Top Rated Adventures - Product Review

My philosophy about binoculars is simple: buy the best quality you can afford! Alpen has been producing quality lenses for quite some time and they are well known for the great value/price ratio they provide for their entire line of products which includes: hunting scopes, binoculars and spotting scopes. Their Rainier are the top binoculars of their Professional line. Let's look at them. First some specs:

Model 10x42	65
Magnification	10X
Objective Diameter	42mm
Prism Type (Roof or Porro)	Roof
Eye Relief	16mm
Field of View F.O.V. (ft @ 1000 yds)	341 ft
Exit Pupil	4.2mm
Close Focus	6.5 ft. / 1.95 mt.
Weight	35 oz. / 980 gr.
Dimensions	5" x 6.5"x 2"
Lens Coating	Fully Multi-coated PXA™ Phase Coating
Tripod Adaptable	YES
Prism Material	BAK4
Waterproof / Fogproof	YES
Type of Case	soft
Neck Strap	Extra Wide high comfort strap with quick release snap buckles

Packaging
The Rainier 10x42 comes in a sturdy black cardboard box 7.5" x 9.75" x 3". The binoculars are presented in and protected by a quality soft case with a neck strap and a large belt loop. The Binoculars Instruction is a simple bifold with basic information about Focusing, Eye cups, Care Instructions. Two separate small flyers are provided to describe the A-Lock Diopter Ring System and the Twist and Lock Eyes Cup, while the Limited Warranty card and a catalog information are also included. In all, a quality presentation and a professional protection for this unit.

One small suggestion - I would like to see an Owner's Manual with all these flyers and information in just one booklet and maybe an exploded view of the binocular and more in depth technical specs.

Materials, Ergonomics, & Design
The body of this Rainier 10x42 is made of a Magnesium alloy known for its strong lightweight characteristics. An interesting fact is that the best German carmakers Porsche, BMW and VW also use magnesium alloy for their engine blocks. You need not to worry about a solid choice here. The material chosen for the outer body of the Rainier 10x42 is a semi-soft textured rubber compound which offers a positive grip and a comfortable touch even in cold temperature (unlike some similar products tested in the past).

Ergonomically speaking the Rainier 10x42 sits well in your hands. The focus knob has generous checkering which affords quick and precise adjustments. There are two grooves on the lower part of the body which allow for additional gripping. These are, to my taste, a bit too far back; however, one of the ladies that tested this unit found them "just in the correct location" for her liking.

The eye cups are designed to twist and lock to offer, coupled with the long eye relief, an excellent view for people with glasses (sun or eyeglasses). Lens covers are to be mentioned for they are one of the best in the whole industry. Well designed holders are quiet and easy to remove, allowing your to bring the binoculars to action while protecting the lens at all times against the elements.

The general design is very modern and pleasing, with a good use of small, non-reflective metal material, combined with a first-class textured cover.

SIZE
With 5" x 6.5" x 2" with a weight of 35 oz. (or 980 gr.).

Functionalities & Features
A couple of special features are found in this unit are the A-Lock Diopter Ring System and the TWIST-UP and Lock Eye cup. The first, the A-Lock Diopter Ring System, allows you to regulate your personal right eye preference and then lock it in position thus ensuring a positive lock. A scale from 0 to 7 (in either direction) guarantees a precise adjustment for multiple users [clear instructions on how to adjust the right and left eye are included].

The TWIST-UP and Lock Eye cup, allows the user to wear eyeglasses (or sunglasses) while providing the entire field of view with full brightness and comfort.

Final Comments - How did it work for us
The Rainier 10x42 binoculars we tested spent several hours afield and at the range with us. We used them in dry weather and snow: let me say that we are impressed. We own and work with several German and Austrian binos, but the Rainier 10x42 can sit very comfortably among them. In particular, I appreciated the good ergonomics, the solid feeling you perceive when you are holding this unit and the brightness of the images it produces. The focusing knob and the focusing action are first class. All optical components of the Rainier series receive Alpen's exclusive UBX™ multi-layer coating which maximizes light transmission. The large BaK-4 prisms are also coated with Alpen's SHR™ metallic and PXA™ phase coatings to ensure excellent brightness, image's clarity and color fidelity. For extensive work in the field we especailly enjoyed the lens protection afforded by superbly deisgned and executed soft rubber lens covers.