Brunton Epoch Binoculars 10.5x43

Rating:
Summary: Could be better
Review: At first appearance these bondage clad binoculars, with their grey rubber armour and studded silver focusing rings, may appear a little strange, but after a few moments use the comfort and ease they offer for focusing becomes apparent and even begins to feel stylish. But should we judge this book by its cover?

These binoculars are aimed squarely at the top end of the market. I was lucky enough to pick them up at the British Birdwatching Fair and was able to compare them with all the contenders, and I found optically they compete with most of their rivals (the Swarovski ELs being the exception). What does make these stand out however is the close focusing of down to 3 feet, Ideal for the butterfly enthusiasts amongst us. Along with this goes Bruntons revolutionary new focusing system, which is finer and slower from 30 feet and lightening fast from 30 feet to infinity. Although this is not obvious at first, it soon becomes apparent when you switch from that distant highflying raptor to the flitting warbler in the bush by your side, the ease and speed with which you can swap is superb.

In low level light the clarity and brightness are easy to see, however in the very bright light white birds can appear to have a blue hue to them, which I found a little distracting, but this was the only drawback I encountered to their ultimately very good optical quality.

As for the accessories that come with these bins, the snap shut lens coverings are a good idea, however, I would personally prefer a rain guard style eyepiece cover. The carry case was a little large, but very useful for long term storage and protection. And the neck strap was too long (even at its shortest setting it hung around my stomach), although a bit of tape was all it took me to sort that out, and the comfort provided was very good and kept me from straining my neck on a long day in the field. The monopod and eyepiece extender (2x magnification) are a good idea, and prove a nice option for lightweight high magnification, but take slightly too long to set up for my liking, but that`s just personal choice (I`d rather carry a scope).

Overall they are an extremely good pair of binoculars, and most of my gripes were purely cosmetic.

Are these Binoculars good enough to compete at the top end? My answer is yes they are, they compare favourably with most others as I have already said. However, given that they are similarly priced to the Swarovski ELs, which are the benchmark at the moment and a brand that is well known and heavily promoted, it will take some doing for Brunton to break through. I fear that it will take a lot more than the interesting new features mentioned or even a more competitive price tag, to steal customers away from the well known and popular Swarovski or Lieca market leaders.