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GUNMETAL

REI W6 10 x 26 Waterproof Binoculars

$55.00

(11)

Item # 759467

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A great value! REI W6 compact binoculars are ideal for hiking and general outdoor use, featuring precision optics for excellent color and clarity.

Fully coated optics use high-transmission antireflective lens coatings for bright and color-true imaging
Roof prism design offers a slim and compact profile that can be easily folded and carried in a pocket via the double-hinged body
Long eye relief and fold-down eyecups allow users with eyeglasses to more easily view a stable, bright image
O-ring-sealed, nitrogen-filled housing keeps binoculars fully weather- and fog-proof for use in adverse conditions
Rubber-armored housing ensures a firm grip in the field and enhanced protection against shock
Includes a nylon carry case, neck strap, lens tissue and instructions for use

Imported.

Item 759467

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REI W6 10 x 26 Waterproof Binoculars Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

REI W6 10 x 26 Binoculars

3.4

(based on 11 reviews)

73%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Compact (11)
Strong construction (9)
Lightweight (7)
Quality lenses (5)
Close focus (4)

Cons

Difficult to focus (3)
Poor quality (3)

Best Uses

Wildlife viewing (4)
Hunting (3)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Avid adventurer (6), Casual/ recreational (5)

Reviewed by 11 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-10

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Apr

2008

(31 of 32 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Good Job REI

By Strangemachine

from Lake Forest, California

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Close Focus
Compact
Lightweight
Nice rubbery feel
Quality Lenses
Smooth Focus mechanism
Strong Construction

Cons

Can't be dropped 25ft
Causes Eye Strain
Shallow eyecups

Best Uses

General Scoping
Trail Spotting

Comments about REI W6 10 x 26 Binoculars:

I use these for general spotting while hiking or even just when exploring an urban area by foot. The small size makes them really easy to throw in my pack. Even better, the inconspicuous nylon case is perfect for cross-slinging over my shoulder without looking too much like a crazy binocular tourist. For these reasons, I find that I use them MUCH more often than larger "better" binoculars. Not that they don't have their place. Since they are so small and light I've come to use them as an essential item rather than a bulky luxury item when hiking. I consider them just as useful as my headlamp.

For anyone who has trained themselves for detail-viewing with telescopes these binoculars are GREAT!

The focus is smooth and but not too touchy and very stable. The "greasy" feel(in a good way) of the focus makes fine tuning very easy. I've found that by leaning on a hand rail or other object the lenses can yeild a VERY clear image that rivals my expensive telescope. More casual users may not notice much of a difference but the potential is there.

The rubbery feel is nice and grippy. I'm sure these are very tough but I actually broke mine after dropping them off a 25ft balcony in the Royal Natural History Museum of Belgium onto the stone floor. Basically the prisms came loose in the left side. The right lens apparatus still works perfectly as does the focus mechanism. Also there is a small fracture in the hinge making the left side loose, but still firmly attatched. All things considered, I'm amazed they aren't MORE broken! In fact, they don't look broken at all until you pick them up and can't see through the left side. If I were camping in an emergency situation, they would still be very useful as a monocular even after such a bad fall.

On the con side, I have found that gazing for quite a while causes eyestrain. Maybe it's because of the shallow eyecups? Still, I MUCH prefer the shallow, rigid cups to the flexible cone types that always seem to flip and/or eventually break off etc...etc... Also I wouldn't recommend these for hobby-style wildlife viewing as the image would probably seem small and unfulfilling. For a quick ID on a bird or distant tree these are great though, especially for the price (although mine were a christmas present). I'm going to get some new ones as soon as I come across an REI store to replace my broken ones! Excellent!! Perfect for their intended use- quick, lightweight, weatherproof, tough. never had them fog up on me except when my eye fogged it up a little by being warmer than the lense, but once they warmed up no problem.

Aug

2008

(15 of 15 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Fine value, excellent quality

By brucejh

from Kalispell, Montana

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Close Focus
Compact
Strong Construction

Cons

Case is too small
Remove glasses to use

Best Uses

Yachting

Comments about REI W6 10 x 26 Binoculars:

I bought these for a wildlife viewing cruise on a small boat and found them excellent. I didn't worry about a few bumps or splashes and they were easy to carry. They weigh only 10.4 oz, less than the spec 16 oz. But I had to remove my glasses to use them, despite the roll down eye cups. The neck band was too bulky--I replaced it with a shoelace, and I used an old camera case so I could get them out easily, the provided case ia far too tight.
I had an opportunity to compare them to the binoculars other passengers used: avid birders had bigger ones, say 10 X 42, much brighter, so birds were easier to spot. I saw little difference with binoculars with a wider field of view: the ratings are at 1000 yards, but I was usually looking at 100 yards or less. A Zeiss 10 X 25 pair was 1/2 the weight and 1/2 the size and about the same performance, but looked a bit fragile and didn't have the rubber coating. With my glasses on, I tried units with twist-down plastic eye cups--they were better, but not satisfactory--only about 1/2 the field of view with my glasses off. An older 8 X 25 REI pair weighed an ounce less, performed about the same, and had a more appropriate case.
Overall, I'm pleased and would buy them again.

Apr

2008

(10 of 10 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great Compact Binoculars

By Gridley

from Everett, WA

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Great Value
Strong Construction
Works Well With Glasses

Cons

Small Case

Best Uses

Comments about REI W6 10 x 26 Binoculars:

I couldn't believe that a pair of 10x26 binoculars could only cost [$], and under the REI brand no less. This is a great optical device, with the smooth function you expect of fine craftsmanship. I wear glasses and was thus very pleased with the fold-down eyecups and dipole adjustment. My only gripe is that while the binoculars themselves fit nicely in the included carrying case (with a pocket for the lens cloth, no less), once I put the neckstrap on I really had to cram them in. I also found the shoulder strap on the case a little short for my taste.No complaints at all about the binoculars themselves, and for the difference in price you can buy your own carrying case and have money left over!

May

2008

(9 of 10 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Good Value at a great price

By simplehiker

from Pennsylvania

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Close Focus
Compact
Strong Construction

Cons

Best Uses

Bird Watching
Security

Comments about REI W6 10 x 26 Binoculars:

I just carried my new pair of binoculars on their first backpacking trip and found them to be very useful. We used them to spot a porcupine and a number of birds. The trail we were hiking was poorly marked and these binoculars were excellent for spoting distant trail markers.
The image is very good considering the price and I could not complain about their durrability. All in all a great purchase and I would certainly buy them again.

Oct

2009

(7 of 7 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Well worth the money

By Fisherman for life

from Mill City, OR

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Lightweight
Quality Lenses
Strong Construction
Works Well With Glasses

Cons

Best Uses

Hunting

Comments about REI W6 10 x 26 Binoculars:

I really liked the quality of construction. They are able to withstand cold and moisture. I had an inch of snow on them as I was hunting and with a quick wipe they were ready to look through, no fogging at all. I wish the case was not so tight. It would make it easier to put the straps into the case. The neck strap is goofy. I reccomend using shoulder type straps with them.

Jul

2009

(7 of 7 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

A steal for the price

By Nate L.

from Boston, MA

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Lightweight
Quality Lenses
Strong Construction

Cons

Poor Construction

Best Uses

Glovebox Binoculars
Hunting
Sporting Events/Concerts
Wildlife Viewing

Comments about REI W6 10 x 26 Binoculars:

For the price, you cannot beat these binoculars. Good lens clarity, rubber armor, waterproof, and nitrogen filled- these are all characteristics found on much more expensive binoculars.

The diopter adjustment took a little getting used to, but required little re-adjustment over the focus range. Clarity in low-light was perfectly adequate. There was very little bowing of the image at the edges of the field of view (a sign of much cheaper binoculars) and they have a nice feel in your hands.

The fact that these come with a decent case and cleaning cloth is a bonus (the included neck strap is very bulky, but can be replaced easily).
My only complaint is that the hinges didn't line up tightly. However, this did not seem to affect image quality.

Aug

2010

(3 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Ok at first, but ultimately poor quality

By NextRidgeOver

from Eugene, OR

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Cheap
Compact
Lightweight

Cons

Difficult To Focus
Poor Construction
Unstable

Best Uses

Hiking
Wildlife Viewing

Comments about REI W6 10 x 26 Binoculars:

I took these nicely priced binoculars to Sonora, Mexico for two months of field work. They were either in my bag or on my belt at all times, however, I only pulled them out for use occasionally. The belt loop didn't last the two months, and the velcro case didn't really keep out dust and dirt like a zippered case would. Then the actual product began to show signs of poor craftsmanship. One eyepiece wouldn't stay open and instead "swung" back and forth. Also, as another reviewer experienced, the prism in the right eyepiece must have moved producing double-vision on that side. I used it is a monocular for another couple weeks, and ultimately rendered it useless and decided to return it.I'm hesitant to purchase the same pair even though this product has received great reviews from others. However, after learning that someone else experienced the same problems as I did, my conclusion is that you can't expect much from a [$] pair of specs.

Apr

2010

(3 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Double Vision

By Sequim11

from Sequim, WA

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Lightweight
Strong Construction

Cons

Difficult To Focus

Best Uses

Comments about REI W6 10 x 26 Binoculars:

I wish I had as much success with my binoculars as the other reviewers. My problem is, no matter how I adjust them, I see a double image. My wife and friend had the same problem, so it's not likely a user error. Other than that, they're lightweight, feel solid, etc. Just wish I could see out of them! I plan to exchange them in the hopes that mine were just defective.

Jul

2010

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Pretty Good Optics and Compact

By swhit41

from Meredith, NH

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Lightweight
Quality Lenses
Strong Construction
Works Well With Glasses

Cons

Best Uses

Bird Watching
Wildlife Viewing

Comments about REI W6 10 x 26 Binoculars:

The optics are almost as good as my porro prism Bushnell 6X25 8 degree binoculars which cost twice this price-- decades ago. The light gathering of the 2.6 exit pupil I found adequate for early morning birding during early summer. I had no problem attaching the cord neck strap and putting the binocs back in the provided case (cord not stuffed inside).

Apr

2010

(2 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Good Binos

By BrewCrewJake

from Boeblingen, Germany

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Close Focus
Compact
Lightweight
Quality Lenses
Strong Construction

Cons

Best Uses

Hunting
Sporting Events/Concerts
Wildlife Viewing

Comments about REI W6 10 x 26 Binoculars:

I have been using these Binos for years. They are perfect for the shooting range and for sporting events. I have even used them in Afghanistan for many different things.