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My trusty Barr and Stroud 8x30 extra wide angle binoculars have finally given up the ghost due to water ingress.

I any looking for similar specification, quality, size and weight replacement binoculars so any recommendations.

I am looking at up to £200 to spend on a pair.

I can search the internet but I am looking for real life recommendations for glass that people have given hard use to for at least 1/2 a decade and are still in production.

The nice man in Glasgow will rebuild them to as new for about a third of that budget

I've had them away and they cannot be repaired something to do with the lens being stuck together.

I don't know the size & spec of your original ones, but the binoculars I've usually got on me are a pair of Opticron BGA Oasis 10x28 (also in 8x24) that I've had for 15 years.

I like them because I think they are a reasonable balance between image quality and cost, they are small enough to fit into a normal size pocket and be carried all day without noticing them, until I need a pair of bins . . . And if I were to break or loose them, it's not the end of the world. The size and shape of them suits me.

If I'm going to do something more binocular-intensive, like stalking or birding, then I might take something better, but often its the Opticrons.

Triffid

dromia wrote:I've had them away and they cannot be repaired something to do with the lens being stuck together.

Which firm was that with?
Only ask as the one I know about would rebuild them.

Maybe look on ebay for an older pair of similar binoculars, then send them for a clean?

They did a three-drawer telescope of mine....totally cloudy & unable to be used when I sent it....crystal clear when I received it back.

Blackpool then Glasgow.

I don't use Ebay.

saddler wrote:The nice man in Glasgow will rebuild them to as new for about a third of that budget

Dougie in Glasgow (Hope Street) told me some years ago that he has a problem trying to get screws back into old Barr & Stroud's, this is the reason I no longer take them in for repair.

Current best value in my books are:

Hawke 8x32 ED at circa £169.99

Or if you can find another 50 quid:

Nikon 8x30 Monarch 7 circa £249.99

I have a modern pair of Barr & Stroud 10x50 which I admit do not get hard use but seem a decent bit of kit for around £80.

Redcat

I have a couple of sets of Leupld. One huge set and then my favourites, BX-2 Acadia 8x32. Great optics, water proof, fog proof et al. Haven't had them for 1/2 a decade, probably three to fours years and "hard use" is pretty subjective. They do get used and used a lot. I expect to have them for a longtime to come...

My Father has been using the same set of Zeiss for 30+ years now without issues. My concern would be how well a new pair would compare to something built 40 years ago, regardless of what the manufacturers say things do change and not always for the better. I use Steiner, both civilian and military versions and they work well however the military are looking tatty these days. Will both last 50 years, possibly the civilian version yes.