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Highly Recommended

ZEISS Victory SF 10×42 Binocular Review

ZEISS Victory SF Review

Calvin Jones puts Zeiss’s flagship Victory SF binocular through its paces and sees how this “Alpha” optic measures up to life in the field in West Cork.

Hawke Endurance ED 8×32 Binocular Review

Hawke Endurance ED 8x32 Binocular Review

Pros: Bright, high contrast views with natural looking colours and excellent fine detail even at lower light levels. Impressively lightweight, yet still feel extremely robust. Packed with high-end features at a price that represents exceptional value. Cons: None worth noting. Price: Listed in the Birdwatch Ireland Shop for €230, RRP on the Hawke UK website is GB£169.99 (c. €215)…..

Pettersson D240X Bat Detector Review

Side view of the D240X bat detector

Pros: Very solid, well made detector that feels like a quality item in the hand. Large array of controls and options offer lots of customisation and tweaks for the discerning enthusiast or bat research professional. Very sensitive microphone picks up bats with ease. High quality speaker, dials and excellent backlit….

Hawke Frontier ED 8×43 Binocular Review

Hawke Frontier ED Review

Pros: Excellent high-contrast  image with vibrant colours and good detail across the exceptionally wide field of view. Very bright optics that perform well across a range of challenging light conditions. Great build quality and finish for the price: feel very solid, without being overly heavy and excellent balance makes them comfortable….

Meopta MeoStar B1 8×32 Binocular Review

Meopta Meostar 8x32 back

Keen birder and Ireland’s Wildlife contributor Colin Barton puts the Meopta MeoStar 8×32 through its paces, and is suitably impressed. Pros:  Great image quality — can rival the best optics on the market today. Very sharp and crisp, with great low light performance and a good wide field of view…..

Vortex Razor HD 10×42 Binocular Review

Vortex Razor HD reviewed by Ireland's Wildlife

Vortex Razor HD 10×42 Short Review Pros: good looks, superb ergonomics and tough, lightweight design coupled with premium optics and coatings make for a very compelling package that rivals top tier European binoculars. Stunning image quality and excellent handling make the Razor an absolute joy to use. The vortex VIP….

Meopta MeoStar B1 10×42 HD Binocular Review

Meopta Meostar 10x42 HD

Meopta MeoStar B1 10×42 HD: Short Review Pros: Outstanding image quality — superb sharpness, detail and brightness. Up there with the very best optics on the market today. Good wide field of view, excellent edge sharpness and great low light performance. Optically there’s absolutely nothing to criticise here. Body feels bulletproof…..

Gear Review: Paramo Valez Adventure Light Smock

Páramo Valez Adventure Light waterproof smock in action

Paramo Valez Adventure Light Smock: Short Review Pros: Light weight and convenient to carry; very comfortable to wear; easy to pull on and off; outstanding “directional” waterproof performance; windproof; quiet “low rustle” fabric; robust, despite it’s lightweight design. Cons: A bit short on pockets compared to a full-on outdoor jacket –….

Base Layer Review: Patagonia Men’s Capilene® 3 Midweight Crew

Patagonia Capilene Base Layer

A good base layer makes a real difference When you’re out watching wildlife you often find yourself in unpredictable weather, in inaccessible and exposed places, out early in the morning or late into the evening, and often a combination of all those things. If you want to stay comfortable you….

Vortex Viper HD 10×42 Binocular Review

Vortex Viper HD 10X42

Vortex Viper HD 10×42: Short Review Pros: Outstanding optical quality, superb bright image with excellent detail and very good edge sharpness. Compact and robust, great build quality, balance and handling. Bordering on an “Alpha” quality view, but only 1/3 the price of the big guns. Awesome close focus, great low light….