Carson RD Series 8x26mm Open-Bridge Waterproof Compact Binoculars (RD-826), Green

I'm very pleased with the performance of the Carson RD series 8x26 binoculars. The almost to good to be true low cost combined with high performance, build quality and accessories makes them a great choice if they fit your budget or size and weight needs. They fit well in a front pocket and carry well in most any situation due their light weight. I find them to be sharp with reasonable brightness and field of view. I like the big adjustment knob and the precise feel of it. I like the split bridge design, it gives more room for middle and ring finger to get a full grip without the index finger from having to reach for far to get to the focus knob. Great eye relief extension. Good all around, great for the money. (above review has star rating for "sheerness", I assume that means sharpness since sheerness isn't really a binocular consideration and sharpness surely is. I gave them a five based on value and getting what you pay for not a comparison against world class binoculars. However when comes to "light weight" and "Value for the money", got luck to the rest of the world, these babies have it going on)

Great product! I highly recommend it for the perfect lightweight bins. I wanted to replace a pair of 8X21 bins for use while hiking, backpacking and travel. The Carson RD 8X26 perform well beyond my expectations, not only did they out perform in every way my 8X21's but they proved to be almost equivalent to a pare of 8X42 bins retailing for $350.00. The strap is well padded, it has great eye relief and twist-up eye cups for use with or with out glasses. The optics in daylight are so similar to my 8X42's that I could see no difference. In twilight I do see a drop off in color definition with the Carsons. The close focus is amazing. When looking at a butterfly from 8 feet I can see every detail, ass though it was under a magnifying glass!I have 2 small gripes. The semi hard shell case is not to liking, I wish it had a belt loop. And the wonderful lens caps (which often are not offered on bins of this size) are not securely attached to the main objective lens. I quickly secured the lens cap retaining bands with a few drops of clear silicon adhesive. Problem solved!

The physical size was nearly ideal for my purpose. The optics are more than adequate but could stand some improvement in clarity. My Vortex Diamondback have better optics but are also a bit larger and more expensive.I keep them in my truck for quick access and use and if stolen I'll only cry with one eye.

Wanted a pair of good quality Binoculars for our Alaskan Cruise so I watched several YouTube reviews and decided on these for their wide field of view and optics quality vs. cost. They were awesome! I actually bought 2 pair one for my wife and one for me as the price was less than half of other quality binoculars.While using, my wife actually giggled and said "There are so clear!" Well that made the purchase well worth it. Anytime the wife is happy with a purchase its a Great Day!Comes with a nice case, nice neck strap, and they are very compact fitting under a coat around the neck ready for action...

These are great binoculars if you're looking for something lightweight for a backpacking trip or travel where you may only use them a couple of times. they just didn't take in enough light for me because of the small diameter objective lens. I have been spoiled by my wife's 10x 45 binoculars with extra low dispersion glass. I was hoping for something lighter weight that might be almost as good. These were not them. I honestly don't know if there are 32mm binoculars under $2,000 that will be as bright as a good pair of 45s.

I bought these binos to replace a set of very compact 8x24 UltraOptec (South African-made) porro prism binos. I am really glad I did. The Carson's are lightweight, compact, crystal clear and ergonomic. For the price, they seem to be exceptionally well made. I expect to be using them for a long time.The carry case is also well made and sturdy. It will be excellent for packing and travel. It will not, however, suffice under field-carry conditions. There are no belt loops and the zipper compartment opens wide so that accessories in there could fall out. The binos will fit easily in a shirt pocket, or you could buy (as I did) a small cordura belt pouch for $6 off of Amazon.

Bought these for an Alaskan cruise. Very hard to get a single field of vision. The strap that comes with it cannot be attached to binoculars. Penny wise and pound foolish purchase. Get more expensive binoculars that work. .

I'm very pleased with my 8x26mm Carson binoculars. I tried a couple of other brands of compact binoculars (Celestron Nature DX 8x25mm, Nikon Trailblazer 8x25mm) and these are my favorites. The Carson's are slightly larger than either of the others, but they handle like full-sized binoculars -- not as easy to use, but far easier than the other compacts. The focus is precise and the focusing effort is moderately light (unlike the Nikon's) and without the twin hinges of the Nikon, which are only helpful if you need the binoculars to fold down into the smallest possible package. The field of view is smaller than my regular 8x42mm pair, but that is to be expected and they are quite usable. The Carson's aren't quite as close-focusing as the Celestron's, but acceptable, considering their many other excellent attributes.