Is it just me or are those binos with built in compasses all trash?

DangerousPirate

DangerousPirate

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I bought one on ebay and on shipping it must have been "damaged" (well, there is an airbubble in the compass - rendering it useless.) I got my money back and got to keep the binos, I have them as a backup now but only for the binocular part of them. This pair was a Aomekie 7x50 around 100 quid.

I ordered different ones now, and it was all fine with them when I bought them but after only one day at sea and the compass inside doesn't work properly anymore. No air bubble this time, but it's dislodged and offcenter, and also very blurry, too. I didn't drop them but I can't rule out they were bumping around quite a bit.
This ones a waveline with built in compass, also 7x50, around 95 quid.

Really don't see the usefulness of a built in compass if you have to handle it delicately like a raw egg. No one expects it to still work when you drop a brick on it but a little rough handling should be survivable... I had it around my neck the whole trip with moderate weather. No flat sea, but not yet stormy conditions.

Just me ranting a little bit because I bought them a month or so ago and don't have the receipt anymore.

Do you know how I can open the binos? I tried to find screws or anything but no chance. Or do you know anyone who would repair them at a fair cost?
 
My midrange compass binos are still working fine after ten years or so. I don’t throw them around but I don’t baby them either.

Pete
 
My Minox BN7x50DC binoculars are still working well after 6 years, albeit I have had to change the battery once as the compass is digital and projected into one of the eye pieces (like a head up display).
 
I've had my Steiner Commanders for about 30+ years now. They've been dropped a few times but still work brilliantly. In some ways, I wish they'd die, as I'd like some image stabilised binos.
 
I bought some Monk Optics binos, with integral compass, about £400 at the 2001 boat show. They have been excellent, and I would not be without a compass in a pair of marine binoculars, just essential I reckon. By cheap by twice.......
 
anoccasionalyachtsman said:
Email correspondence, eBay confirmation...
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I bought it in the chandlery directly. And they want a receipt. And I bought be binos with many other things, so I am not sure if or how I'd get my money back from them? I tested them before and it was all fine, even on the sea trip they worked fine, just somewhen later they mustve been damaged, anyways; that's the reason why I didn't keep the receipt or the box for that matter. Afterall I had them for a month and in river conditions they worked fine.
Norman_E said:
I must admit I never really saw the need for the built in compass which was not as useful to me as a hand bearing compass.
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There is no need for one over another, although I think Binos with compass help you take bearings further away and make things a little easier. Doesn't mean that you can't live fine and well with only a hand bearing.

langstonelayabout said:
My Minox BN7x50DC binoculars are still working well after 6 years, albeit I have had to change the battery once as the compass is digital and projected into one of the eye pieces (like a head up display).
Click to expand...

Funnily enough I was googling earlier this morning and found them, too. So I tried to find a price but the ones on amazon were out of stock and I didn't find them anywhere else. Do you remember how much they were? Digital Compass would make things so much easier. Especially considering how easy these analog ones break.. It also has other not entirely useless little but fun gadgets like barometer, stopwatch, thermometer etc. All things you don't need but are somewhat fun.
 
DangerousPirate said:
Funnily enough I was googling earlier this morning and found them, too. So I tried to find a price but the ones on amazon were out of stock and I didn't find them anywhere else. Do you remember how much they were? Digital Compass would make things so much easier. Especially considering how easy these analog ones break.. It also has other not entirely useless little but fun gadgets like barometer, stopwatch, thermometer etc. All things you don't need but are somewhat fun.
Click to expand...

As someone upthread asked, how about credit card to use their protection, or at least debit card to prove the date with the chandlery? If you have the date then their till and stock system would be able to find the transaction if they were feeling helpful. (Even the generally pants B&Q found one and refunded for me, much to my surprise).

My Minoxes were £494 from Amazon.
 
anoccasionalyachtsman said:
As someone upthread asked, how about credit card to use their protection, or at least debit card to prove the date with the chandlery? If you have the date then their till and stock system would be able to find the transaction if they were feeling helpful. (Even the generally pants B&Q found one and refunded for me, much to my surprise).

My Minoxes were £494 from Amazon.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I will check with them once I am back there. Probably tomorrow or the day after. I don't have my hopes up because I got rid of the box and the receipt. That was a bit premature, but in my defense: I had them a month or longer and they were alright up until I went into a bit bumpy sea once. Not okay in my book.

100 quid didn't seem too cheap in my book, but maybe I was wrong and should have aimed a little higher. But not so sure if I want to spend half a grand just for binos tbh. Thanks anyways.
 
Take your bank statement or credit card statement in:

If your goods are faulty and you don't have the receipt, you still have the right to a repair, refund or replacement as under the Consumer Rights Act. You just need to show proof of payment, such as a bank statement with the transaction on it.
 
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