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Compact Bino's for Alaskan Cruise?

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Texaspainter
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1:40p, 4/17/26
AG
looking for a recommendation on a decent but not high dollar "compact" binocular for alaskan cruise. Don't want to break the bank here......maybe something like a 8x32???

What do y'all recommend?
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Spore Ag
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2:02p, 4/17/26
I love bringing increased magnification but hate carrying excess gear. Have further simplified travel by leaving back packs at home. Started traveling with a monocular. Fits in jacket pocket easily and quick to focus.
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Texaspainter
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In reply to Spore Ag • 2:05p, 4/17/26
AG
I'm most likely just using these from the ship...... I don't think I will carry binos to excursions.
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OnlyForNow
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In reply to Texaspainter • 2:47p, 4/17/26
AG
When you going? Fam is going first week of june
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AllTheFishes
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2:57p, 4/17/26
AG
You will be disappointed with 8x32's if you are only going to use them from the ship. Get a set of 10x50's or 10x44s and enjoy more light and better magnification.
If you are only using them from the ship then size does not matter. Go for larger and better.
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Texaspainter
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In reply to OnlyForNow • 6:08p, 4/17/26
AG
OnlyForNow said:
When you going? Fam is going first week of june

3rd week June
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Texaspainter
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In reply to AllTheFishes • 6:08p, 4/17/26
AG
AllTheFishes said:
You will be disappointed with 8x32's if you are only going to use them from the ship. Get a set of 10x50's or 10x44s and enjoy more light and better magnification.
If you are only using them from the ship then size does not matter. Go for larger and better.


I have really nice 10x42's. I guess that may work then.
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Col. Steve Austin
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6:19p, 4/17/26
AG
I had a pair of Nikon 10x50 and a pair of Nikon 7x20 our Alaskan cruise last May. Guess which pair I used the most? It wasn't the compact pair. Even on our two train rides I used the big boys. No comparison between the two. I realize 8x32 is a step up from my small pair, but I still think you will be disappointed shipboard if you like spotting wildlife and such.
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Spore Ag
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6:30p, 4/17/26
I have been on an Alaskan voyage and adamantly asked for use of binoculars. They provided so depends on your line.
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Texaspainter
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In reply to Col. Steve Austin • 6:31p, 4/17/26
AG
Col. Steve Austin said:
I had a pair of Nikon 10x50 and a pair of Nikon 7x20 our Alaskan cruise last May. Guess which pair I used the most? It wasn't the compact pair. Even on our two train rides I used the big boys. No comparison between the two. I realize 8x32 is a step up from my small pair, but I still think you will be disappointed shipboard if you like spotting wildlife and such.


Was it beneficial to take binos on excursions?
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Caladan
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11:28p, 4/17/26
Caladan
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In reply to Texaspainter • 11:43p, 4/17/26
Texaspainter said:
I'm most likely just using these from the ship...... I don't think I will carry binos to excursions.

A pair of decent 8x32's will be just fine for your purposes. We have been on multiple AK and Antarctic cruises, and have never found the need for anything more than 8x32 for viewing from the ship. One thing I would definitely not recommend is going with a 50mm bino. Yes, something like that would give you a brighter image, but a decent 32mm is bright enough to do what is needed. I can tell you with great certainty that the larger/bulkier/heavier a bino is, the less likely you will grab it as you are headed out the door. And when the day comes to pack for your trip, you will pick it up and wonder why do I want to lug this much around when I have so much other important stuff to carry?

On my trip to the Antarctic, I took a Leica 8x20 to stuff in my jacket pocket when on land (photo gear more important when on land), and a Swarovski 8x32 for when glassing from the ship. I was perfectly happy with that combo, and that combo gave me flexibility that a single 50mm could never do. And probably weighed less too.

As for a purchase suggestion - I don't know what "don't want to break the bank" means to you, but if you want to post what your budget is, I can probably make a useful suggestion since I have practical experience with binos of all sizes, in almost all price ranges.

C
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Caladan
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In reply to Texaspainter • 11:58p, 4/17/26
Texaspainter said:
Col. Steve Austin said:
I had a pair of Nikon 10x50 and a pair of Nikon 7x20 our Alaskan cruise last May. Guess which pair I used the most? It wasn't the compact pair. Even on our two train rides I used the big boys. No comparison between the two. I realize 8x32 is a step up from my small pair, but I still think you will be disappointed shipboard if you like spotting wildlife and such.


Was it beneficial to take binos on excursions?

I'm not the Bionic Man, but if you don't mind, I can put up a reply to your question based on experience. Binos are useful on many, but not all excursions. For anything other than an excursion specifically for wildlife viewing, I think that having a 25mm travel bino in your jacket pocket or backpack is worth the effort. If however your excursion is specifically for wildlife viewing, then you will definitely want a good 8x32 or perhaps even a 10x42, preferably on a harness.

After having been on multiple Alaska and Antarctic cruises, I have narrowed down my binos to an 8x25 to keep in my jacket or messenger bag, and an 8x32 for use on wildlife-specific excursions on small tour boats. On every cruise, it has indeed proven beneficial to have them when on an excursion.

C
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Caladan
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In reply to Spore Ag • 12:04a, 4/18/26
Spore Ag said:
I have been on an Alaskan voyage and adamantly asked for use of binoculars. They provided so depends on your line.

The above brings up another point - most of the cruises we have done have been on ships that provided binos in either the cabin, or in the lounge. In all cases, these have been extremely cheap binos that were not worth the effort to carry them around. And too, many we found were not even in collimation. If bino viewing is important to you, you will be much better off bringing your own binos that will most likely be lighter in weight, and therefore easier to carry with you.

C
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OnlyForNow
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In reply to Caladan • 6:25a, 4/18/26
AG
I'm guessing collimulation is both eye pieces being in sync?

Meaning a lens is knocked around in one of tubes?
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Caladan
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In reply to OnlyForNow • 11:32a, 4/18/26
OnlyForNow said:
I'm guessing collimulation is both eye pieces being in sync?

Meaning a lens is knocked around in one of tubes?

It is actually when one of the prisms is knocked out of alignment, which makes the two images out of sync. Older porros are not hard to fix if you know what you are doing, but newer binos are not easily re-aligned. I found out that the cheap binos that cruise ships have available for its guests are often out of collimation, since the guests don't make any effort to take care of them, and the ship's staff does not make the effort to occasionally check them.

C
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OnlyForNow
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In reply to Caladan • 11:50a, 4/18/26
AG
I have a pair of "bargain bin" Nikons that have this issue, can you give me any hints how to fix it?
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RCR06
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1:09p, 4/18/26
AG
On a recommendation from caladan I got my parents a set of 8x32 zeiss terra ed for a cruise they were going on to antarctica. They loved them. At the time they were on sale for $350, but a quick Google search shows they are back at reglaur price, $450. Caladan had a few other cheaper suggestions and one that was way more expensive.
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Col. Steve Austin
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In reply to Texaspainter • 2:34p, 4/18/26
AG
Texaspainter said:
Col. Steve Austin said:
I had a pair of Nikon 10x50 and a pair of Nikon 7x20 our Alaskan cruise last May. Guess which pair I used the most? It wasn't the compact pair. Even on our two train rides I used the big boys. No comparison between the two. I realize 8x32 is a step up from my small pair, but I still think you will be disappointed shipboard if you like spotting wildlife and such.


Was it beneficial to take binos on excursions?

Absolutely! We did the train trip up to White Pass and I was out on the platform glassing for wildlife and other sites quite a bit. We took the helicopter ride up to a glacier for dog sledding. Any excursion where we were going to be spending time in the outdoors I had the binoculars with me (along with the DSLR with 75-300 zoom lens).

We also did the train ride to Denali at the end our cruise. I spent quite a bit of time with the binos. Also when we did the bus tour of Denali they came in quite handy, especially when I was looking up high (and finding) Dahl sheep.
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Caladan
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In reply to OnlyForNow • 2:44p, 4/18/26
OnlyForNow said:
I have a pair of "bargain bin" Nikons that have this issue, can you give me any hints how to fix it?

If they are porro-prism binos, look for very small screw heads on the barrels. You might have to pull back the armor/leather/vinyl in order to see these. There should be at least two screw heads per barrel, at 90 degrees from each other. Turn the screws a very small amount and see if the corresponding image is adjusted. Turn until the view matches the other side.

Not all porros have external screws, and keep in mind that if you pull back the outer armor, you might have to glue it back on. I would not recommend that you do any of this to a high-end porro. Send it to a bino repair place. A cheap porro however might be worth the effort, especially if you don't care about its appearance afterwards.

I have not tried this on roof-prism binos, as none of my roofs have ever gone out of collimation. Therefore I cannot tell you if they adjust in the same way, or can even be externally adjusted in the first place. If your binos are roof-prisms, send them back to Nikon and see if they can repair them, and if they can't and they are still under waranty, see if they will just send you a brand new pair. I have found that often the bino companies would rather just send you a new pair of binos rather than do a warranty repair. This has happened to me twice.

C
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OnlyForNow
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In reply to Caladan • 3:12p, 4/18/26
AG
I'll check tomorrow and figure out type. Then post back up
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DatTallArchitect
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In reply to Caladan • 2:53p, 4/19/26
AG
Caladan said:
Texaspainter said:
Col. Steve Austin said:
I had a pair of Nikon 10x50 and a pair of Nikon 7x20 our Alaskan cruise last May. Guess which pair I used the most? It wasn't the compact pair. Even on our two train rides I used the big boys. No comparison between the two. I realize 8x32 is a step up from my small pair, but I still think you will be disappointed shipboard if you like spotting wildlife and such.


Was it beneficial to take binos on excursions?

I'm not the Bionic Man, but if you don't mind, I can put up a reply to your question based on experience. Binos are useful on many, but not all excursions. For anything other than an excursion specifically for wildlife viewing, I think that having a 25mm travel bino in your jacket pocket or backpack is worth the effort. If however your excursion is specifically for wildlife viewing, then you will definitely want a good 8x32 or perhaps even a 10x42, preferably on a harness.

After having been on multiple Alaska and Antarctic cruises, I have narrowed down my binos to an 8x25 to keep in my jacket or messenger bag, and an 8x32 for use on wildlife-specific excursions on small tour boats. On every cruise, it has indeed proven beneficial to have them when on an excursion.

C
Which travel binoculars under $300 would you suggest?
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Caladan
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In reply to DatTallArchitect • 5:30p, 4/19/26
DatTallArchitect said:
Which travel binoculars under $300 would you suggest?

If you just want something small and unobtrusive to keep in your jacket pocket, which it seems is what most people consider to be a "travel binocular", then the quick/easy answer is either a Nikon Travelite 8x25 or a Pentax U-series 8x25. Both can be found for under $140. Two others to consider that run much closer to $300 are the Kowa 8x25 roof prism, and the Zeiss Terra ED 8x25. I've not used the Kowa, but I can say that if you can find a Terra ED for just a bit over $300, then it would well worth considering, especially if one is going to have just one bino to take on vacation. Certainly the Terra ED is the lowest I would go if I were to have just one binocular for travel.

That being said, I would not recommend taking just one 25mm bino on a trip/cruise to Alaska or the Antarctic, as for those areas I would consider a bino of that size to be more of a "just in case" type of bino. For those areas, if you are going to just take one binocular, then I would definitely recommend an 8x32 as a minimum (10x32 would be fine if it is a high-end bino, but there is no 10x32 in your price range that I would recommend). Look at the Nikon 8x30 Prostaff 7 and the Kowa SV II 8x32, which is currently on sale at Kowa's website for $149.

If you desire an even bigger objective lens within your price range, look at the 8x42 Nikon Prostaff 7, the Kowa SV II, and the Athlon Midas UHD Gen II, which is the one with the black body and orange trim ring on the focus wheel. There is not any 10x42 in your price range that I would recommend. I would also recommend a Rick Young bino harness if you are going to go with a 42mm or larger bino. This harness can be worn as a regular harness, or can be used around the neck like a regular neckstrap. It is quite versatile, while weighing just a few ounces.

C
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Whoop Delecto
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In reply to Caladan • 8:30p, 4/19/26
AG
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Marauder Blue 6
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10:21a, 4/20/26
AG
I prefer to travel light and compact so I've used a simple monocular like the one linked below on multiple Alaskan cruises. It's small enough to fit in a jacket pocket or the water bottle pocket of my backpack.

https://www.amazon.com/Pankoo-Monocular-Telescopes-Watching-Traveling/dp/B088D5JNSN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=27KCWNM4ZAHZN&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.xIl1A6jdELT540LlZFRWiXaWoZY9oZA7JCTju_JtghKo54gmgeFsoMY3Hs0ITOyi_OhpZJ_hdI7NMVW1aiwVBEDQYn4_inx7J5OWrGhAp6cgIQb9i4lOXhXsxjpp5OpIG2uTUPWKCgWgxzVmZBCtDoO058i0ckilmXBFmLsKux6H3FcjCgFbguc5iOc3c_e3zLcz3SdRCHSMWUMwkgw2fKqPdpkPHhH8BsIXRXRTE3M.Q6erZWRCGFMykzH6fq1I15n0TPfJVj9HlLVRS6NJ98k&dib_tag=se&keywords=40x60%2Bmonocular&qid=1776698330&sprefix=40x60%2Bmonocul%2Caps%2C312&sr=8-1&th=1


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DatTallArchitect
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In reply to Caladan • 9:25p, 4/20/26
AG
Appreciate it! I'll have to keep an out for those Zeiss Terra EDs. I have some good binoculars that are larger, and am looking for something light to take along on an Alaskan cruise next summer. This thread inspired me, and thankfully I can afford some patience since I have a little over a year before we go.
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FIDO*98*
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In reply to Texaspainter • 11:53a, 4/21/26
AG
Texaspainter said:
I'm most likely just using these from the ship...... I don't think I will carry binos to excursions.


I highly recommend doing the Helicopter Tour to a glacier and binoculars are worth taking
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Texaspainter
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In reply to FIDO*98* • 3:53p, 4/21/26
AG
FIDO*98* said:
Texaspainter said:
I'm most likely just using these from the ship...... I don't think I will carry binos to excursions.


I highly recommend doing the Helicopter Tour to a glacier and binoculars are worth taking

yes we already booked the helicopter glacier tour.
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Ol Jock 99
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11:15p, 4/29/26
AG
Caladan, Scheels has their Leupold McKenzie's on deep discout. Thoughts on them as a general travel/kids/truck bino?

https://www.scheels.com/p/03031702949/?store=96&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=23562518396&cq_con=193170011213&cq_term=&cq_med=pla&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23562518396&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2MbPBhCSARIsAP3jP9yDh1cDO2PgbFRco9mMbhqvAZVoKXk31an7iBwApW-g0Bg__ezagkcaAvtfEALw_wcB
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Caladan
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In reply to Ol Jock 99 • 12:04a, 4/30/26
Ol Jock 99 said:
Caladan, Scheels has their Leupold McKenzie's on deep discout. Thoughts on them as a general travel/kids/truck bino?

https://www.scheels.com/p/03031702949/?store=96&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=23562518396&cq_con=193170011213&cq_term=&cq_med=pla&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23562518396&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2MbPBhCSARIsAP3jP9yDh1cDO2PgbFRco9mMbhqvAZVoKXk31an7iBwApW-g0Bg__ezagkcaAvtfEALw_wcB

Hello,

My concern with the Leupold is its short (IMO) eye relief of 12mm (per their website). Unfortunately, I've never used one of these so I can't comment on them, but I will say that they are highly likely to be difficult to use while wearing sun/eyeglasses. Certainly seems like a very good price though, given what they normally sell for.

Before you commit, you might consider the Vortex Triumph HD 10x42, which has an ER of 17mm. I've not used one of these either, but they seem to get good reviews, and you can't beat Vortex's customer service. Optics Planet has these on sale for less than the Leupolds at Scheels, and they also have free return shipping if you don't like them.

Both of these brands are fairly easy to find in a sporting goods store, so if you happen to live near an Academy Sports or similar, maybe drop by and audition them. If you do this and happen to find a set of Athlon Optics Neos gen II, try those as well.

C
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Ol Jock 99
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10:18a, 4/30/26
AG
Thanks!
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