Get closer to the wild side of Ireland
Keen birder and Ireland’s Wildlife contributor Colin Barton puts the Meopta MeoStar 8×32 through its paces, and is suitably impressed. Pros: Great image quality — can rival the best optics on the market today. Very sharp and crisp, with great low light performance and a good wide field of view. Binoculars feel very sturdy and [...]
Pros: Stunning optics, high quality materials (including eco-friendly lead- and arsenic-free glass) and contemporary design combine to put this Japanese binocular up there with the best of the European competition. Bright, clear, razor sharp image practically to the edge of the field of view, coupled with excellent balance and handling makes the EDG a superb binocular [...]
Pros: tiny size, lightweight, outstanding performance and image quality. Amazingly packable — ideal travel scope or second scope for birding and wildlife watching situations where you need to keep down the bulk. Cons: pearlescent green perhaps not the most flattering of colours for a scope (go for black), low light performance not as good as full size [...]
Vortex Razor HD 10×42 Short Review Pros: good looks, superb ergonomics and tough, lightweight design coupled with premium optics and coatings make for a very compelling package that rivals top tier European binoculars. Stunning image quality and excellent handling make the Razor an absolute joy to use. The vortex VIP lifetime, transferable no quibble warranty [...]
Meopta MeoStar B1 10×42 HD: Short Review Pros: Outstanding image quality — superb sharpness, detail and brightness. Up there with the very best optics on the market today. Good wide field of view, excellent edge sharpness and great low light performance. Optically there’s absolutely nothing to criticise here. Body feels bulletproof. Amazing padded strap has to [...]
Vanguard Spirit ED 8×36: Short Review Pros: Very compact, lightweight yet robust construction. Excellent ergonomics. Impressive list of optical features for this price point. Bright, clear view with excellent sharpness and detail in the centre. Good general field of view. Good low light performance for a mid-size binocular in this price bracket. Cons: Softening of [...]
Meopta Meostar S2 Spotting Scope: Short Review Pros: Great looking scope. Robust magnesium alloy, rubber armoured body feels light and very tough. Wide field of view is exceptionally bright, sharp and detailed right to the edge of the field. Superb performance throughout the zoom range. Excellent ergonomics. Centre-ring focus dial quick, easy and accurate. Compact [...]
Elekon BatScanner Short Review Pros: Simple to use — just point and listen. Compact design ideal to slip in a pocket. Good sound quality and excellent microphone sensitivity. Scans across all frequencies so never miss a passing bat. Cons: Screw-on battery compartment cover would make changing batteries in the field a pain; a wrist strap [...]
Vanguard Alta + 233AO Tripod — Summary Review Pros: Extremely light, compact, easy to carry. Fluid pan head is smooth and easy to adjust, great features and quality feel. Excellent all-round package. Cons: Possibly a bit short in the leg for taller users. At 6′ 5″ I needed to extend the central column for comfortable [...]
Paramo Valez Adventure Light Smock: Short Review Pros: Light weight and convenient to carry; very comfortable to wear; easy to pull on and off; outstanding “directional” waterproof performance; windproof; quiet “low rustle” fabric; robust, despite it’s lightweight design. Cons: A bit short on pockets compared to a full-on outdoor jacket — but apart from that I [...]
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