Wiser Precision BA-7 Sparrow Binocular Adapter
The more I hunt, the more I realise a linear correlation between glassing and success. Not just glassing up animals at a distance, but utilising my binoculars from spot-to-shot while closing the distance on a stalk.
I’ve never plotted a route to an animal, made my move, and not reflected afterwards on how the path looked totally different walking it than it did from a distance. For me, at least, that varied perspective means moving a little bit at a time and pulling up my binoculars at each point of concealment to look for my target, unknown animals that could spook, and landmarks. Although my binocular choice has changed over the years, the Wiser Precision BA-7 Sparrow binocular adapter has been a constant and indispensable tool, providing a steady view while in a tripod head or on a trekking pole on the move.
Nitty Gritty
- Fully made in the USA
- Arca Swiss machined aluminium base
- Stainless hardware
- Two-layer dyneema/nylon “Split Cynch” constricting strap
- Can be mounted on single bridge, dual bridge, or split strap configurations
- Under one ounce total
- The base is machined to accept a trekking pole tip
- Fits binocular barrels up to 3.125”
- Flexible “Cynch” strap fits contoured, tapered, and non-round binocular barrels
- Lifetime warranty
Always On, Nothing to Lose
I’ve used Wiser Precision’s BA-7 binocular adapter for a handful of years now, and frankly, I’ve forgotten I use it. My past experiences with tower-style adapters, where a pin of some sort is added to the binocular, and then the pin is attached to a tower after the two are attached to the tripod head, have been less than stellar.
I’ve forgotten the tower portion on occasion; I’ve struggled with the binocular rotating on the tower with both the Kramer Designs version and the Outdoorsman’s; and the above-described steps became annoying. In contrast, the BA-7 Sparrow is one single unit, “permanently” attached to the binocular, that I can get out of my binocular harness and into my tripod head quicker than it took me to type this sentence. No extra pieces, no extra steps, just very simply slide the Sparrow’s Arca-Swiss base onto any Arca-Swiss tripod head, tighten the head’s plate, and you are in business.
Easy Install
Installation of the BA-7 Sparrow is easy and takes a few minutes. On the bottom of the Sparrow is a small set screw that needs to be slightly loosened. Within the body of the Sparrow, the Dyneema/nylon cinch strap runs through a slotted arbor twice, in opposing directions, to form a loop. The slotted arbor is rotated by a hex head on the front face of the Sparrow. For most models of binoculars, you would slide the loop formed by the Cynch strap over the barrel, pull the cinch strap tight until there is about a finger’s worth of space between it and the binocular barrel.
From there, tightening the slotted arbor by turning the hex head on the front of the sparrow will tighten up the slack in the Cynch strap, and then the set screw on the bottom of the sparrow locks the arbor down. Again, it takes longer to type than installation, and Wiser Precision includes both L-shaped hex wrenches needed. The most tedious part of the process is getting the Sparrow at the correct rotational spot around the barrel to present the binoculars as level as possible. From there, set it and forget it…
Secure and Unobtrusive
We have five different brands of binocular harnesses in our household, and the Sparrow-equipped binoculars go in and out of each of them without a snag, hang up or hitch. Holding our binoculars, the Sparrow doesn’t get in the way of my grip, and similarly, the Sparrow doesn’t interfere if I use the cam of my bow underneath my binoculars’ barrels on the 3D course.
My experiences with the Dyneema/nylon Cynch strap are that I can bend the hex keys, tightening the cinch strap around the binocular barrel without the strap breaking, and I’ve never had a binocular move after within the Sparrow. I’ve used the Sparrow on a pair of 14X NL Pure for countless hours, with no loss of stability, unwanted rotation, loosening up, or fear of flopping a few thousand dollars of optic onto the ground. I have always been impressed that with egg-shaped and contoured barrels of the NL Pure binoculars, the Cynch strap seamlessly flows around and doesn’t bunch up or have a loose edge. I’ve also had solid lockup on cylinders as big as 3.125”, so the Sparrow will fit a wide range of binoculars and may even be applicable to some compact spotting scopes.
Using the Trekking Pole Feature
Perhaps the most underappreciated feature of the BA-7 Sparrow is the ability to insert the tip of a trekking pole into the bottom of the base and create a monopod. I find myself regularly picking out knee-high deadfall or rocks, preferably in the shade, that I can move to on a stalk. Doing so allows me to not need to adjust my trekking pole’s height, and just flip it over, set the Sparrow over the pole’s tip, and enjoy a view that is 100X more stable than free-handing. Considering that I am usually breathing hard when doing so, this stability allows me to settle into the view much quicker to get my bearings, check my target animal, or spot an animal I may otherwise spook before it is too late. The Sparrow’s trekking pole slot is machined with an O-ring groove, and an O-ring supplied, so that one can gain a tighter fit if their trekking pole requires.
Multiple Install Options
What if I have dual bridge binoculars like Swarovski EL, or the hinge is at the balance point of my binoculars? The BA-7 Sparrow can accommodate! For dual bridge binoculars, the Cynch strap can be slid out of the slotted arbor, wrapped around the binocular barrel, and then reinserted back into the slotted arbor easily. Each Cynch strap is also slit down the center for about 7” so that one half of the strap can be placed forward, and one half to the rear of a hinge. Shane Wise has an outstanding installation video, located here, that shows all three methods of attachment.
An Easy Yes
Overall, Wiser Precision’s BA-7 Sparrow delivers an unobtrusive, anvil-solid, USA-Made, too-easy-to-use, never-leave-it-at-home, lightweight, and multi-functional binocular adapter. Retailing under $50 (less than notable tower style adapter), it is definitely on my must-have list of gear!
Ask Kyle questions about the Wiser Precision BA-7 Sparrow here
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