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If you want near top-of-the-line binoculars in a small package, the Swarovski CL Pocket 8×25 binoculars fits the bill. The small objective lenses mean a smaller than usual pair of binoculars overall.
Swarovski is a leading name in optics meaning you’ll get a high-quality pair of binos that you won’t regret having purchased, even though they cost more than many others.
If you can’t take time to read all about them just now and want to see the pricing and availability at Amazon, you can click (tap) the link just below.
Contents
Features of the Swarovski 8×25 Binoculars
You might sometimes see these called the CL Pocket 8×25 B binoculars. The “B” apparently stands for a German word that tells you these have twist up eyecups. I’d say the “CL” means “compact lens” but that is neither German nor an exact description of this pair.
Since you’re looking for a compact pair of binoculars, you most likely are interested in their dimensions. These measure approximately 110 millimeters in length by 98 millimeters in width by 46 millimeters in height. This will change as you make adjustments to them during actual use.
The CL 8×25’s weigh just over 12 ounces. That’s pretty light, even for a compact set of tubes.
The interpupillary distance ranges from 2 inches to nearly 3 inches. This is quite a wide range that should accommodate virtually every user’s face.
You can adjust the diopter on the right tube ± 5 clicks. This is also a wide range and should accommodate virtually every user’s eyes.
You can get these binoculars in basic black, deep green, or sandbrown (a tan and black mix). A more powerful 10×25 pair in the same colors is also available.
Besides the binoculars themselves, when you get a new pair, you should also get a carrying strap, rain covers for the lenses, and a field bag (carrying case) – nice additions to a nice pair of binoculars.
Specifications of the CL Pocket Binoculars
One of the best additions to these binos is the “SWARObright” coatings on the prisms inside. This is Swarovski’s proprietary term for di-electric coatings which make your target appear much brighter to your eyes. This is especially significant since the 25 millimeter objective lenses just aren’t going to let in all that much light on their own.
The insides are also filled with an inert gas (likely nitrogen) that makes them waterproof (and likely fogproof) to a depth of 13 feet under water. That’s pretty amazing for a compact pair of binoculars. There aren’t many other manufacturers that bother with this in compacts.
The field of view (FOV) here is 357 feet at the standard 1000 yards. This is decent for a compact pair. The eye relief is 17 millimeters which is pretty good as well. The short (close) focus distance is 8.2 feet. I’d like to see it closer to 5 or 6 feet, but around 8 is normally sufficient.
Conclusions about the Swarovski CL Pocket Binoculars
Again, Swarovski means high quality, so there’s going to be a price you’ll have to pay to get it. These aren’t the cheapest binos in the market.
But that’s not what you’re looking for if you’re even considering these binos.
The 10-year warranty says a lot about the quality too. The manufacturer expects these to last for a long time. So should you.
If the Swarovski CL binos don’t fit your budget, check out these Steiner compact binoculars instead.
