Hawke Nature-Trek 12x50

Good Points: Powerful, very bright and first use was a 6hr low level Cairngorm forest stroll. They're larger than my old Nikon 8x25's but I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable they were to wear using the strap provided. Improvement Points: No.

I bought these for the extra magnification when watching birds from a long distance - for instance on the coast or at a reservoir. So far, I've used them twice and have a mostly favourable impression. They're easy to focus and they seem sturdy without being excessively heavy. The definition is not as sharp as it might be, but that is reflected by the price. I do not wear glasses when I watch birds, and one disappointment is that the right eye-lens keeps slipping down. This a bit irritating, and I'm not sure how to fix it.

Difficult to find a comfortable fit. Vision good when found.

Good Points: Better in low light than expected Improvement Points: None

Lack of easily available tripod mount makes this a frustrating purchase. Why not include a suitable universal mount with this device as it will be inevitably required?