Anyone use a monocular?

[NMCoyoteHunter01]

Does anyone use a monocular for anything? I feel like it would be useful for just a backup, truck, or hiking optic. Just something small just in case you’d like to look at something. Even for coyote hunting I’d feel it would have a purpose to scan an open area without to much movement. Probably going to get one but just curious anyways.

 

[JohnB]

I'd really like one to keep in my upland vest for my occasional bouts of curiosity but I have a hard enough time glassing effectively with hand held binos. I bet I'd be a jittery mess trying to use a monocular for longer than 30 seconds.

 

[D_Dubya]

I used to keep a cheap one in my truck, I think it was 6x. Pretty handy for a quick look and doesn’t take up much room in the console. I think my kids lost it, but your post reminded me to get another one.

 

[Acidbraker]

I have a vortex solo 8x25 that I picked up for appx $60. I thought it would be nice for birdhunting, or just bumming around. I've found that it's fine for looking around the yard, in the open, but lacks definition and contrast for looking into the sticks. I would not buy it again. Maybe a 8x36 would be better? I just use a Leupold bx1 rogue 8x25 if I need something small. Significantly better.

 

[chutinlead]

I picked up a refurbished vortex solo 8x25 this spring from aaoptics just for some glovebox glass and its nice to something to take a closer look, but they aren't amazing.

Looks like AAOptics has a bunch in stock if you're interested.

Monoculars

 

[HUNT.HARD.82]

I bought a vortex monocular for my grandfather so he can watch his mail box threw his office window lol we had a problem with mail theft a while back. He likes it for around the house butt for hunting not so much.

 

[Blue72]

I went through a monocular phase. I learned small travel binoculars are better

but if you still want one. I recommend low power. 7x or under, which are hard to find. Nikon makes a nice 7x15 and a 5x15. Zeiss has a few too

For the price of a good monocular. You might want to just invest in a rangefinder since most are 6x or 7x. Plus you get the extra benefit of ranging.

 

[ransomedsoul]

I really don't like hauling heavy binos around. I like the idea of a monocular, but I haven't been able to find an affordable option that has good glass and as much magnification as I would like. So I'm still hauling heavy binos around...

 

[Cervid]

Went on a ~9 day ski mountaineering trip where we were skiing or skinning from camp to camp every night and one of the other people on the trip brought one. Considering that ski mountaineering gear is heavy and that every ounce was precious, having a small, light monocular was better than not having anything. But on pretty much any other kind of trip, I think I'd suck it up and carry a ~1 lb pair of 8x32s binoculars instead.

 

[ransomedsoul]

Went on a ~9 day ski mountaineering trip where we were skiing or skinning from camp to camp every night and one of the other people on the trip brought one. Considering that ski mountaineering gear is heavy and that every ounce was precious, having a small, light monocular was better than not having anything. But on pretty much any other kind of trip, I think I'd suck it up and carry a ~1 lb pair of 8x32s binoculars instead.

I guess it's more about the bulk than just the weight. Having a pair of binos swinging around from my neck when I'm already carrying a rifle and pack, is kinda annoying. Having something I could shove in a pocket or something would be nice. But, again, I'm just dealing with the binos until something else reveals itself... They do advertise those military grade 0~infinity zoom monoculars for like 60 bucks...

 

[22lr]

I did the haul road hunt this last fall and found alot of utility in using the 8x solo monocular. While moving it was easier to throw up and just get a quick one-handed check on a near distant pile of rocks, while the truck was moving.

I never pack em on my back, but in a car they usually get packed for whoever is the passenger (alongside my standard binos and spotter).

 

[Desk Jockey]

I did for a while. Now I get 6x with my sig kilo Range finder for not much more weight. Anything more than that and I will pull my binos.

 

[ransomedsoul]

I got one of those vortex monos for my son. It's a 10x25 I think. It works, and it's exactly the kind of thing I'd want, but the light transmission is just really low. I can see better with my naked eye at dawn or dusk. ...Same issue with the rangefinder.
A 10/12 power with a decent objective lens and some good glass would be what I would really like...

 

[Sled]

My first two archery seasons out west I used a vortex solo 10x. It worked well for that purpose but not for all day glassing. I prefer a one hand hold optic for archery hunting. Currently I use a maven b3 8x for most hunting due to it's ability to hold steady.

The vortex solo stays in my summer pack for locating animals at work and lost/injured hikers.

 

[Q child]

I've tried them for various things. Hunting and just messing around. I don't like them at all. I roll with pocket binoculars if I want to save weight and volume.
They work ok, but all the ones I've used are pretty cheap and crappy. And that's kind of the point, like if they were expensive then people would buy binoculars or a rangefinder instead. I wasn't able to find their niche. Good luck to you though.

 

[VernAK]

I use the Vortex 8 x25 extensively for crane hunting as I'm always scanning the horizon for flocks.

 

[ransomedsoul]

I've tried them for various things. Hunting and just messing around. I don't like them at all. I roll with pocket binoculars if I want to save weight and volume.
They work ok, but all the ones I've used are pretty cheap and crappy. And that's kind of the point, like if they were expensive then people would buy binoculars or a rangefinder instead. I wasn't able to find their niche. Good luck to you though.

What I really need is one of those pirate telescopes...

 

[Q child]

What I really need is one of those pirate telescopes...

Haha. I was just thinking about those. When I was a kid I asked my mom for one of those and she got me one (Thanks Mom!). A little Tasco. It was nice - finished in brass and leather. And the eye placement was finicky, but the glass was decent. That was the first optic I ever owned. I've been on a long and expensive journey since then.