S_S_2015_05_

“Each unit is

hand-finished and

comes with a

30-year guarantee”

Detail of main

focus wheel

and twist-up

eyepiece cups

30 SHOOTING SPORTS MAGAZINE

GENERAL | PRODUCT TEST

£399
CONTACT:

Prices from

MINOX BL-HD
8X44

Garlands Ltd
01827 383300

FOR

Good quality

binocular

Practical spec

Not a lot

AGAINST

VERDICT

A top end

binocular at a

rather good price

30 year guarantee

Minox BL-HD 8x44

❚ Entry pupil 44mm

❚ Exit pupil 5.5mm

❚ FOV @ 1000m 136m/7.8°

❚ Eye relief 19.5mm

❚ Twilight # 18.8

❚ Dimensions 150 x 130 x 53 mm

❚ Weight 740 grams

❚ Price £399

❚ Contact Garlands Ltd 01827 383300

{ }TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Sight for Sore Eyes!

Pete Moore revisits the scene of the crime and

finds some well priced and quality binos from Minox

M

any years ago when we

started Shooting Sports the

then Minox importer sent me

a set of their binos to test. The model

escapes me but they proved to be

light, compact and effi cient and also

tough! I was up a high seat and they

were not round my neck, I put them

down and they fell and hit every metal

rung of the ladder on the way down.

Yes there was damage as the LH

objective bell was bent, but apart from

that nothing, nor any loss of

performance. I told the importers and

they seemed happy that the binos had

fared so well!

HD BABY

The spec of 8x44 gives a practical

magnifi cation that is easy to use

unsupported and also one handed

along with good target identifi cation.

Equally the 44mm objectives allow in

a bit more light in over the more

standard 42mm, which will pay

dividends in low light conditions too.

Built in Germany at their factory in

Wetzlar each unit is hand-fi nished and

comes with a 30-year guarantee,

which is pretty good!

THE GOLDILOCKS CONCEPT

These binos are what I would describe

as mid-compact in that they are

barrels all being black rubber

armoured for protection. Typical of

many modern designs the right hand

barrel has a primary focus setter

with the left one being plain. The main

focus wheel is wide, deep and well

shaped with raised lugs to aid

operation. The effort required is

minimal and easily applied with

just the index fi nger. If anything I

found it a little too easy to operate!

Large, twist-up eye cups are included

to suit all vision types and there are

captive lens caps up front and the

normal, one-piece cover at the rear. A

padded strap, carry bag and cleaning

cloth are included.

In use there are no complaints,

setting up takes seconds and weight/

size-wise they are an easy carry

around the neck and no impediment

in the fi eld.

The Minox B-L 8x44

HD binos – a high

spec optic at a very

reasonable price

neither too big nor too small but just

about right. Dimensions are 150 x

130 x 53 mm and the weight 740

grams. The build goes for an open

bridge design with slightly tapering