Binoculars that are usually available in the markets are good to be used by middle-aged people as they are heavy in weight and bigger in size. Those heavier binoculars are not easy for elderly people to carry while having fun in outdoor activities. So, we have done our research and found the best binoculars for the elderly which are both lightweight and compact.
One most important factors are the eye relief of optics which defines the ease of useability. Most senior citizens use glasses due to weak eyesight. So, we have chosen those optics which have ideal eye relief and flexible eyecups that help in increasing and decreasing eye relief – making the binoculars perfect for older adults. Let’s drill down and know more!
Buyers Guide: How to Choose Binoculars for the Elderly?
In the section below, We have given you multiple options which can be bought from Amazon. But if you’re going out to a local optical store to purchase binoculars then you should be well aware of binoculars that are good for the elderly and have knowledge of all those factors that can make binoculars good or bad. To guide you thoroughly, we are going to write a buyer’s guide so that you can buy a decent product.
1- Magnification Power
Most people who have issues with their eyesight should choose magnification power from 8x to 10x. Anything more than that will put the user into trouble. Higher magnification power causes the problem of shaky images and old people cannot see the image clearly.
If you choose magnification power greater than 8x or 10x then you will have to carry a separate tripod stand with you to get stable images. It is a burden to carry a tripod stand. If you choose binoculars with magnification power less than 8x then you won’t be able to see the image clearly due to weak eyesight. Your range will also be affected.
2- Weight & Size
We don’t recommend carrying heavier and bigger-sized binoculars with you while enjoying your outdoor activities. In fact, lightweight and compact gadgets can save you bucks as well as the effort of carrying them. So, your priority should be to buy optics that are lightweight.
Note: Binoculars with a weight of 30 ounces should not be bought for elderly or senior citizens.
3- Eye Relief
The eye relief is directly related to the ease of usability. A binocular with bad eye relief is a headache as your eyes will get strained and you will get tired quite easily. Our standard is to choose optics having eye relief of 15 mm or greater than that. Anything less than that is a total waste of money.
4- Image quality / Optical Performance
Old people usually have weak eyesight and you should choose those binoculars which give edge-to-edge clarity and excellent resolution so that it should not be an issue for older people to view the target. Better image quality ensures that the target will look clear.
In order to save money, don’t compromise on the quality of the image. Instead, spend extra bucks to buy those binoculars that give excellent results in all light conditions. Our picked binoculars that have been reviewed in the below section give outstanding image quality.
Are You Looking for well-Tested Binoculars for Seniors? Here are the complete Reviews. Keep reading!
Reviews of Best Binoculars for Senior Citizens
Before going down and reviewing the top-picked binoculars, we would like to guide you about the factors that we kept in mind while writing this guide. Some of the most crucial considerations that we took are image quality, weight and size, usability, and build quality. Binoculars without these features shouldn’t be purchased at all. More details will be provided in the buyer’s guide.
These Vortex Diamondback binoculars have all the features that are necessary for the binoculars of the elderly. Their build quality is excellent. Aluminum material is used in their making which is very durable and makes them robust to bear any external pressure. We checked their build quality by throwing them from a height of 50 meters and they were fine. In fact, they did not get any scratches at all. So, in terms of build quality, they get full marks.
They have a total weight of 21.3 ounces which makes them lightweight and easy to carry on a long day. As far as their weight is concerned, they are not really compact but their size is not too big to handle. We would say they have decent size – not too big nor too small.
They produce no chromatic aberration and their visuals are also up to the mark. No matter if you use them on dark nights or in cloudy weather, their image quality will be on top. They have both anti-reflective and dielectric coating which increase the transmission of light and make the image brighter, sharper, and of high resolution.
Have you noticed that many older people wear glasses because their eyesight isn’t as strong as it used to be? If you weak vision, then smile as these binoculars come with “ideal eye relief of 17mm” which means you can look through them comfortably even if you wear glasses.
Their eye cups are adjustable to help in increasing the eye relief of these binoculars. These optics are now quite comfortable for senior people who use glasses due to impaired vision thanks to the adjustability of eyecups.
Are you going to use your binoculars in rainy weather? If yes, then you will be happy to know that these binoculars come with argon gas purging and o-ring sealing to ensure that no water or moisture will go inside them. Keep in mind that Argon gas is considered a premium gas and is very expensive.
Pros
Outstanding image
Scratch proofing
Lightweight of 21 oz
Three types of coating i-e reflective, dielectric, and armortek coating for enhancing the performance.
Cons
They are the best binoculars for elderly and we failed to find any fault in them.
They are the best-performing optics and you will not find any fault at all. From weight to image quality, they have all the features that you need while enjoying outdoor activities. We have used them for years and don’t have any regrets about buying them.
2- Athlon Optics Midas G2 10×50 for Senior Citizens
These Athlon optics are well known due to their top-class visual quality. Edge-to-edge clarity is what attracts everyone. They have ESP coating which is specialized in transmitting light and giving a brighter, sharper, and more vibrant image. The company claims that the coating present on the lenses increases the transmission of light by up to 99%.
The build quality is another talking point. Having aluminum material in their body ensures their longevity. They are very much capable of bearing extreme outdoor conditions like rainy weather or hot temperature.
They have a flattening system that reduces the distortion at the edges or corners. The brightness due to coating is equal on all the parts of the image. Moreover, the presence of Uhd glass reduces chromatic aberration. However, they still have small chromatic aberrations that can be felt while using them.
As long as the ease of useability is concerned, they are ideal for eye relief and adjustable eye cups improve the ease of useability. They are the best binoculars for older adults due to the presence of ideal eye relief which allows the user to have their eyes at some distance from the eyepiece.
They are made to withstand all weather conditions. Having XPL Coating ensures their dust, dirt, oil, and scratch-proofing. Moreover, the water and fog proofing is also optimal and you won’t feel bad while using them in rainy or foggy weather.
Pros
Water, fog and moisture proofing
dust, dirt, oil and scratch proofing
Outstanding image quality
Little chromatic aberration
Cons
They have a total weight of 32 ounces which is not a bit higher
How are these binoculars different from the previous product?
The XPL coating is specialized for protecting binoculars from dust, dirt, oil, and scratches. No other optics reviewed in this guide have the feature of XPL coating.
3- Bushnell Engage X 10x42mm Binoculars
These Bushnell Engage binoculars are famous for their compact body and lightweight. At the start, we guided you to choose lightweight and compact-size binoculars for seniors as they are very easy to use and carry. So, these optics have a total weight of 21.86 ounces which is ideal. Their body dimension is as follows;
8.54 x 8.27 x 3.23 inches
Length: 8.54 inches
Width: 3.23 inches
Height: 8.27 inches
These size dimensions clearly indicate that they are compact and portable. If you are going to do the hunting, then you will be able to carry them in your pocket and won’t feel any burden.
Aluminum is used in their body which makes them robust and durable. Throwing them from a height will have no bad impact on them. In fact your harsh usage will not affect their performance as well. Are you looking to buy optics that are waterproof?
These binoculars come with nitrogen gas purging and o-ring sealing to ensure water and fog proofing. However, putting them in the tub of water for 30 minutes is not recommended as we did that for testing purposes and then observed that their lenses were fogged up due to moisture.
They have an optimally brighter image – but you won’t get the quality of their visuals as good as the previous product does. Keep in mind that these are budget products and are available at affordable pricing. So you will get what you spend for. However, they have got a multi-coated lens for increasing the transmission of light for giving brightness to the image.
They also come with neck straps and carry cases which help you in carrying them on long busy days. Moreover, they have a warranty of 2 years which is peace of mind. If your binoculars get damaged then you can visit the officials and get your product repaired without paying.
Pros
Lightweight and easy to carry
Body is compact
Affordable pricing
EXO Barrier to repel water and dust
Additional Accessories in the form of neck strap and carrying case.
Cons
Image quality is not as good as other products reviewed in this guide do have.
How are these binoculars different from the previous product?
They have a total weight of 21 ounces which is incredibly less and make them very lightweight. Even if you carry them the whole day, you won’t get tired at all.
4- Canon 12X36 Image Stabilization III Binoculars for Older Adults
These Canon binoculars are specialized and perfect in every aspect apart from their prices. If you have a limited budget, don’t even check them out as they will break your budget. But in terms of features and useability, they are second to none.
The most important feature that people love is their image stabilization. One thing that I have noticed is that older aged people usually have shaky hands. But good thing is that these Canon binoculars have sensors that detect small motion and filter it out to ensure that the users get perfectly stable visuals without any shakiness.
They consist of a high-Definition Optical System which is good for giving you a brighter image in low light conditions. If you are a hunter or outdoor enthusiast who loves to have them before dawn or after dusk, you must have them in your bag. They will give you an optimally brighter image in all outdoor conditions.
They have EXO Barrier features which make them water, fog, and scratch-proof. So, no matter if you use them harshly and throw them from height, they will be perfectly fine and you won’t have to worry about their protection or putting them in bags immediately after usage.
They have a lightweight and compact size which makes them outstanding options for senior citizens. Moreover, they also provide a lifetime warranty and you can be confident about your purchase. If your purchased binoculars get broken or proven to be faulty, then the company will stand with you. Either you will get the product repaired without spending a penny, or you will get a refund.
Pros
Lightweight and compact size
Exo Barrier feature for protection
Top notch image quality
Range finding abilities
Cons
They have premium features, but their pricing is too high which is the only drawback.
How are these binoculars different from the previous product?
They have an image stabilization feature which makes them stand out in this guide. No other optics have the feature. I recommend you buy these binoculars if you are above 50 years old and have shakiness in your hands.
5- Leupold BX-1 McKenzie Binoculars
They have excellent features like top-class image quality, outstanding build quality, and lightweight, and compact size. There is only one issue with these optics as they don’t have ideal eye relief which affects their ease of usability.
These Leupold binoculars have excellent color fidelity and resolution. No other optics have such kind of color fidelity thanks to their glass quality and the multiple layers of coating present on the lenses. They can also be used in low-light conditions.
They have amazing build quality. All the products we have picked in this guide are made up of Aluminum material which is very durable and makes these optics long-lasting.
Are you one of those who wear glasses due to weak eyesight? We have got bad news for you as these optics don’t come with ideal eye relief and are not comfortable at all.
Eye Relief: 13 mm
They are compact in size and you can carry them in your pocket while having fun in outdoor activities. Their weight is also not on the higher side – instead, they are lightweight and easy to carry.
The adjustable eye cups are common in these optics and also come with a strong signature carry case which is helpful in putting your binoculars in them when they are not in use.
How are these binoculars different from the previous product?
They are strong and provide outstanding image quality. The color fidelity is something that we love about them. But they are not very comfortable when used for a long period of time.
Are Elderly Binoculars exclusive to old-aged individuals?
No, Elderly Binoculars are not exclusive to old-aged individuals. The term “Elderly Binoculars” refers to a type of binoculars that are designed with features like ideal eye relief, and flexible eyecups that make them more suitable for older individuals.
However, anyone can use Elderly Binoculars, regardless of age. These binoculars can be useful for anyone who has difficulty seeing objects from a distance or needs assistance with focus adjustment. One thing that I would love to mention is that elderly binoculars are easy to use: so they suit people of almost every age.
Conclusion
In this guide, we have listed the best binoculars for the elderly and senior citizens. Our team has done the research and picked those optics that are perfect to give excellent visuals and are comfortable to use for an extended duration.
Not only reviewing the best binoculars, we have also gone through the buyer’s guide and have explained all those factors that are very important to know while going out to buy binoculars for seniors. We hope that our efforts will be helpful to you.
I am Richard from Michigan, and who has a craze for hunting. I have been around optics especially binoculars since 2001 and have gotten decent experience while using them to hunt. I have made this website to share my experience with those who are new in the field. My guides & reviews will help my readers to get in-depth information about binoculars. Let’s hunt for binoculars NOW!
