All experienced hikers will tell you that the key to staying safe when backpacking is to have the right tools and gadgets with you. There are many gadgets that can keep you safe from harm’s way, and the monocular is the most important one. A monocular is lighter than binoculars, and despite that, it still does a fantastic job of helping you plan your routes ahead, scout for danger, or simply admire the beauty of wildlife.
The unwritten rule of backpacking is to keep everything light. You don’t want to be overwhelmed by a heavy backpack that will drag you down all day.
Luckily, backpacking monoculars are light and compact. They can even fit in your pocket! With that being said, here are our top five picks for the best monoculars for backpacking.
Best Monocular for Backpacking of 2020
Lifella High Definition Monocular Telescope
The Lifella High Definition Monocular Telescope is the first product on our list, and there is a good reason for that. This monocular telescope features up to 12x magnification in a 50mm lens, which makes it perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and wilderness explorers.
You are getting a total of ten lenses with the monocular from Lifella. The manufacturer has equipped the product with four-slice eyepieces, two slice waterproof nitrogen lenses, one slice internal focusing, and three slice prisms. Since we mentioned that the monocular uses prisms, we want to mention that these are high-quality BAK-4 prisms.
Thanks to the IPX7 water resistance and proper grip, bad weather is never going to be a problem when backpacking. In fact, you can even submerge the monocular up to one meter for 30 minutes. This is possible because lenses feature fog-resistant coating. Not just that, but the O-rings seals help to prevent moisture, dust, and debris that can ruin the quality of the image.
This monocular for backpacking can be used with or without glasses because it ships with adjustable eye-cups that can be twisted up and down to find the most convenient viewing position.
Pros:
- 12x magnification;
- BAK-4 prisms;
- It features ten lenses;
- IPX7 water resistance;
- Good grip;
- The lenses are protected from dust and debris;
- Adjustable eye-cups.
Cons:
- There aren’t any.
Gosky Titan 12X50 High Power Prism Monocular
The Gosky Titan is another powerful monocular that features 12x magnification and uses a 50m objective wide lens that works great even in low-light conditions. The most impressive feature that this product offers is its premium light transmission and multi-coated lens that provides a bright and clear image at all times.
The Gosky Titan is one of the most popular choices for backpacking, and therefore, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to find out that it is waterproof, dust-proof, and fog-proof. Moreover, the monocular is equipped with a sturdy framework that uses rubber armor to absorb shocks. The Gosky Titan is very durable, and it can withstand all weather conditions.
Even though the monocular is budget-friendly, it still ships with premium features such as BAK-4 prisms that provide you with the highest image quality. You are not going to miss out on any details when birdwatching with the Gosky Titan.
A really cool feature that the monocular offers is a free smartphone adapter mount. You can use the mount to snap great outdoors pictures from afar or to film your backpacking adventures.
The mount uses a quick alignment system that makes it compatible with nearly all smartphones available on the market.
Pros:
- Great price;
- 12x magnification;
- BAK-4 prisms;
- It is waterproof;
- The lenses are protected from dust and debris;
- It ships with a free smartphone mount;
- Shockproof;
- Advanced light.
Cons:
- There aren’t any.
ROXANT High-Definition Wide-View Monocular
The ROXANT High-Definition Wide-View Monocular is the perfect addition to your backpack if you are planning to go camping soon. The reason why we are saying that is because the monocular has been specially designed for outdoor activities, and its no-slip comfort build is proof of that.
Thanks to the special grip design, the monocular is comfortable to hold steady with a single hand so that you don’t miss out on any essential details when admiring the wildlife in all its beauty. In addition, the product weighs in at only 7.8 ounces so that you can hold it for extended sessions without having to worry about shaky hands.
While the no-slip comfort design might be helpful, it is not the best features that this product has to offer. What makes the ROXANT High-Definition Wide-View Monocular stand out is the impressive image quality that it presents.
The monocular uses BAK-4 prisms and optical glass that is fully multi-coated to offer superior light transmission and brightness. The image is always crisp and sharp. As the product’s name implies, this monocular excels when it comes to wide-views. The manufacturers are claiming that the monocular features true 6 x 30 viewing angles.
The last thing that we want to mention is that the eye cup of the ROXANT High-Definition Wide-View Monocular is bundled with a retractable eyecup that can be used without spectacles.
Pros:
- BAK-4 prisms;
- Comfortable and secure grip design;
- Wide-view;
- Superior light transmission and brightness;
- True 6 x 30 viewing angles;
- Retractable eyecup.
Cons:
- It only features 6x magnification.
FEEMIC High-Power Monocular Telescope
It’s sometimes difficult to get excellent precision when using a monocular for backpacking due to the one-hand grip, but this is not the case for the one manufactured by FEEMIC. The FEEMIC High-Power Monocular Telescope is specially designed to provide you with the highest accuracy possible, and it does that by using premium quality glass and a handstand strap.
Not just that, but the monocular features a rubber armor build with stripes that increase friction and shock absorption. Using the FEEMIC monocular to spot objects is going to feel natural and comfortable.
The field of view is around 360-feet or 1000-yards, and this makes it ideal for backpacking since you can see everything after you get a good vantage point. Furthermore, the lenses are paired with BAK-4 prisms that are FMC fully multi-coated to strengthen the light transmittance up to 99.9%.
We also want to highlight that the lenses are always protected. In fact, you will receive a free removable lens cover that helps keeps them safe when not used.
Also, the FEEMIC High-Power Monocular Telescope features a tripod connector so that you don’t require an adapter if you want to use the device for extended viewing sessions.
Pros:
- Rubber armor build (shock absorption)
- Superior light transmission;
- Tripod connector;
- BAK-4 prisms;
- Premium glass;
- Handstrap for better accuracy;
- It features a 360-feet field of view;
- Excellent grip.
Cons:
- There aren’t any.
Vodolo Monocular Telescope
Are you looking for a powerful monocular for backpacking that is also compatible with your smartphone? If that is the case, then you don’t need to look any further than the Vodolo Monocular Telescope. Right from the start, we want to mention that this product has been specially designed for outdoor applications.
The lenses offer a 12x magnification and high-quality image during hunting, fishing, golfing, scoping, bird watching, and so on. You can always rely on this monocular to be at your side and help you scout the roads ahead. As previously noted, this product is excellent if you are looking to attach it to your smartphone and snap great photos. It uses a quick alignment system that is compatible with smartphones of all sizes.
Furthermore, the product is equipped with wireless Bluetooth camera control to help you take better photos.
Just like all other premium monocular models for backpacking, the one from Vodolo uses large BAK-4 prisms. However, the Vodolo Monocular Telescope takes things to the next level by implementing all-optical and multi-layer broadband green film.
If you are unfamiliar with how monoculars work, you should know that our eyes are more sensitive to the green color, and thus, the green film features a bright and crisp image. The manufacturer is claiming that the light transmittance of this product reaches up to 99.5%. This is super impressive!
Pros:
- Great price;
- 12x magnification;
- It is perfect for outdoor activities;
- It ships with a free smartphone mount;
- BAK-4 prisms;
- Multi-layer broadband green film (extra clear image);
- Superior light transmittance;
- Bluetooth camera control.
Cons:
- The magnification is capped at 12x.
Buying Guide for the Best Monocular for Backpacking
There are a couple of factors that you need to consider when searching for the best monocular for backpacking. Check them out in the list below:
- The Size
One of the most important rules for backpacking that you should never overlook is to carry as little items as possible. After a couple of hours of hiking, a large backpack will make you feel like you are carrying a bunch of rocks that are pulling you down. Therefore, we highly advise you to go for a lightweight monocular such as the ROXANT High-Definition Wide-View Monocular that weighs in at only 7.8 ounces.
- Magnification Power
How far do you want to be able to see when you use the monocular? Here is where the magnification power comes in. You can find monocular models that feature from 6x up to 12x magnification. The best choice that you can make is to go for something that is in the middle. This way, no small detail will get overlooked. Another good idea here is to search for a monocular that captures a higher volume of light so that the image is crisp.
- Lens Coating
The last factor that we want to highlight is the lens coating. The coating provides superior light transmittance, and it comes in the following options: Coated, Fully Coated, Multi-Coated, and Fully, Multi-Coated. The latter is the most expensive, but it is also the one that does the best job of providing high-resolution images.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best magnification for a monocular?
Generally, most monocular models feature a magnification range between 6x and 12x. Some go even higher, but the best option is to go for 8x. This range can usually be found on budget-friendly monocular models. According to multiple customer reviews, you need a monocular that can see good at mid-range distances if you want to go backpacking so that you always know what’s coming next.
Although the bigger magnification options are great for stargazing.
Which are better binoculars or monoculars?
Each of these gadgets has its pros and cons. Binoculars are usually more popular because they are very durable and feature impressive image quality. On the other hand, monoculars stand out by having less weight. You can carry them in your pocket and, thus, free up more space in your backpack.
Not just that, but thanks to BAK-4 prisms, monoculars also provide crisp imagery.
What is a monocular vision?
Monocular vision refers to the fact that you see with only one eye, hence “mono.” Even though viewing with a single eye limits the wideness of the image, it does improve your accuracy and also gives you a more realistic image representation. In fact, scouts use monoculars because they help them get the exact measure of distances.
What does 12×50 mean on monocular?
Two numbers always identify monoculars. For example, the numbers can be 12×50. The first number represents the magnification power, and the second shows us the size of the object lens. As you can imagine, the larger the diameter of the object lens, the brighter the image.
What is meant by pocket-size monocular?
The most significant advantage of going for monoculars instead of binoculars is that they are light and feature a compact design. Manufacturers advertise their monocular models as pocket-size because they are so small that you can actually fit them into your pocket.
Additionally, most monoculars that are advertised as pocket-size feature a lens that is less wide than 25mm and has a magnification power smaller than 10x.