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I have been in the market for a decent pair of binoculars for quite some time now. I like many others have tried the cheap ones but unless youre watching birds at the bottom of your garden they just dont cut it. Especially in poor light conditions. So I decided to try some thing better. Now we all know the top brands and we all know just how expensive they are. Some will say you only get what you pay for. And it most cases this may be true but not all. Especially in this case. As with all top brand names they can be just to expensive for most people, Including me. I was recently lucky enough to try some well known and expensive binoculars about È500 I think they cost. And I have to say they were fantastic. But way out of my price range. So after some searching, I found some that looked promising (well on paper). Their products seemed just what I was after. So after reading the data on their website (very helpful ) I opted for a pair of 8x32. An added bonus they were waterproof. So I took the plunge and ordered them. They came within a day or so.

What you get, instruction manual, good quality carry case and a lens cleaning cloth. Specs are as follows:

Magnification 8x
Objective lenses 32mm
Prisms BAK-4 roof prisms
Coatings level IV
Body Length 12.5cm
Finish rubber armour
Field of view 7.4 degrees
Exit pupil diameter 4mm
Weight 0.7kg

Also with these the objective lens covers are built into the rubber so you can't lose them. Just flick them up or down. It also makes them very quick to remove and replace. They have twist out eye cups so will suit those who do or do not where glasses.

They look and feel solid and of very good build quality. They are small enough to fit in your glove box, rucksack or pocket on the front of a coat. They are very easy to hold for long periods, and feel just right in the hand. I wanted these to use when I go stalking, shooting, and just general watching of nature. So the fact these are waterproof is great.

The exit pupil is defined as the lens size / magnification, so for 8x32 its 32/8=4mm In sunlight your eye's pupil will contract to a size of 2-4mm. But at night they'll open to 7mm (depending on age). If the light beam is wider than your pupil if can't all get through, so binoculars with 4mm exit pupil size seem as bright as those with 6mm in daylight. However they may seem dimmer than those with 6mm as it gets darker. This is a trade off for size and weight I was prepared to take.

I tried these at the weekend whist decoying and watching for flight lines over some fields. They were very clear and crisp at close and very far distances. Even as the light faded they continued to perform well and seemed bright and clear.

I went out again on Sunday, more of a nature walk and to try a bit tracking. I sat for a while watching some hares playing. And they performed well. Everything crisp and clear. Even at about 300 yards looking at some deer. They have a good field of view at distance. Which makes it easy to pick things up quickly. At one point it became over cast and quite dark. And looked at a good down pour. They still worked well and whilst I hoped it would rain, so I could test them in the rain. It soon blow over and it was bright and sunny once more.

I look forward to trying them on my next outing and sadly hope it rains so I can try them in damp and wet conditions. These performed as well as they others I loaned that cost 3-4 times the price. If youre looking for a 500-600 pair of binoculars but dont have the money. Then get these, they performed just as well.

I have no connection to Strathspey this is my personal view.