Best boat binoculars: 3 best options on the market

For sailors, choosing the best boat binoculars can be a difficult task. Which areas should you seek to focus on?

Every sailor knows this moment of anguish as you make a difficult entry into an unfamiliar port. Chances are the sea conditions are pretty high, the light is bad, and despite the best planning in advance, things don’t seem to be quite right.

The crew is counting on you as the skipper to bring them in safely. But what you do see are crashing waves, a lot of light coming from the shore, and an image that you cannot yet match with your entry shot. This is when you need a serious pair of binoculars.

This £ 40 entry-level pair from the hardware can come in handy in easy conditions, but when the going gets a little more serious you’ll never regret kitting yourself with a set that can cut the knots. hardest things and find that radio mast or buoy.

When choosing a pair of binoculars, several factors should be taken into account. First, for the maritime environment, they must be waterproof and, as far as possible, shockproof.

A yacht is a tough environment, and when you really need to see, there is nothing worse than trying to look through a foggy lens.

Then look for a decent magnification. We find on our expeditions that a magnification between 7 and 10 is ideal (the first digit of your binoculars). Less than 7 and we have trouble finding our target from a distance. No more than 10 and they are difficult to keep stable enough on your target.

Equally important is the amount of light captured. This is the second number and, in simple terms, the larger the number, the larger the front lens and the more light is captured. This is critical in low light: we like to have a set with a front lens between 40 and 50.

Finally, the overall quality of the materials used is essential. Without going into the technical details, get yourself the best quality lenses and prisms you can afford (keeping in mind that binoculars do fall overboard every now and then!).

For marine navigation, we have come to love binoculars with a built-in compass. These have improved so much in recent years, and they now provide a stable, easy-to-see gauge that lets you take direction on whatever you see.

As you try to plot your route through a mass of lights, buoys and breakwaters, or to check the likelihood of collision in traffic, you will find this compass tool invaluable.

Here we have selected and tested three pairs of top quality binoculars that are worth considering.

Steiner Navigator 7 × 50 marine binoculars

The best boat binoculars for serious sailors (our top pick)

A superb pair of binoculars. Superb optics give a bright image even in low light conditions and the sporty autofocus system means everything from 10m to the horizon is in perfect focus. There is a built-in compass which has excellent lighting and damping.

The frame is really sturdy and Steiner claims that the Markrolon rubber exterior will withstand up to 11G of impact. Importantly, they’re fully waterproof and nitrogen injected, which means they won’t fog up in more extreme temperatures. Personally, I would like a rangefinder reticle on them, but it’s a little problem.

The only downside is maybe the Steiner’s are the heaviest of the three we tested at almost 1.2kg (if you want something lighter, the 7 × 30 version is almost half the weight). I’m told the UK Border Force uses these 7x50s and it’s easy to see why. They are worth every penny – so well that we bought them.

Marine suitability: 5/5
Image quality: 4.5 / 5
Value for money: 4/5

To buy Amazon Steiner Navigator Pro 7 × 50 marine binoculars.

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Fujinon Mariner 7 × 50 WPC-XL

Best boat binoculars: mid-range option

A great set of mid-range binoculars. The first thing you’ll notice is that the polycarbonate casing keeps them super light, at just 0.8kg. It really makes a difference when you scan the horizon for a while. These binoculars also have a long eye relief. Simply put, if you wear glasses, long eye relief means you can use your specs and experience no reduction in your field of view.

The lenses are of good quality, although we struggled a bit in low light. The only surprise is that the body is smooth and the lack of grip makes them a bit slippery in the wet. It’s a strange omission for the binoculars, but a small growl. The trade-off is that they’ll float with the addition of a buoyancy strap, which will one day prove to be a godsend. Serious value for money at this price.

Marine suitability: 3.5 / 5
Image quality: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5

Buy Fujinon Mariner 7 × 50 WPC-XL Binoculars on Amazon.

Leica Noctivide 10 × 42

The best boat binoculars for nature lovers

One of the joys of sailing is the natural surroundings and a great pair of binoculars like these will allow you to see birds, whales and mountains in spectacular detail. The Leica are superb. The 10x magnification is huge and the 42mm lens means light entry is huge too, but the overall weight is still very impressive at 0.8kg. In fact, these are as good as we’ve seen when it comes to binoculars.

They are of course over-specified for navigation and don’t have a built-in compass, but you’ll rarely use anything better. If anything is to find that navigation mark in the dark, it will be these. Then, once at anchor for the night, you have really wonderful binoculars to see the wildlife and the world around you. The clarity and color are a pleasure to see.

Marine suitability: 4/5
Image quality: 5/5
Value for money: 3/5

Buy Leica Noctivid 10 × 42 binoculars on Amazon.

You have not found what you are looking for ? Visit Amazon’s dedicated sailing page for more marine products.

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