any other.  I have use the WM ones and like the Bushnell better.

Good binoculars that float will have each eye piece focus separately.  This is what enables them to be water proof and float.  The ones with the center focus have o-rings were the eye tube slide in and out and they do not stay sealed over time. 

You do not want to go above 7 on the magnification because movement of the boat make it a nightmare to hold still.  The larger the objective lenses (front) the greater the field of view and more stable also but it also makes the binocular larger and heavier.  50mm seems to be a good max size.  You can get image stabilizing binoculars but they are really pricey.

That's my 3 cents worth.