If you are in the market for a new set of binoculars, you have to slow down a little and ask yourself what makes binoculars good? Well, you can get the best of everything if you are willing to pay the price. A great set of binoculars can cost over a thousand bucks but you can get a good set for pennies on the dollar.
You will have to compromise a little, that is just the away it works. The trick is to compromise only where it counts. You still want a quality product in the end or whats the point in making a purchase?
Optical Quality | 7 |
Magnification | 10 |
Size | 9 |
Weight | 8 |
Durability | 6 |
Overall Rating | 8 |
Somehow, the Apeman binoculars have managed to come out on top when it comes to price and to have very few compromises. How they did this is a little bit of a mystery. After several months I have yet to find a real weak point.
Optically they aren’t amazing but they are definitely good enough with plenty of power. I have worse binoculars that cost twice the price. These are ahead of fully half of the binoculars on the market regardless of the cost.
When it comes to size, even here the Apeman excel. They are one of the smallest and lightest binoculars you can get. Especially when you take the power into consideration. Most binoculars this size are very low power which the Apeman are not.
I will admit that there are more durable binoculars by a lot. Still, these are designed to hold up to the worst conditions and have had no issues performing in everything you can imagine. Rain, mud, muck, no matter where they have gone, they did well.
I wouldn’t want to abuse them to see if they break but I would say the same about any binocular. All in all, these have proven to be a solid choice. I worry about them no more than I do any other binoculars I have.
How Good are They?
Starting optically, these are astoundingly good for the price. They have all the features you would expect from much higher priced binoculars like multicoated lenses and a finely tuned roof prism. Images are always clear and vibrant.
They also have a ton of power at 12x magnification. This is far better than any binocular of this size or this price, much less both. Combined with the 25mm objective lenses, you get plenty of light transmission for bright images even in low light.
Size wise, these are one of the smallest binoculars I have owned at only 3”x2”x3”. They fit easily in a pocket or pack and weigh only 8 ounces. You can easily forget you are carrying them until you need them.
Their size is perhaps their greatest strength. They are so easy to carry that you will take them everywhere with you. These are the binoculars you are most likely to have on you when you need them.
Durability is quite good with a full rubberized armor to protect against any small dings they may take. This also provides a solid, anti-slip grip so you never drop them. It is quite a good combination that enhances their usability.
They are fully waterproof and resistant to fog if not fog proof. As long as you let them adapt to the temperatures outside slowly, you won’t have much of a fog issue. It you take them from your heated truck to a cold outside, it could be a problem.
These really are about the total package for a compact binocular. You are not likely to ever find anything as good for the price or anywhere close to.
What are the Negatives?
Being a budget model, there are a few points to mention on the downside. None of these are really a killer for what is ultimately a very good product. You have to take the bad with the good and the good definitely outweighs the bad.
The main concern that I have is the unsealed lenses. This leads to fog issues as described above. While this isn’t a killer, it can be a big negative depending on where you live and when you use them. I would have preferred a fog resistant coating at the least.
This doesn’t mean you will have to worry about displaced lenses. They are firmly supported, they just don’t have a seal to prevent condensation. It is tight enough that it keeps out water that isn’t vapor. It also keeps out dust so that isn’t a concern either.
The second negative I would give is that there are far better binoculars optically. They just cost a whole lot more. These are still in the top of the quality spectrum but not as good as some of the big brands out there.
If you can live with these few negatives, these are well worth the cost. They are worth more than the cost actually which is the most you could ask for.
The Final Word
Eventually it would be good to break down and get a really good set of binoculars. Until then, these serve the purpose very well. Even when you have a really good pair, these are the perfect backup just in case.
For the price, I think getting a pair of these to keep in your pack or in your truck is solid advice. There will never be a time you are not glad to have them. Binoculars are just one of those things you end up using more than you think you would.
In my opinion, go ahead and bite the bullet on these. If not for you, they make a great first set for younger hunters. I am sure anyone would appreciate these as a gift. They even look high-speed enough to impress anyone with a tactical persuasion.
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