Bikini Scope Covers

[Desk Jockey]

I had a couple of flip ups fail me this year. I was thinking about changing things up an going with bikini covers. Probably the rubber butler creek kind.

Thoughts?

 

[WCB]

I personally like the neoprene ones better but have used the ones you are thinking of. No real issues with them and I wouldn't complain if someone made me use them.

 

[roosiebull]

I had a couple of flip ups fail me this year. I was thinking about changing things up an going with bikini covers. Probably the rubber butler creek kind.

Thoughts?

It’s all I use, only thing that keeps all water out in bad weather around here… I buy a few sets every year, and put them everywhere, because they are easy to lose.

The plastic flip up ones break constantly, and when not broken, they don’t keep water out in really bad weather… I used them for a few years but got very sick of them.

The neoprene scope covers are ok if you are careful how you hold your rifle upright and you dry it out daily… I gave up on them too because a few days of bad weather, my scope would get condensation, may as well use nothing

If it’s not going to be dumping, I use my rapid rifle cover, and I camp dry it before the season… it’s about as good as a neoprene scope coat for keeping water and condensation off. The cheap bikini covers are my favorite, but if you take it off when it’s raining and put it back on, it’s pretty much over, and lenses will be fogged when you take them back off.

I haven’t found a perfect solution, but the bikini is my most reliable in bad weather, which we get plenty of

 

[couesbitten]

Put a zip-tie around the body of the scop and the two rubber straps that connect the eye-piece and objective lenses. When you take the cover off in a hurry, you don't have to worry about it falling to the ground and getting lost. I do the same thing with the neoprene covers that I use.

 

[Honyock]

Take a look at ScopeShield. I've ditched the Butler Creek and just use the ScopeShield cover.

 

[roosiebull]

Put a zip-tie around the body of the scop and the two rubber straps that connect the eye-piece and objective lenses. When you take the cover off in a hurry, you don't have to worry about it falling to the ground and getting lost. I do the same thing with the neoprene covers that I use.

that's a great tip.... we lose a couple every year at least that way... get some back at a later date, but the only littering i am guilty of has been in the form of bikini scope covers

 

[eaglemountainman]

Scope Slickers on Amazon.

TIP: I put a piece of thin velcro around the scope tube, just in front of and just behind the turrets.

Amazon.com

 

[OutHeavy]

Another vote of confidence in the bikini cover to keep your scope clear. But if you are going to buy one I recommend you pick up a second as a backup. My experience has been that the side of the cover that fits over your objective lens eventually wears out. This is because I'm always stretching the cover from the back to apply it. This repetitive action eventually wears the front end of the cover out and it tears. Of course this is going to happen at the worst possible time when you need the cover the most. Hence keeping the backup on hand.

 

[BluMtn]

Bikini Covers are all I have been using for years. They are cheap so I carry several in all my coat pockets because I always forget what I do with them when the action starts. Does real well at keeping rain off the lens.

 

[Centralcoastca]

I have a neoprene one that’s ok and keeps things clean, but for whatever reason I grabbed the rubber bikini that came with the leupold that’s on the rifle that I took elk hunting this year and was very happy with it. It was raining/hailing and snowing off and on and it kept everything sealed up tight. When we got real close and things started getting exciting I popped the rear part of the cover off since and carried it muzzle up for the last bit of the stalk and was able to slip the front of it off right before I drew on ithe elk without getting anything on the lens before shooting. I liked that I was able to carry it half ready like that in those conditions and the front stuck on there without having to worry about it. I will use it again and don’t see reason to use anything else for that.

 

[Macintosh]

I could see for spot and stalk type hunting the bikini covers would be great, but I find I'm in "he's somewhere right in front of me" mode a lot of the time, and it's still snowing or snow on trees, etc. Agree the butler creek covers are junk-ish. I've been using the vortex covers on a couple rifles and I find they are significantly better than butler creek, but still allow me to either pop them open fast or keep only one closed for faster access, etc.
On the neoprene ones, are folks talking about the neoprene covers that go ov er the ntire scope? My wife has one on a leupold scope thqt came with it, and my complaint with that is that wind-blown dust gets under it as there isnt really any kind of seal. Have other folks had an issue with those, or are you talking about a different type?