Good outdoors-people get into the habit of having good optics on hand every day. I keep a pair of binoculars under the front seat of my truck in case I want to get a closer look at something that is out of reach because of terrain or property boundaries.
These binos should be lightweight, take up minimal space, rugged enough to take a beating on bumpy roads, bouncing around the jack and other gear crammed under the seat, and able to handle the inevitable spilled cup of coffee. They also need to be affordable enough that I won’t weep too hard if someone smashes the window and helps themselves to my stuff.
My go-to for this purpose is a pair of Leupold BX-2 Alpine binoculars. These are the perfect size to stow away in my truck and like all Leupold products, they feature premium coated glass and are designed and tested for punishment.
The BX-2 Alpine Binoculars are extremely comfortable in the hands and have three-position locking eyecups for use with glasses or shades. The lightweight magnesium body makes them strong, but super light and they are covered with a rubberized armor coating for a comfortable and sure grip, even when you use them in the rain.
An oversized focus knob turns easily under the finger for quick focus while looking through the lenses.
On the inside, they are made with very clear glass and do a great job of gathering light, even with their smallest 42mm objective. They also feature the Leupold Twilight Max Light Management System, which improves their low light performance and can add an additional 20 minutes of viewing time at sunset and sunrise. It also reduces the majority of glare from reflective objects and provides excellent use of the entire eyebox for edge to edge clarity.
The BX-2 Alpine binos are available in 8x42, 10x42, 10x52, and 12x52, so there is a configuration for most of your daily glassing needs. They also have a standard ¼-20 thread under the logo cap in the front for easy mounting to a tripod with a binocular adapter.
Nothing beats reliable gear that takes the kind of abuse I throw at it, except maybe knowing that the company stands behind their product and are confident enough in their manufacturing to offer a lifetime no-questions-asked guarantee. Leupold warranties these binos for life and will repair or replace them if they ever break.
Whether you are looking for the source of smoke, the focus of a flock of circling turkey vultures, or just want a closer gander at that bull that just stepped out of the tree line, having these handy will become a habit you will wonder why you never adopted sooner. And at the affordable prices of these binos, you will be able to equip every rig in your fleet with a pair.
See the excellent clarity of the BX-2 Alpines at your local Sportsman’s Warehouse optics counter.
