Steiner 8×30 Military Marine Binoculars Review

First Look

Some of our bird watching friends have spent large sums of money for high end field glasses that cost well over a grand. As a result, they treat these binoculars with extreme care. They won’t carry them bring them whenever the route to the viewing spot features any climbing, tight squeezes, or rock-hopping across a stream. And when the first sign of inclement weather arises, their babies go back in the bag. Who needs that? Steiner makes binoculars for the military – not known for delicate handling of equipment. And now they’ve released the Steiner 8×30 Military Marine Binoculars, modeled on military-issue Steiners, and perfect for bird watchers who want a durable, high quality set of lenses.

Focus on Features

These binoculars are built to take some punishment, whether it is in the form of the bumps and bangs that come with getting into perfect position, or the cold and moisture that comes with pursuing visual prey in all kinds of climactic conditions. Rainproof construction and a tough poly-resin body insure the internal lens components will be able to do their thing unimpeded.

And their thing is to deliver high quality optical characteristics usually found in models that cost 2 to 5 times more. Coated lenses do a great job of gathering light and turning the scene into crisp, high resolution images, even when tracking moving wildlife. Good light gathering will extend your viewing time well beyond sunset, and you’ll be able to get started a good bit before sunrise when those loons are welcoming the dawn with their wild calls.

The Big Picture

The Steiner 8×30 Military Marine Binoculars are not cheap — costing more than most basic models, but far less than some. And they are not cheaply made. Steiner includes their best components in this set, so the color, contrast, and resolution quality of the images is exceptional, with best in class depth of field. That means you won’t have to refocus as often. They house these components in a military-grade body that is tough, durable, and also easy to focus and adjust. They earned their stripes in the military – they’ll earn your respect on the first trip out.