Kids Binoculars

[Bubblehide]

So, for those of you with children that are exhibiting an interest in hunting, and want their own binoculars, what are you getting them? How old are they? are you still looking to purchase them their own binoculars?

 

[go_deep]

Votex Diamondbacks, let them have at them lifetime warranty. Bought a pair for my kids when they were 6 and 8

 

[Lionhound1975]

I bought my son a Yosemite 6x30 when he was 10. It was a perfect bino for him, adjustable for even small children's faces and the 6x produces a very bright image and is easy to hand hold. Having his own binos kept him interested when out scouting or hunting and he learned how to take care of his own gear without me worrying that he was going to drop or lose a significant financial investment.

 

[ndayton]

For my younger kids 6-8 they use an old pair of Vortex crossfires, if they break them or lose them I wont lose any sleep over it.
For my teenagers Vortex Viper or now my old Razors as I want them to have no excuses for not finding animals.

 

[P Carter]

Bought a cheap Celestron 8x32 and, later, leupold Yosemite 8x30 for my kids, now 9 and 7.

much better for them to have their own than try to pass back and forth. And they need something you don’t have to fret about getting dinged up. More pleasant for everyone.

 

[Bubblehide]

Thanks for the reply, please keep them coming

 

[TexaninSconny]

Maven C2 7x28 is another option. Lifetime warranty as well.

And as long as you are getting something with the lifetime warranty I’d try to buy it used in great condition.


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[FullValue]

When my kids were younger I found a pair of used image stabilizer Pentax 10x30 that worked extremely well for teaching them how to use binoculars. The pentax actually had decent optics but the stabilizer made all the difference. When I had them try to use regular binos they would look for a minute but usually they lost interest because they had a hard time finding anything or using them correctly. With the stabilizer they would actually start to look and find animals and they learned what it was like to find things themselves. If not something like that, I would highly suggest getting a setup where they can use a tripod. It's amazing the difference a tripod will make for them and will make it more enjoyable.

 

[Trial153]

i just let my son use a pair of mine, my 8x32s els are fine for him, light weight and small profile. I just take my 10x. I figure I paid for good glass might as well use the shit out it

 

[Wassid82]

If I was set on binos then the mavens would be my bet. I've had several brands and I think they are stellar for the money. In fact I have a pair as a back up that I leave in the truck in case crap hits the fan on one of my hikes/hunts. But my son and daughter are 12/13 and binos were not very helpful.....they had a hard time keeping them steady or seeing far away. I switched to a kowa spotting scope for like 200 and I am grateful for the change. they can glass for longer periods of times and longer distances. Its helped them stay engaged better.

 

[Bubblehide]

Okay, simi full disclosure, I have a very different reason for asking.

 

[huntfishtrap]

Leupold BX-1 Rouge 8x25mm, 8 years old. Got a nice little strap/case for it too so it doesn't fall off him.

 

[Hoodie]

I think it´s hard to top the Leupold Yosemite 6x. I was shocked at how good they were when I got my hands on a pair.

Probably about as good as it gets for a hundred bucks.

Porro prisms in general often punch above their price range when it comes to image quality. And 6x is very user friendly as far as eye placement, shake, etc.

 

[rclouse79]

Your old ones! It gives you an excuse to upgrade. That is what I did. If you are a swaro guy my advice probably isn’t worth much.

 

[P Carter]

I’ll second the use of a tripod. I just started using one this year, and it’s great for kids. You can find the animals, have them come over and take a look, then go back to whacking the ground with sticks, feeding a small fire, imaging battling with a dragon or whatever else their brains are up to at the moment.

 

[TBO_Jason]

A few years ago, I geeked out on Binoculars. Especially ones that hit above their weight. I'm not into it as much these days, but there are some things I think you should consider.
My advice is 1) wide field-of-view; 2) lightweight, and 3) less than $200. They will see more stuff, have a more stable sight view, and won't get tired too fast. They will enjoy using them, and it won't cost a fortune when they lose them.
I suggest no more than 8x which provides a wider field of view, and acts more stable/forgiving. Keep weight not much over 16oz. The light weight really helps with stability, and arms won't tire as quickly, making for a more pleasant experience overall. In order to stay at that weight, and still have somewhat of a wide FOV, your objective lens diameter will be ~32ish. You can actually find some pretty good glass at this price point. I've used, and can recommend, these options, all under $200:
Sightron SII Blue Sky 8x32
Nikon Prostaff 7s 8x30
Vortex Diamondback HD 8x32
Celestron Nature DX 8x32
Athlon Argos 8x34

The Sightron Blue Sky are very popular, and well-respected, in the birding community as a good bang for your buck. Also, Celestron at ~$100. are better than the price. Diamondbacks are solid. The ProStaffs are a poor man's version of their Monarch 7, which are excellent. I have a throw-away set of the Athlons that I keep in my truck.

Buy off Amazon and send back the ones you don't like. I'd probably start with the Sightron Blue Sky and the Diamondbacks.

Good luck!

 

[Hoodie]

The Sightron SII Blue Sky is definitely another good option. I have the 8x32 for a backup/truck bino. Easily as good as a lot of the offerings in the $400 range for less than $200.

 

[Marbles]

I have a pair of Leupold Yosemite 8x30s that I'm keeping around for my kids once they are old enough. Glass is passable, on the smaller side, and pretty tough.

 

[ReddingArcher]

I bought my niece a pair of 10x42 Leupold's at costco, I cant remember exactly what model they are but for her they work great. Came with a bino harness and lens pen for like $180.

 

[Nick87]

Got a pair of vortex Diamondbacks from cabelas bargain cave a few years back. Not too expensive and I do t have to worry about something happens to them.