SIG Sauer makes a lot of high-quality optics and firearms. Their Zulu Series of binoculars is among them. (I made brief mention of them earlier here. I’ve also told you about their line of rangefinders here.)
In the review, let’s take a closer look at the Zulu binoculars so you can have a better idea which, if any, of them are what you’ve been looking for in a fine pair of glasses.
If you are short on time and just want to check the availability and pricing of SIG Sauer Zulu binoculars on Amazon, you can click any of the links in the list just below.
Update: As sometimes happens over time, some of the models have been discontinued by the manufacturer. You may still be able to find them in the secondary market.
SIG Sauer now seems to be promoting the Zulu6 line.
- SIG Sauer Zulu3 8×32 (Discontinued)
- SIG Sauer Zulu3 10×32 (Discontinued)
- SIG Sauer Zulu5 8×42 (Unavailable on SIG Sauer site, likely discontinued)
- SIG Sauer Zulu5 10×42 (Discontinued)
- SIG Sauer Zulu7 8×42 (Discontinued)
- SIG Sauer Zulu7 10×42 (No price on SIG Sauer site, likely on its way out)
- SIG Sauer Zulu9 9×45 (Unavailable on SIG Sauer site, likely discontinued)
- SIG Sauer Zulu9 11×45
Note that SIG Sauer also makes a Zulu5 15×56 model. As of this writing, this model is not available on Amazon, but the description of the Zulu5 10×42 model states it is “15×56”. I believe this is an error on the part of the person who initially listed this item there.
Update: You can also get the Zulu9 15×56 here.
Other than the magnification power and the overall size, there really isn’t much difference from one pair of Zulu binoculars to another.
And I think that’s a good thing.
You can simply determine the magnification and light gathering capabilities you need and pick your pair from there.
If field of view (FOV) is a concern, do take a look at that specification in the chart below, because that’s the one item that does vary the most.
If size and weight matter to you, then as you would expect, you’ll probably want to choose from the smaller units. The more powerful the glass and the larger the tubes, the heavier they will be.
Even the smallest pair, the Zulu3 8×32 binoculars, come with tethered lens covers, a neck strap, lens cleaning cloth, and a padded carrying case. They have multi-position, twist-up eyecups and are waterproof to a depth of 1 meter (about 3 feet). They are also fogproof.
All of these binoculars have an interpupillary distance ranging from 56 to 74 millimeters, so they should work for you no matter what the spacing of your eyes is.
I think it’s worth noting also that the Zulu7 was ranked “Best of the Best” in 2016 by Field and Stream.
The table below shows you at a glance the differences and similarities in FOV, weight, length, and close focus.
| Model | FOV* | Weight (oz.) | Length (in.) | Close Focus (ft.) |
| Zulu3 8×32 | 393 | 16 | 5.5 | 8.2 |
| Zulu3 10×42 | 341 | 16 | 5.5 | 8.2 |
| Zulu5 8×42 | 393 | 24.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
| Zulu5 10×42 | 315 | 24.5 | 6.0 | 8.2 |
| Zulu7 8×42 | 378 | 33 | 5.8 | 5.9 |
| Zulu7 10×42 | 341 | 33 | 5.8 | 5.9 |
| Zulu9 9×45 | 378 | 33 | 7.5 | 6.0 |
| Zulu9 11×45 | 315 | 33 | 7.5 | 6.0 |
*FOV given in feet at the standard 1000 yards
The information in the table above was taken from the SIG Sauer website. The only number I question is the close focus of the Zulu5 10×42 model. Based on other measurements in the table, it seems that it should be 6.5 feet like its 8×42 cousin.
I’m not sure how SIG Sauer (and sometime other manufacturers) manages to keep the weight the same from one unit to the next, even though the length or the size of the objective lens changes. (Maybe that’s why I’m not an engineer.)
All of these binoculars are very high quality, so as I hinted at above, you really can’t go wrong no matter which model you choose.
As always, part of the decision will be based on your pocketbook, but other than that, feel free to select any of these great SIG Sauer binoculars.
If Sig Sauer binoculars aren’t quite the style you’re looking for, try this Nikon model instead.
