If you love hiking and carrying all essential gear one’s in a backpack, then monocular is a perfect choice for watching birds and take photos. A monocular is a handheld compact telescope with a single eyepiece that gives the user a magnified image.
With a compact & lightweight monocular you can improve your backpacking or hiking experience that won’t break your bank. Therefore, it is a great accessory for travelers and adventurers who go on long hikes.
If you are a hard-core hiker you need the best monocular for hiking, we’ve put together this list of 6 best monoculars for backpacking and hiking so that you can narrow down your search.
Initial Top 3 Picks
The 6 Best Monoculars For Hiking & Backpacking
1. Vortex Optics S105 Solo Monocular
Made of durable and high quality material, the “Vortex Optics Solo S105” is one of the best monocular for hiking and who want to use single-hand operation. It has a rubberized armor with fully multi-coated lenses that gives you clear and sharp images.
An adjustable eyecup allows eyeglass wearers to lock the monocular into place or without glasses. This lightweight monocular is waterproof and fogproof (Nitrogen purged and o-ring sealed) that gives you clear views even in extreme weather conditions.
The field of view is 315 feet at 1000 yards range, which is enough to see any objects smoothly. If you are a solo hiker with an affordable price, this S105 monocular is perfect for you to carry it easily on your backpack.
Again, if you are newbie in the optics industry you should review about Vortex Optics, known as Eagle Optics, they are specialized in binoculars, monoculars, riflescopes and developed high quality binoculars for bird watchers in the USA. My opinion is “I don’t have any doubt about their products quality”.
Read this guide on 8 Monoculars that works for stargazing
2. Gosky 12×55 HD Monocular Telescope For Hiking
The Gosky 12×55 is a fully multi-coated, lightweight and portable monocular that comes with a quick phone holder, with it you can easily attach your smartphone on this device. We also discussed about this kinds similar device on a cell phone monocular article.
It has an long eye-relief with the twist-up eye cup that makes the device more comfortable and convenient to use.
Gosky 12×55 model also rubber armored body and argon purging to makes the monocular waterproof and fogproof. You can use it for birding or to see a long distance of an object as a long range observation monocular.
This monocular has a zoom range of 12x to 55x providing the user with clear images.
No matter if you are a beginner or an expert, this monocular meets all your expectations for hiking, backpacking, bird watching and sporting events. You can focus the object that is far away from you with the range up to 325ft at 1000 yards.
Read more related guide Starscope Monocular for cell phone use
3. Wingspan Optics Explorer HP Monocular For Hiking
Here is another delightful monocular that has been made for hiking and backpacking. This high-quality monocular provides you with a sharp image and smooth focus change.
It has an optical system that provides you with 50mm lens and 12x magnification. This is lightweight and it can be easily mounted on your tripod (tripod adaptable) for enhanced stability of pictures. As a result of the Ergonomic design it offers you to focus on your target easily and and accurately with one hand.
The Wingspan Optics Explorer Monocular is designed to inhibit internal fogging which makes it long lasting, waterproof and lightweight. It also comes with a nylon mesh carrying case, microfiber lens cleaning cloth, eyepiece & lens protection covers and non-abrasive. So that you don’t have to worry about buying extra accessories for this monocular.
To get a closer and brighter view “Wingspan Optics Explorer HP 12X50 Monocular” is perfect choice for who would like to use for hiking and backpacking.
Read more reviews on 15 best monoculars that are suitable for bird watching
4. Roxant BAK4 Monocular Telescope For Backpacking
Here we have a well made monocular that has been sent to Military grade standards to ensure the highest level of protection and durability, also the BAK-4 provides a maximum 30x magnification.
This telescope is ultra-compact and easy to transport while still providing a high magnification capability. The optics are premium fully multi coated for a crystal clear image.
If you find yourself having to take a long walk one day with only a single eye eye lens, or if you want to get into the wildlife when watching birds, then Roxant BAK4 Monocular is right for you.
This monocular comes with carry pouch, belt loop, cleaning cloth & neck strap that makes it easy to hold, even with one hand. It also has an retractable eyecup that will make it easy to use with or without eyeglasses.
Read Next: 7 Best Thermal Monoculars for Coyote Hunting
5. Pankoo 40X60 Monocular Telescope For Backpacking
This is one more high quality monocular on our backpacking list that work for also climbing, hiking, racing, traveling, sightseeing, hunting etc.
Pankoo 40X60 Monocular is a small and lightweight monocular that is manufactured with the latest technologies. It has a 2x optical zoom, 40x magnification and 60x eyepoint.
This device offers an easy user interface, with totally manual focusing and it also comes with a tripod to make it easier for your viewing experience. This monocular is made from high-quality materials and exterior has a rubber textured grip which makes it durable and sturdy for long-lasting use.
It has a single hand-adjust eyecups and focus wheel for client view and the instruments lenses are fully multi-coated for optimum image quality. A unique eyepiece filter to protect the optics from dust, dirt and fingerprints. The Pankoo Monocular is a versatile and reliable device that can be used for many different applications.
Watch more related topics on night vision monocular
6. Zipforce 12×50 HD Portable Monocular Telescope
This is another helpful multi-purpose monocular that is perfect for hiking and backpacking purpose with so many great quality features. A must have for any outdoors enthusiast.
It is built with magnification of 12x and a large field of view (325ft/1000yds), that ensure you to get closer view and can take a clear and brighter image.
This monocular also comes with IPX7 nitrogen-filled waterproof coating, which makes it fog proof, dust proof, shockproof as well as waterproof in any weather or environment.
The device equipped with BAK-4 prism and fully multi-coated lens that ensures superior light transmission, making it brighter and clearer.
The zoom eyepiece is also strong enough to let you enjoy a full 50mm. So you will be able to see everything clearly with one glance.
It can be used for hiking, backpacking and traveling, reading map, fixing your car and many more. The ergonomic design helps you focus on your target quickly by providing smooth focusing mechanism. And its rubber armor provides comfortable feeling as well as an external protection from your hand.
This compact & lightweight monocular is portable and also very comfortable to carry along with you in any trip. The device is compatible for all kinds of smartphone, if you have iPhone you can easily attach it to this monocular.
Guide about 11 thermal imaging monoculars for outdoorsman
Buyer’s Guide
We have a written guide about how to choose a good monocular based in factors, read on if you are newbie in this field. As you have already read all the models overview above, here are some of our important tips that help you in buying:
- Choose a monocular that is small in size, lightweight, rubber armored and waterproof.
- Check the quality of lens, multi-coated lens, magnifications and field of view. You can also compare it with another monocular of your choice and check the difference.
- Monocular works with both eyes can be very useful in many situations, so better to use your smartphone to compare more products in your hand.
- Before buying check the reviews online and get to know what other people are saying about the product.
- While purchasing a monocular keep in mind to test it out.
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide helpful for you and you can easily pick one that meets all your needs, there are so many models available in the market, but we have picked some best quality monoculars that are long lasting, safest and works for every day use.
Also check our 5 essential hiking tips for beginners to get more information about how to hike with a right backpack.
