12x50 Rubber Coating Breaking Up (1 Viewer)

[SGBirder]

even if these are over 12 years old, they still have a intact gutter covering that has not been damaged b by owner then blamed on faulty coverings LOL.... Way to much DEET

They look like they've been looked AT more than looked THROUGH

 

[The BulbMogul]

They look like they've been looked AT more than looked THROUGH

you are quite correct but still have all the outer coverings intact and not complaining about them..

 

[SGBirder]

you are quite correct but still have all the outer coverings intact and not complaining about them..

No need to come to these threads to complain about people complaining then!

 

[Viraj]

you are quite correct but still have all the outer coverings intact and not complaining about them..

You should be quite clear (if you follow the threads about this concern) that your 12 years old EL didn't come with that IMPROVED, ECOFRIENDLY, and BIODEGRADABLE armor. The new material has been introduced quite recently.

 

[Paultricounty]

You should be quite clear (if you follow the threads about this concern) that your 12 years old EL didn't come with that IMPROVED, ECOFRIENDLY, and BIODEGRADABLE armor. The new material has been introduced quite recently.

I was told 2010 and others here are saying they've been told from 2015. Hmmm.

 

[The BulbMogul]

No issues of armor falling off or missing on these old out dated Swarovski's

 

[GrampaTom]

You should be quite clear (if you follow the threads about this concern) that your 12 years old EL didn't come with that IMPROVED, ECOFRIENDLY, and BIODEGRADABLE armor. The new material has been introduced quite recently.

I was told 2010 and others here are saying they've been told from 2015. Hmmm.

From a recent thread, surely youve all read....

"Swarovski SLC 10X42 Rubber Casing Fault. Mick Sway's anecdotal to be sure, #1 dated 2021 reports his ELs armor failed and were repaired in 2020 after 6 years of use. That makes it 2014? 3 friends have same after 5. Yes anecdotal but read on through. Note John Roberts #6, with its fuller description and link to Patudo's 15 page discussion of the issue from 2019, EL 10x42 casing deterioration."

I don't think we know zactly when

 

[John A Roberts]

Hi Tom,

To make things a bit easier for others . . .

Among all the pages of discussion of Swarovski RA in various threads, there's been two main statements obtained from Swarovski:

The first was from August 2020:

Below are excerpts from my correspondence with Swaro (from Aug 2020). As one can see Swaro engineers have been aware of the problems of FP/NL armor for at least 3 years, but it seems they have not found a solution yet, or perhaps they do not consider that a change is necessary..

My questions:
I have three Swarovski binoculars, all Swarovision (SV) models, and they all look like new after a number of years of (admittedly light) use. . . In particular I like the armor of the SV more than that of the FP:
-Is the FP's armor much less robust? I have seen a number of reports that seem to suggest that it deteriorates quite a bit even after modest usage (for example, see the attached photo, but I have seen even worse cases). Is it made using biodegradable materials? Anyway what's the difference from the SV's armor?
-The SV armor does not seem to need any special care (just common sense) but how about the FP's armor?----any advice as to how to prolong its life? The new NL Pure line seems to have the same armor as the FP, is this correct?

Swaro reply:
The armouring material of Swarovski binos was changed 2015 with the new FP series due to environmental, cosmetic and allergic reasons.
The new material is - on a long term perspective - biodegradable. The new NL armouring is made out of the same material.
In general the new material overall has a better resistance and performance (Temperature, UV, humidity, abrasion) than the old one of the SV, but if it deteriorates, its damage behavior differs from the older material - due to the biodegradability. The old material blisterd the new gets softer and softer until it tears.
Prolongation of the armouring is possible if you apply a good cleaning and treatment of it, like for instance for leather. For the rare case of deterioration we offer a free replacement.

The second from earlier in July this year:

Here is another response from Swarovski concerning the armor issues.

"Good Afternoon Dennis,

Thank you for your inquiry! You have several questions here, so I'll try to break a response down by question.

*When did you change to a biodegradable armor? The Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) armoring was introduced in 2011 with the introduction of the EL 32 in Swarovision. This armoring does not contain plasticizers or UV/Ozone Protection Agents, is skin-friendly, low-allergy, and biodegradable. Initially, the TPU being used was made from recycled plastics. This material has been selected in line with our high quality and environmental standards.

*Why wasn't it tested for durability before being used on your binoculars? The armoring was tested for durability. In most climates, most users will never see an issue, and there are tens of thousands of binoculars with this armoring that are issue free. The environmental and use factors that affect this armoring are intensive/constant use, particularly in tropical climates. As an example, a birder in Washington State may never see these wear patterns, while a birding guide in Costa Rica leading tours daily is more likely to see them. Wear is accelerated by the use of DEET, and can be decelerated by cleaning the armoring as a preventative measure. (50/50 simple green mixture on armoring)

As of 2018, armoring no longer uses TPU made from recycled plastics, and the production process treats the material more gently to make it less susceptible to breakage. Our North American offices are happy to reskin our binoculars in this band of products at no charge, and the flaking of the armoring has no impact on the air tight integrity or waterproofing of the unit.

Of course, we are constantly working to improve our production methods and materials, however there are no other announced changes to the armoring at this time.

Best Regards,

David Eickelmann
Customer Service

SWAROVSKI OPTIK North America
. . .

So according to the recent response, the problem formulation/ production process for the RA was used from 2011 until 2018.

. . . And that seems to about all we really know at this stage
(though admittedly, I may have missed briefer accounts of info obtained from contact with Swarovski in other posts).


John

 

[GrampaTom]

Hi Tom,

To make things a bit easier for others . . .

Among all the pages of discussion of Swarovski RA in various threads, there's been two main statements obtained from Swarovski:

The first was from August 2020:


The second from earlier in July this year:


So according to the recent response, the problem formulation/ production process for the RA was used from 2011 until 2018.

. . . And that seems to about all we really know at this stage
(though admittedly, I may have missed briefer accounts of info obtained from contact with Swarovski in other posts).


John

Thank you John, super helpful. T

 

[tenex]

To make things a bit easier for others . . .

Actually not so easy: between these two responses three different dates are mentioned for armor changes, 2011, 2015, 2018, and while the last may be a secondary issue the first two clearly conflict so it's difficult to know which to believe.

 

[mwhogue]

Actually not so easy: between these two responses three different dates are mentioned for armor changes, 2011, 2015, 2018, and while the last may be a secondary issue the first two clearly conflict so it's difficult to know which to believe.

Here's an (updated) post of mine from a related thread. Based on my experience, 2015 may be the year:

Based on the four ELs I own, it may not be that simple. My oldest is a pre FP 8.5x42 ,@ 10 years old ( purchased 2014 ) . The armor on the 8.5 is noticeably shinier, a slightly brighter shade of green and with a bit more texture/ grippy than that on my newer pre FP 8x32 ( purchased 2015 ) and early FP models 10x32 and 12x50. The armor on all the last three, including the late pre FP 8x32, does appear and feel identical, again noticeably different from my earlier pre FP 8.5. Based on this experience my guess is SW switched to the new armor on the later pre FP models. I have not yet seen an NL in person, so can't comment on that.

Mike

 

[John A Roberts]

Hi tenex (post #30),

I apologise for giving a misleading impression.

But in reporting the limited information that we have from Swarovski, and summarising the more recent information in the most general terms,
I presumed that most would understand that there may be more to consider.


John

 

[GrampaTom]

Hi tenex (post #30),

I apologise for giving a misleading impression.

But in reporting the limited information that we have from Swarovski, and summarising the more recent information in the most general terms,
I presumed that most would understand that there may be more to consider.


John

Amen

 

[MaunaKea]

First, I gently rinse and then clean the outer parts with a soft toothbrush and mild soapy water, then rinse it all off and let it dry. Next, I apply 303 Aerospace UV Protectant to the rubber armor as well as the plastic and rubber eyecups and objective covers, and even the metal. I take my time and apply it by dipping a q-tip into a small glass containing a few sprays of the 303 liquid. I apply generously over every surface except glass, let it sit for 10 minutes, and then wipe off the excess with a soft, clean, mostly lint-free cotton rag. After all of that is done, I let them sit in the open air for a few hours to fully absorb the 303. I only do this every so often, as needed, when it's really dirty, or just looking a little faded.

In addition to the UV protection, 303 also makes the color deeper, a little glossier, and newer looking. It also provides a bit of water and dust repellence. It may also help prevent the rubber from breaking down by supplying moisture, but I don't know what's in the stuff to say if that is really true. Mainly, I just like how it all looks new again.

If they really use a biodegradable rubber, then different environments will have a different effect over time. High and low humidity can also cause more rapid decay.

 

[SGBirder]

Heard from our local distributor that a new armour material is coming in March 2024.