Keeping binoculars dry in the rain? (1 Viewer)

[spacepilot]

I enjoy birding in the rain a lot. But I have been having trouble keeping my binoculars dry. I try to use the ocular rainguard whenever I'm not looking through the bins, but the ocular lenses inevitably get big rain drops on them within 5 minutes in moderate rain. I sometimes use my finger to guide the water to the edge, but that is not always successful. So how do you keep your binoculars dry in the rain? Do you keep a piece of tissue dry on you and use it to soak up the rain? Thanks.

Ning

 

[username]

Always have tissues handy in the rain is my advice. When raining obviously you've got the rain-guards on...when removing guards i instinctively cover eye-pieces with left hand whilst raising bins up to eyes...[and a baseball type peak hat helps a lot...especially when wearing spectacles like i do]!

 

[redshank2]

I enjoy birding in the rain a lot.

I'd agree with you there- I often find the birds seem less mobile and in a lot of sites you get much less disturbance from dog-walkers and other non-briders making for far better viewing.

Personally I tend to use compact binoculars in the rain and on my coat I've got a large breast pocket with a waterproof zip down the side opening to the middle designed I think for holding a map by the coat makers but perfect for holding binoculars. I have the bins on always on their strap round my neck but slipped into the pocket with the zip done up to keep them dry whenever i'm not actually viewing something. Doesn't make much difference to the time taken to get them up for viewing something and keeps them nice and dry.

If they do get wet though always carry some tissue to dry them off.

Tom

 

[Guizotia]

Always have tissues handy in the rain is my advice. When raining obviously you've got the rain-guards on...when removing guards i instinctively cover eye-pieces with left hand whilst raising bins up to eyes...[and a baseball type peak hat helps a lot...especially when wearing spectacles like i do]!

Baseball cap - thats what I do. I have a waterproof baseball cap sold usually to golfers. It's black but had a bright white logo, but I bought some black fabric paint and painted over the logo.

 

[spacepilot]

Thanks, guys. I wear a baseball cap in the rain and it keeps my eyeglasses dry. But the rain still gets on my bins. Looks like having some tissue is the way to go.

Tom, there are always a lot of people where I bird on nice days. Yesterday there were no one except me and a couple dedicated runners in the rain. It gave me some secret pleasure that there were no one else there to see the what the birds were doing in the rain, not that many would've been interested when there were others.

Ning

 

[Jim M.]

I don't think there's a magic solution to this problem, but a lot of birders carry umbrellas. A bit awkward, but probably the most effective solution if you're going to be out for an extended period.

Also, if you have lots of disposable income, I have read good things about the water repellent coatings on Zeiss binoculars for example.

Best,
Jim

 

[spacepilot]

I've been thinking about using RainX on the binoculars. It works pretty well on my car windshield, the rain drops just bead up and roll down the glass. But application of the stuff requires buffing the glass with cloth, otherwise RainX would leave streaks on the windshield. I don't want to risk scratching the coating on my bins, or the RainX damaging the coating. Maybe it's time to consider the Zeiss LotuTec. Now how do you define *disposable* income?

Ning

 

[Guizotia]

Thanks, guys. I wear a baseball cap in the rain and it keeps my eyeglasses dry. But the rain still gets on my bins.

I take the rain cover off my bins only once it is under my baseball cap peak. I guess if you wear glasses too you have less space to maneuvre, I hate wearing glasses and wear contact lenses instead - much better in all weathers.

 

[username]

I take the rain cover off my bins only once it is under my baseball cap peak. I guess if you wear glasses too you have less space to maneuvre, I hate wearing glasses and wear contact lenses instead - much better in all weathers.

I don't mind too much wearing specs...i tried 'contacts' but they just weren't as sharp....

ps...rainforest humidity is a real pain at times...i use anti-fogging spray on me specs if it gets too bad!