What binoculars do you use?

I too use the Allgadgets ones. Very rugged, such that the children are allowed to use them under supervision. Compass lighting means don't use them unless in the open, under the canopy the compass isn't visible.

My ex ended up with the rather nice pair made in Jena and issued to U boat bridge crews:-( Easily the best binos I've ever used, seen or dreamed of.
 
Lots of posts on this question!!

We decided, as liveaboards, that being able to identify quickly and clearly where we were was more important that trying to save a few pounds, so we went for stabilised Fujis - great.

Look for discounts at trade shows - ours were £300.
 
W
Every 15 years or so I demote my birdwatching binoculars to boat binoculars and buy a new pair for birding. Since I use 10 x 50 bins for birding, that's what the boat gets. Invariably sailing "experts" slag them off for being too heavy and too powerful, but with correct holding technique (elbows pushed down until nearly touching) they are fine. I like both the extra magnification and also the brightness in low light conditions that the 50 mm lenses provide. There is also the obvious point that they are just the job for birding from the boat. My current pair are Zeiss and the next in line are Nikon.
 
I have the pair you mention from allgadgets and have been very pleased with them. They appear robust, the image is sharp and light is excellent.

And

At the end of the day, if they 'plop' then it would not be the end of the world, I am not scared of them so they can stay in the cockpit ready for use. If I had a silly priced pair, no doubt I would be telling you to buy a £500 pair of bins, but I would also be too scared to use them.

There is no point having the bins down below, IMHO.
 
My tuppence worth.

A couple of seasons ago I bought some "marine" bino's from Ebay.

They are rubberised, and are very clear during the day.

They have a reddish coating on the lenses to enhance daylight in the evening.

But at nightime, red lights on shipping is seen as whitish lights. So I cannot use them at night safely.

Just be warned.

Mj
 
My binoculars have a hard life, get dropped etc. so cheap seems best to me.
My last ones 10*50 from LIDL work very well and were very cheap - not very sure but about £15. We mostly sail on smooth water so the extra magnification is a bonus rather than a curse.
Alternatively the little cheap 8*20 ones are also useful if the light is good.
The ideal is probably 10*50 waterproof and rubber armoured - but they will cost
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and still get lost overboard.
 
The ideal is 7x50.

It give the greatest light vs mag vs usability on a boat.

It is no accident that marine bins are 7x50. They have been proved over and over to be the best compromise on a small boat.

Cheap bins really do not hack it against decent sized units, those little travel types are fine in the door compartment in the car or as opera glasses, but for proper use they just don't hack it. I would not be without a decent set of bins on board, £15 jobs from lidl are not decent bins, sorry.

I guess it depends if you cruise to new places or day sail. This is not meant to be patronising, but if I never left the Solent, some don't, I probably would not worry too much about equipping with good binoculars.
 
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