In November 2010, my wife surprised me with a pair of Swarovski Optik 10×42 SLC HD for my 40th birthday present. Since then we’ve been practically inseparable (me and the binoculars, I mean, although of course the alternative interpretation is also true). They were without a doubt the best binoculars I had ever used and still rank well up there with top-tier competition to this day. In the intervening years, they’ve travelled with me all over the world, have been my constant companion on my local patch, and when leading our Discover Wildlife experiences on Ireland’s stunning south coast. I have never found them wanting.
Over the years many pairs of superb binoculars have passed across my desk at Ireland’s Wildlife for review, but none of them tempted me to switch from my trusty SLC HD. That was until Swarovski Optik introduced its latest NL Pure range of binoculars.
I first had the chance to try them when Swarovski sent out a loan pair of NL Pure 10×42 for review not long after their release. For the first time, here were a pair of binoculars that I would routinely grab in preference to my SLC HD. They were subtly better in lots of little ways: slightly wider field of view, noticeably sharper, a little brighter, excellent ergonomics and balance… there was nothing overly dramatic that stood out, but together those minor improvements delivered a subtle synergy that combined to provide a significantly elevated viewing experience.
When it was time to send the lone pair back, I was very sorry to see them go. It was the first time that going back to the SLC HD had ever felt like a downgrade. It was a subtle downgrade, but a downgrade nonetheless.
It was hardly a hardship going back to the 10×42 SLC HD, and none of the binoculars I reviewed or tried over the next few years made me yearn for more from my own optics… until in September 2023 Swarovski sent me the 10×32 incarnation of their NL Pure for review. I instantly loved the more compact form factor, and the expansive field of view and optical performance was every bit as good as I remembered from their 10×42 sibling. But these were smaller, lighter and just felt so right.
Again, when they went back to Swarovski I had that twinge of regret, and the feeling that going back to my SLC HD was a downgrade. That’s not something I’ve experienced when testing other top-tier binoculars from brands like Leica, Zeiss, Nikon and others.
The one niggling doubt I had was that 10x was perhaps a little too much magnification with the smaller 32mm objective. In late 2024, on a trip home to the North Wales coast, I visited the RSPB Nature Reserve at Conwy, where I tried out the 8x32mm NL Pure. Everything clicked — the field of view, the ergonomics, the smaller/lighter package, and most of all the quality of the image. I uhmed and ahed a little, but there was really only ever going to be one outcome. In early 2024 I upgraded the 10×42 SLC HD with a new pair of Swarovski Optik NL Pure 8×32.
I’ve been using the new bins daily for nearly a year now, and I have to say they really are sublime. The ergonomics are spot on; the smaller, lighter form-factor is a delight; and the optical performance continues to wow, even after a year of regular use. I was a little concerned at first that I’d miss the extra reach of a 10x binocular, which I’d grown used to over decades, but in practice it’s never been an issue. On the odd occasion I feel I might really need a pair of 10x binoculars, my freshly serviced SLC HDs are still on hand as a very capable backup.
In the NL Pure 8×32 I think I’ve found my ideal birding and wildlife observation. Yours, of course, might be different. Choosing binoculars is a very personal journey; everybody’s experience of optics is unique, and the best binocular is always a unique blend of compromises that delivers the best experience for you.
I’m absolutely delighted to have found my perfect birding and wildlife binocular in the Swarovski Optik NL Pure 8×32, and look forward to many years of unforgetable wildlife encounters with them.
For advice on how you can find your own ideal binoculars, check out these tips on choosing the right wildlife and birding binoculars on the site, or this article on choosing binoculars for wildlife and travel by Best Binoculars Reviews founder and former safari guide, Jason Whitehead.
