Monoculars

People often disregard and overlook monoculars. It’s understandable because of the availability of so many bino options that meet the hunting, tactical, wildlife observation, and even stargazing needs. Many optics users think the more, the better. The more barrels, the better. Well, it depends.

Monoculars may not meet the performance of binoculars in some aspects, but they become great companions once you understand which applications they suit best.

Monoculars vs. Binoculars

Compared to binoculars with similar specs, monoculars offer decreased weight and size. Those are the most vivid advantages. You can easily fit a small monocular into a pocket, purse, and small backpacks and bags compartments. Some monoculars feature strap mounts for attaching shoulder or neck straps.

The one-eyed nature of a monocular aids fast adjustment simply because you don’t need to match adjustments for two eyes like in binoculars.

The downsides of monoculars include a narrow FOV. But as long as you use this device for certain tasks and don’t expect it to be an all-around option for everything, this peculiarity won’t be a problem. Generally, monoculars are not intended for long-time observations, but they are great for spotting. The thing is unequal magnification which causes eye fatigue when using a monocular for extended periods.

The decreased weight of monoculars provides the opportunity for employing a night vision system without sacrificing much comfort and mobility. Many military monoculars use low-light night vision.

Monocular Specs

Here are a few things to consider when buying a monocular: magnification power, objective diameter, field of view (FOV), eye relief, and lens coating.

The magnification number indicates the number of times by which the image comes closer. The objective diameter in mm provides the width of objective lenses. These measurements are separated by “x”. For example, small pocket monoculars can be 6x18mm or 7x50mm, whereas long-range monoculars can be 10x42mm or 12x50mm.

Best Monoculars for Sale

GritrSports carries a wide range of monoculars suitable for hiking, tactical activities, hunting, and observing sporting events.