Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This review is for the Celestron 8X42 Outland X. (I say this to clarify because so many Amazon reviews are getting “hijacked” for other products these days! I hope this helps shoppers make a desicion in a world of conflicting reviews and highjacked ratings). These are, for my $100 max budget, exactly what I was looking for. These binoculars rock! I am not a “binocular pro” - just an amature enthusiast who often kayaks Florida’s spring fed rivers. But, I understand optics from former professional experience. I did my homework before settling on this pair in this magnification power 8X42 (more power is NOT always better). I tried other “name brands” at various retails stores — I am glad I gave the Celestrons a shot. Resolving power, magnification light gathering, color fidelity and many other objective and subjective assessments can be made about optics. Right out of the box, my perception was that these lenses where fantastic considering the under $90, I payed for them. I wanted waterproof / fog proof binoculars that I could reliably point and focus from close to far while in a moving/ bobbing kayak. I wanted an offset I could use with prescription glasses. I wanted eye cups that did not collapse easily once set to my liking. I wanted to be able to “close focus” to around 14 feet. I wanted the larger optics for light gathering and better contrast for the shade and bright sunny days on a Florida river. But I didn’t want something bulky and heavy. They have a better build and finish than I expected. The rubberized waterproof finish feels and looks really good. I messed around with them indoors in low light when I unboxed them and I could read lables on food items 30 feet away. They are sharp. The focusing knob and right eye diopter adjustment feel just right—not too stiff, not to loose. The inter pupil distance holds comfortable tight. I hope this helps someone!