Customer Reviews

Alpen PRO 10x25 wide angle compact Binocular

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found these binoculars to be everything they are advertised to be. The units are well constructed and compact. The optical clarity is excellent with no distortion. I am quite pleased with my purchase and feel that the quality of the units was a real bargain for the price I paid.

I was very disappointed with these binoculars from the moment I took them out of the box. Overall, they felt to me to be much of much less quality than the previous reviews led me to believe. I found them to have a nice and acceptable image when used , but because of the casing I found the binoculars to be very uncomfortable to handle. The strap and case I found to be cheaply made, as well. I also found that the only rubber protection is the green colored casing. The black is hard plastic which I feel will be vulnerable to damage when used. I have since found a much better pair of compact binoculars, the Pentax UCF-R, which I enjoy much better and I feel are much better made. The Alpens have since been re-gifted!

This little Alpen is great. The ease of use, the clarity , the size is just right. The wide angle option is a must for any Binocular owner. It widens the field of view very well. I bought this item and had a friend come over with his Binoculars. His was the regular type without the wide angle option. There was no comparison. Excellent Binoculars for the money.

These binoculars are compact, lightweight and of great quality. Well worth the price. The wide angle does add a positive aspect to your viewing especially when using them for stage shows or musicals. Easy focus and very clear magnification. I highly recommend this binnocular.

Good little binoculars with sharp imaging. Light and handy for quick birding or to keep with you in your emergency travel bag. Adequate for hunting or sports except in extremely low light.

Many of my comments from this review come from a direct, hands-on comparison of three sets of compact 10x25 binoculars, The Alpen PRO, the Olympus Tracker (both purchased here), and my Minolta Compact binoculars that I've been using for years. Out of the 3, the Alpens are my least favorite. Yes, the 6.5 degree wide angle viewing is more than the 5.0 on the Minolta and the 5.3 degree of the Olympus, but I found some less desirable traits with the Alpen. First, I found it more difficult to get the eye pieces exactly the right distance apart to create a single image than the other two binoculars. Also, and probably most annoying, the close focal distance seemed to be about double the listed length of 12 feet. I could VERY easily focus on items 10-15 feet away with the Olympus and Minolta binoculars, but I could not come anywhere NEAR focusing on those items with the Alpen. Maybe this won't be an issue when looking off the deck of a ship at something, but it certainly make the binoculars less flexible in their use. The ridged hand grips on the Alpen binoculars didn't fit my hands well, there was no adjustable eye relief, no lens caps, and a cheap feeling canvas case. The optics are crystal clear so no complaints there, and once I got them focused they didn't wander. I would have returned these binoculars if I paid more than $50 for them, but for something that claims to be waterproof, plus provide a slightly wider field of vision, I think I'm going to keep them as a third, slightly different, set in my binocular arsenal.

The Olympus Trackers were my favorite of the three, and the $20 more I paid for these versus the Alpen is money very well spent. The eye pieces (which have caps), rotate out to provide a much deeper eye relief, making it much easier to focus these binoculars. The optics are perfect, and adjustments easy to make. The Trackers are less bulky and the sleak silver body makes them much more refined looking than the Alpen (which looked like something you take in the woods). I was able to pick these up and adjust them to my preferences in half the time it took for the Alpen PRO's, and as icing on the cake, the streamlined, padded plastic case is far more attractive than the basic canvas case of the Alpen.

Overall, I rate the Olympus Tracker my favorite out of these three. All had excellent optics for a compact binocular, but the Olympus was easier to use, felt better, and looked better overall. Consider the Alpen if you're looking for something that's weather resistant and with a slightly larger viewing angle, but if these are not important features, the Olympus Trackers will be a much better choice at a similar price.

Just took these out on an elk hunting trip in Colorado. Did great all day even in low light. I like these way better than the Bushnell's I have been using the past few years. The focus wheel is great and I was able to see images with great clarity and contrast up close and at a distance. I would highly recommend these binoculars. I don't think you can beat them for the dollar amount spent-

A poor man's Nikon...................great clarity, and brightness. I use them for hunting and they are great in low light conditions and poor weather as well. Convienent and comfortable at sporting events. What and excellent value for the price. Performance equal to items costing several times more. Have since bought 2nd pair for my son and recently purchased a rifle scope based on the 3 yr performance of my binoculars. I can afford to purchase the big name items but why waste the money?

I bought these for my dad for Christmas. He is the guy with everything who needs nothing and is super difficult to buy for. After searching in stores and online I decided these were the best bet for the cost and based on reviews. Much to my surprise he LOVES them! He lives at the beach and the wide angle really helps for looking out at the horizon, the durability and compactness allow them to be easliy stored in the truck and not take up too much room, and they are very easy to focus/use.