Binoculars with compass

[bullseye]

hello,

are binoculars with in-built compasses a waste of time/money?

im looking at the Tasco Offshore 54,its the only one with compass i can get where im at.they seem ok to me & should last me years or until i lose them,
anyone had any experiences with the offshore 54,they would like to tell?

thank-you for any advice

[DuaneIsing]

bullseye,

I have a decent pair of Bushnells with the built-in compass. I find them very handy. As someone said in a previous post on this same topic, you can hand the binocs over to someone else and tell them to check out the view at xxx degrees.

I cannot comment on the Tasco brand at all.

Duane

[dscottl]

I also have a pair of Bushnell 7X50''s with a built in compass they are very bright with great optics and the compasss is very stable. However I seldom use the built in comapss with my handheld GPS, but in the event of an equipment failure I know I can get quick and accurate bearings with the Binnoculars.

[dscottl]

http://www.binoculars.com/cr.asp

This is a review of 2002 Binnoculars

[dscottl]

I did find out that Tasco has just gone out of business so you might want to re-think Tasco if Your concerned about warrenty etc.

However you might get a great deal.

[WHOOSH]

Bullseye, hidden in your question is the often-advised but not always followed advice that you shouldn''t depend solely on one form of navigation. Binoculars with a lighted, in-built compass are extremely useful both for coastal piloting and for collision avoidance. Whether they are in fact used for such purposes - and therefore considered "useful" in someone else''s eyes - speaks to habits and not the functionality of the gear.

The additional cost of this feature seems to me like one of the high-value purchases available to sailors.

Jack

[WalStro]

Tasco and Bushnell are on the low end of the scale as binos go. It amazes me that somebody who spends THOUSANDS of dollars on a sailboat would buy a chincy (sp?) pair of binoculars. Get yourself a quality pair of binos, preferably one with a waterproof/rubberized exterior and if it does not have a compass then go to an outdoors type sporting goods store and buy a QUALITY compass. Buying crap like Tasco and Bushnell is a prescription for dissapointment at best and tragedy at worst.

[DuaneIsing]

WalStro,

I suppose it''s possible that in 10 or 20 years (or less) I''ll come to agree with you that my Bushnell binocs are "crap".

In the meantime, my top-of-the-Bushnell-line marine binocs seem to have all the features and compare nicely in specification with other brands who enjoy the top-quality spots in the market.

Furthermore, I have brought my binocs on board the boats of other people who own Steiner and other top names. No one using them could discern any difference in optical clarity - even at night.

I realize that lower cost usually has to mean some degradation in quality somewhere, but I''m merely stating that so far the trade-offs are undetected. I have been aboard charter boats where the supplied binocs were total junk, and I agree completely that truly inferior binocs are to be avoided. I guess you''re just drawing that arbitrary line in a different place than I did.

[fer@fer]

Hi,

I coudnīt agree more with Jack.

20 years ago I owned a US$ 6,000 boat. I sspent US$ 600 in a Steiner binoc w/cpass. I Carry any longer the boat, but still the Steiners.

I do also have two pair of Tasco 54, almost cost a third of Steiners. No so rugged but continue to be acceptable after 3/4 yrs

regards

[Benesail]

Listen to the honest answers to your question, not the ones with personal comments. I have had the Tasco 54 for two years without any complaints, surprisingly bright for the cost and the compass is quite helpful both during the day and at night with the integral light. Its never happened yet, but someday the GPS will fail and a pair of binocs with a compass is an easy way to stay on course.