VANGUARD Endeavor ED 8x42 Binocular, ED Glass, Waterproof/Fogproof, Black (ENDEAVOR ED 8420)

It was time for a new pair of binoculars for birding, but I did not want to spend $1000 to $1500 for a quality pair. Reviews pointed to the Vanguard Endeavor series and I'm glad I followed them. These 8X42 Endeavors are sturdy and waterproof and feel like they will last a long time (in any case, they come with a no questions asked Lifetime Warranty). They work well with my eyeglasses. The right-eye adjustment locks in place. Focusing is easy. They are brilliant and extremely sharp across the entire field of view (which is a bit narrower than expected). With the $50 rebate, they are 1/4 the price of top of the line binoculars, and you hardly give up any quality. (Full disclosure: Vanguard provided a gift to any purchaser who writes an on-line review-good or bad-at the vendor's site, so I should receive a lens cleaning kit for posting this).

The Quality of the image is second to none.... you would hardly see the difference against $1000 plus glass. Love the pouch and caps, great eye relief can wear with normal sized vision glasses, great weight for the quality of image.

Optics are great and fits hands well One thing that happened with mine was a screw came loose under the focus adjustment...re-tightened and alls well

I came across an amazing (1/2 off) deal on these Vanguard ED 8X42 lightly used at Amazon Warehouse so I went for it. Boy, I'm glad I did - they put my crappy old 10X50's to shame. Pros: - They're very high quality; they're heavy for their size but not so heavy that they're a chore to wear or hold like the 10X50's (which made your neck/arms ache after a few minutes). - The view is wide - the specs say 367 ft at 1000 yd; about 7 degrees - enough that you can see what's around your center of focus. - They're sharp as a tack - I can read newsprint at 20 feet - and the view is so bright it actually looks brighter than with bare eyes. - I see minimal coma at the edges. - The 3-position eyecups work well, the detents are firm, I don't have any trouble with them moving around with use. I can use them with or without eyeglasses without any problems. - The locking diopter adjustment is brilliant; one of the reasons I remembered these glasses over several others - once you have them set, you lock it and you're done with fussing. - The 3/4 turn lock-to-lock focusing is invaluable; focus is so fast. - The eyepiece slipcover is tight and easy to use, the objective covers are easy to slip on and off. - The neck strap is nicely made, with excellent stitching, made of thick neoprene. - The case is good quality cordura with a decent 1-way zipper. - The glasses themselves are rubbery and grippy; easy to hold without feeling cramped. Overall, top-quality kit. Cons: - The weight; they are made of solid metal, glass and rubber, not carbon fiber; the price reflects this. They're still 1/3 less weight than the 10X50's they replaced. - The bright lime-green plastic accents and thread are tacky, and should never have seen the light of day - but that's probably just me; they're tiny when viewed from a few feet away. - Unfortunately the case is so tight it isn't big enough to hold the glasses with the eyecups extended - so you're fussing with them all the time. - The glasses are somewhat prone to flare if a light is at about 80-90 degrees; worse than other lenses I've had. - There is some chromic aberration in very high contrast situations; enough that it is bothersome at times. (edited to correct chromic aberration comment)

I bought these based on reviews posted by Birdwatching.com. Just back from two weeks hiking - touring in Arizona and am very satisfied with my purchase. This is the first pair of "good" moderate size binocs I have ever bought ( I do have a Nikon 10x25 Sport that's great for football games) so I was unsure of what to get. Didn't want to spend $$$$$ but did want solid construction, ease of use and high quality glass. The Vanguard 8x42 ED is perfect for my uses at a very reasonable price. Let me say that they are easy to handle (medium size hands), easy to focus (glasses wearer), very bright with great clarity and color rendition. And not too heavy (2-3 hour hikes with moderate climbing) especially with the added harness. The magnification is just right as any greater would get too "shaky" to hand hold. The close focus is about 6' and really good for seeing details in objects (like the cacti at the Botanical gardens). I did get the optional harness (Steiner) that keeps them close to the chest yet easy to use. Well worth the extra money and a must have if hiking. The optics covers work well and so far I haven't lost a front cover but only a matter of time there I'm afraid. The rear cover attaches to the strap and is soft and easy to use. Lastly, the bright green stripes are a nice touch! I would definitely recommend these to anyone looking for a solid all around performer in a moderate price range.