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There are a number of people who use binoculars. We tend to focus mostly on the hunters but many sports fans and birdwatchers tend to use binoculars as well. The great thing about a set of binoculars are that the purpose doesn’t matter if the product is good.
That is the case of the Spectators by Wingspan Optics. They may be marketed for birdwatching but can serve some time hunting in the woods with no negative effects. Many of the conditions they are likely to encounter are the same.
One of the best things about these binoculars is their small size. While that may be less important to some, if you are heading out hunting you have enough to worry about without dealing with another bulky item. Having something you can pack away in a pocket is a huge asset.
But they can’t just be small and that’s it. Anyone could produce a small binocular if quality wasn’t an issue. In addition to the size they have to perform well optically. They should also be durable enough to survive what they may encounter in the field.
Luckily, these binoculars are quite durable and able to stand up to some of the worst conditions we may encounter. The optical quality is quite good. They may not be as powerful as some but they will be enough to give you an edge in the woods.
Sports fan, hunter, or both you can count on the Wingspan Spectator’s to do their job well. They work great as a take-along tool for those times you need them and won’t weigh you down. For the price, you could do a whole lot worse.
How Good are They?
Since these are a compact binocular, the first concern is size. At just over 4” long and 1” high, these are very small. You can easily slip them in a pocket or the side of a small pack. When you have something that can go anywhere easily, you are much less likely to leave it behind.
In addition to being small, these are also very light. Overall, they weigh less than a pound which makes for easy carrying but also for easy use. Unlike most binoculars this size, these are actually very good quality.
If you are going to carry them in your pocket, some extra considerations need to be made for their safe keeping. Like being shock proof for one and having some form of scratch resistance also helps. The Spectators give you both of these things thanks to its rubberized armor.
You are also going to want full water and fog protection if you use this for its purpose outdoors. You get that as well. They are also anti-slip to prevent dropping.
That about covers their durability so what about optical quality? Well, there are better optics out there but that is the case with most any product. These are still a very good set of binoculars. They are clear and bright with good image quality.
Best of all, these binoculars come with a lifetime warranty. If anything should happen to them, replacement is free and very little hassle. This makes them a much better buy than they would otherwise be, no matter how good they are.
What are the Negatives?
These binoculars do have a few negatives to them but they are fairly minor. It is all a part of the balance of cost vs quality. When it come to that, these binoculars are a good bang for your buck any way you cut it.
One of the biggest complaints is that these are only an 8x binocular. While that isn’t as powerful as many it is rather good for their size. In the end, if you are looking for compact binoculars, you aren’t going to be using them where you need a lot of power.
They also lack any multicoat on the glass. The 32mm objective lens does a good job at preserving brightness without the coatings but that would be a great addition. Most people will never miss it but if you use a lot of optics, you may notice the lack.
The lower power does give them a wider field of view in a trade-off. You may not be able to see details but you can scan far faster with these than you could a more powerful optic.
Don’t be dissuaded from purchasing these if you are after a budget binocular, they are well worth the investment and will serve you well. For most people, they will never notice much difference unless they use them in low light.
The Final Word
For the budget minded and those that want the ultimate in packability, these are the binoculars for you. They are solid and able to stand up to the worst weather you ware likely to be in. Even a few bangs and drops is unlikely to cause any issues.
The optical quality may not be the best in the world but it is far from bad. You can do a whole lot worse, even at this price point. For what they are, they work exceedingly well. Better than I would have imagined.
If all else fails, these do have a 30 day money back guarantee and a full lifetime warranty although I would still recommend them without this. All in all, they are a great little set of binoculars. They are a perfect companion to your hunting pack or deer stand.
