Best Compact Binoculars

For camping or backpacking, a small set of travel binoculars is a great addition to your kit. You can use them to spot animals, survey ahead, and turn them to the sky at night for some amateur stargazing. If you’re bird watching, small binoculars are practically mandatory, so you can see plumage clearly even at a distance.

And so, we’ve put together a list of the best compact binoculars available online. In our search, we’ve tried to include a wide selection, from inexpensive low-magnification models to higher-magnification, professional-grade optics. You’ll also find different fields of view, and different accessories to go along with your binoculars.

Another important thing to keep an eye on is the quality of the optics coating. Fully multi-coated lenses are more expensive than simple coated or multi-coated lenses, but they’re worth the investment if you want maximum clarity.

Are you ready to check out the web’s best small binoculars? Let’s begin!

Best Compact Binoculars

1. Nikon Trailblazer ATB

The Nikon Trailblazer’s BAK4 roof prisms provide a clearer image than you’d expect from a 25mm binocular.

Key Features

• 8X magnification
• 25mm objective
• 10mm eye relief
• 3.13mm exit pupil
• 429-foot field of view at 1,000 yards
• Weighs 9.9 ounces
• Fully multi-coated optics
• Fog-proof and nitrogen purged
• Rubber armored body
• Includes carrying case, lens caps, and strap covers

The Nikon Trailblazer is a compact pair of binoculars with a fixed 8X magnification. It’s 25mm objective lenses are about average for field glasses of this size, and it weighs just over half a pound. With a 429-foot field of view at 1,000 yards, these binoculars offer an exceptionally wide field of view, making them a good choice for hunters, or for anyone who wants to see a wide area at the same time.

The optics on these binoculars are fully multi-coated, which means all surfaces, including the prisms, have been treated multiple times for maximum reflection and clarity. The cylinders are nitrogen purged and fog-proof, so you won’t experience any condensation even in cold weather.

The one thing you do need to be aware of is that the Trailblazer has a small exit pupil, which requires you to have your eyes very close to the eyepiece for viewing. As a result, this is a poor choice for anyone who wears glasses.

Pros

• Very wide field of view
• Crystal clear optics
• 10-year manufacturer’s warranty
• Affordable

Cons

• Small exit pupil and short eye relief

This rugged pair of compact binoculars is an ideal choice for the rigors of camping and backpacking.

2. Bushnell Compact

The Bushnell Compact has a soft, rubberized grip that’s comfortable to hold onto.

Key Features

• 8X magnification
• 25mm objective
• 12mm eye relief
• 3.13mm exit pupil
• 114-meter field of view at 1,000 meters
• Weighs 12 ounces
• Multi-coated optics
• Fog-proof and nitrogen purged
• Rubberized grip
• Compact, dual-hinged design
• Includes a strap, nylon carrying case, and lens caps

The Bushnell Compact Roof Prism Binocular is a fixed, 8X magnification pair of field glasses that features a pair of dual hinges. Because of this design, it can be folded up small enough to fit in a shirt pocket, making it a great choice for backpacking, or for any application where space is at a premium. It also provides a clear image, with BAK-4 prisms and multi-coated lenses.

These binoculars are designed to be budget-friendly. It has a relatively short eye relief and small exit pupil, which makes it poorly suited for use with glasses. On the other hand, it’s well designed, with a comfortable, rubberized grip that makes it easy to hold on even in wet conditions.

Pros

• Clear optics
• Comfortable grip
• Very compact
• Affordable

Cons

• Small exit pupil and short eye relief

These binoculars collapse small enough to fit in your shirt pocket.

3. Steiner Safari UltraSharp

The Steiner Safari UltraSharp is specially designed for brightly-lit daytime viewing.

Key Features

• 8X magnification
• 22mm objective
• 11mm eye relief
• 2.75mm exit pupil
• 125-meter field of view at 1,000 meters
• Weighs 8 ounces
• Fully coated optics
• Fog-proof
• Rubber armored design
• Ergonomic rubber eyecups
• Includes a strap and carrying bag

The Steiner Safari UltraSharp is an ultralight pair of binoculars that weighs only half a pound. They’re ruggedly designed for the price, with a rubberized coating that’s both durable and easy to grip. The downside of their low weight is the objective lens, which is only 22mm in diameter.

Steiner compensates for this with some of the most brightly-polished prisms on the market, to make the most of your light source. This is effective in broad daylight, but in the evening or early morning, you’ll find yourself wishing you had a larger objective lens. That said, these binoculars are cheap, and they’re well-designed for their size and price.

Pros

• Very lightweight
• Great clarity for daytime viewing
• Durable construction
• 10-year manufacturer’s warranty
• Affordable

Cons

• Tiny exit pupil and close eye relief
• Small objective lens

These binoculars weigh only half a pound, adding virtually nothing to your day bag.

4. Bushnell Powerview

The Bushnell Powerview is the tiniest pair of binoculars on our list, tipping the scale at only seven ounces.

Key Features

• 8X magnification
• 21mm objective
• 10mm eye relief
• 2.6mm exit pupil
• 115-meter field of view at 1,000 meters
• Weighs 7 ounces
• Fully coated optics
• Rubber-coated body
• Includes a strap and carrying bag

The Bushnell Powerview offers 8X magnification in a tiny package. It’s collapsible, small enough to fit in any pocket, and weighs less than half a pound. At that weight, it’s easy to bring along anytime, anywhere.

As with the Steiner binoculars, this small size comes at a cost. The 21mm lens does an admiral job in broad daylight, but it just isn’t effective for evening or early morning use. Combine that with the small exit pupil and you’ve got a well-built pair of binoculars with fairly limited uses. That said, the Powerview is great at its primary job, which is keeping your pack as light as possible.

Pros

• Fits easily in any pocket
• Very lightweight
• Very affordable

Cons

• Not waterproof or fog-proof
• Small objective lens
• Tiny exit pupil and close eye relief

These binoculars are ideal if portability is your number one concern.

5. TASCO Essentials

Tasco Essentials offer 10X magnification, very powerful for the size.

Key Features

• 10X magnification
• 25mm objective
• 10mm eye relief
• 2.5mm exit pupil
• 88-meter field of view at 1,000 meters
• Weighs 10 ounces
• Fully coated optics
• Built-in fold-down rubber eyecups
• Includes a strap

Tasco Essentials are lightweight, collapsible binoculars that are designed to be carried in your jacket pocket. Now, let’s be clear. The housing isn’t as rugged as we’d like. It’s essentially molded plastic, without any waterproofing, nitrogen purging, or O-rings. Then again, you could skip your morning coffee for a few days and pay for a pair of these binoculars, so we’re not complaining much.

The Essentials’ 10X magnification is impressive given their size and price. You’ll be able to see a good deal further with these binoculars than you will with many compact field glasses. That said, with a 25mm objective, 10X is pushing the limit of how much light can be gathered. As a result, the Essentials are better used in bright daylight, as opposed to morning or evening.

Pros

• Strong magnification
• Inexpensive

Cons

• Tiny exit pupil and short eye relief
• Cheap housing

This is a good choice of binoculars if you’re looking to spend as little money as possible.

6. Swarovski Optik El Swarovision

Swarovski Optik El Swarovision is the Cadillac of binoculars if Cadillacs were self-driving and could also fly.

Key Features

• 8.5X magnification
• 42mm objective
• 20mm eye relief
• 4.9mm exit pupil
• 133-meter field of view at 1,000 meters
• Weighs 1 pound, 11 ounces
• Fully multi-coated optics
• Fog-proof and xenon purged
• Enhanced HD glass and prisms
• Proprietary Swarovision lens and prism coatings
• Includes a strap, carrying bag, lens caps, and microfiber lens cloth

Swarovski Optik El Swarovision Binoculars are, bar none, the best compact binoculars on our list. They’re also the most expensive by a longshot, but you get what you pay for. These binoculars have 42mm objective lenses with a comfortable, relaxed 20mm eye relief and a generous 4.9mm exit pupil. As a result, they’re easy to look through with or without glasses.

The fully multi-coated optics and prisms are multi-coated not just with a standard broadband coating, but also with Swarovski’s proprietary Swarovision coating, further enhancing color and clarity. The tube is fog-proof and xenon purged, so you’ll never experience condensation. And with a 133-meter field of view, you’ll never miss a thing.

Pros

• Very large exit pupil and long eye relief
• Wide field of view
• Exceptional clarity
• Lifetime manufacturer’s warranty

Cons

• Heavy
• Very expensive

If money is no object and you want the absolute best binoculars on the market, these will not disappoint you.

7. Bushnell Legend

The Bushnell Legend Ultra HD is constructed from lightweight, heavy-duty magnesium, making it nearly indestructible.

Key Features

• 10X magnification
• 25mm objective
• 10mm eye relief
• 2.5mm exit pupil
• 340-foot field of view at 1,000 yards
• Weighs 8 ounces
• Fully multi-coated optics
• Fog-proof
• Durable magnesium tube
• Includes a strap, carrying bag, and microfiber lens cloth

The Bushnell Legend Ultra HD is a powerful, fixed 10X magnification pair of binoculars with 25mm objective lenses. At 10mm, the eye relief is too short for glasses, but the 340-foot field of view is relatively wide, allowing you to scope out a large area for game.

These binoculars feature fully multi-coated optics to produce a bright image. They’re also fog-proof, immune to any type of water infiltration or condensation.

Better yet, the tube is engineered from magnesium, which is one of the toughest lightweight metals on the planet. And in case anything does happen, it comes with Bushnell’s lifetime manufacturer’s warranty, so you’ll get it repaired or replaced in short order.

Pros

• Wide field of view
• Lightweight
• Strong magnification
• Rugged design
• Lifetime manufacturer’s warranty

Cons

• Small exit pupil and short eye relief

These binoculars provide powerful, 10X magnification in a small package.

8. Carson RD Series

The Carson RD Series is a fixed 8X pair of binoculars that includes a full accessory kit.

Key Features

• 8X magnification
• 26mm objective
• 16mm eye relief
• 3.25mm exit pupil
• 356-foot field of view at 1,000 yards
• Weighs 9 ounces
• Multi-coated optics
• Fog-proof and nitrogen purged
• Can be mounted on a tripod
• Comfortable, rubberized twist-down eyecups
• Includes a strap, carrying bag, lens caps, and microfiber lens cloth

The Carson RD Series is designed to provide a wide field of view in a compact pair of binoculars. It delivers, with 356 feet of view at 1,000 yards. That’s not bad for an 8X pair of binoculars.

These binoculars have multi-coated optics and comfortable rubber eyecups that rest easily against your face. And the tubes are fog-proof, O-ring sealed, and nitrogen purged to prevent condensation.

On the downside, the lenses aren’t as clear as we’d like to see. The BAK4 prisms are plenty bright, but the lenses just don’t provide the same clarity you’d expect from an otherwise well-designed set of binoculars.

Still, the RD Series is a good value for the price and is lightweight enough to be worth using on a backpacking trip.

Pros

• Wide field of view
• Lightweight
• Enough eye relief for glasses
• Lifetime manufacturer’s warranty
• Affordable

Cons

• Limited clarity

These binoculars are designed to be mounted on a tripod for maximum stability.

9. Vortex Optics Raptor

The Vortex Optics Raptor features a rubber-coated body that can take a beating.

Key Features

• 8.5X magnification
• 32mm objective
• 14mm eye relief
• 3.76mm exit pupil
• 390-foot field of view at 1,000 yards
• Weighs 1 pound, 1 ounce
• Fully multi-coated optics
• Fog-proof and nitrogen purged
• Rubberized twist-up eyecups
• Rubber-coated body
• Includes a strap, carrying case, and lens cap

The Vortex Optics Raptor is an 8.5X pair of binoculars that offers a wide, 390-foot field of view at 1,000 yards away. It features a wide hinge that can pivot to almost any angle. This allows you to fine-tune the width between the lenses, creating a comfortable, custom fit that’s perfect for your face.

These binoculars are a tad heavy, weighing in at over a pound, and they’re also on the wide side for a compact binocular. That said, they provide a crisp, clean image, with fully multi-coated BAK4 prisms and optics. They’re also rubber-coated, sturdy enough to bang against a rock or a tree.

Pros

• Wide field of view
• Comfortable to use
• Durable design
• Clear optics

Cons

• Relatively large size

These binoculars are highly adjustable and have soft rubber eyecups to fit almost any face.

10. Celestron 71380 Granite Series

The Celestron Granite Series features soft, flexible eyecups that rest comfortably against your face.

Key Features

• 9X magnification
• 33mm objective
• 14mm eye relief
• 3.67mm exit pupil
• 378-foot field of view at 1,000 yards
• Weighs 2 pounds
• Fully multi-coated lenses with phase-coated prisms
• Fog-proof and nitrogen purged
• Twist-up rubber eyecups
• Rubber armored aluminum tubes
• Includes a strap, carrying bag, lens caps, and a microfiber lens cloth

The Celestron Granite Series is built like a rock, with rubber-armored aluminum tubes that are fog-proof and nitrogen-purged to prevent condensation. At 2 pounds, it’s on the heavy side for a pair of compact binoculars, but it offers a powerful 9X magnification with a bright 33mm objective.

These binoculars have multi-coated lenses, with phase-coated BAK4 prisms that produce a clear, vibrant image. They also offer a wide field of view, with a 3.67 exit pupil that’s large enough for comfort under almost any lighting conditions.

Pros

• Comfortable to use
• Crystal clear image
• Wide field of view
• Durable construction

Cons

• Heavy
• A bit pricey

These heavy-duty binoculars are an ideal choice if you need your field glasses to take serious abuse.

Bottom Line

As you can see, just because a pair of binoculars is on the small side doesn’t mean it has to be low quality. Sometimes, good things really do come in small packages, and some of these lightweight binoculars are true heavyweights in terms of engineering. Don’t underestimate any of them.

Now, which of these pairs is the best is going to depend on what you’re doing with them. For example, a wide field of view is better for hunting than a tight zoom, since you don’t need to scope out anything that’s too far to reasonably shoot. Conversely, bird watchers may prefer a tighter zoom, in order to see as many details as possible from as far away as possible.

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