A comfortable pair of binoculars feels good in your hands, on your neck and when you look through them. People have different sized hands and so the size of the binoculars varies for each person. Finding the right size of binoculars involves a tradeoff. The larger the binoculars, the more light they gather and the brighter the image. A large pair of binoculars typically is a pair of either 8 x42’s or 10 x 42’s.
BIG BINOS?
Larger binoculars, however, are also much heavier and can cause neck discomfort. A common solution for this is to replace the binocular strap with a binocular harness that removes the weight of the binoculars from the neck. This works well when you know you are going to be using your binoculars for an extended period of time such as a bird walk.
MEDIUM BINOS?
Moderate sized binoculars are typically 8×32’s. There are also 10×32 binoculars but only the very expensive models (e.g. Swarovski) can provide good brightness. An 8×32 pair of binoculars offers a nice tradeoff for someone who doesn’t want to deal with a heavy pair of binoculars but still wants a quality image that shows the details of the bird.
BABY BINOS?
If you are looking for a pair of binoculars to have with you when you are doing something else, such as playing golf or watching your kid’s soccer game, look at a pair of 8×20 compact binoculars. These still provide good magnification and a good image when used in well lit areas. They typically can fit into your pocket. For the serious birdwatcher, its great to have them as your second pair of binoculars.