Meopta currently produces an extensive line of binoculars designed for birding, hunting, hiking and a wide range of other applications. Many of their models are known for their durable designs, comfortable grips, and top of the line optics. It’s good to see they’ve stuck to their high standards with the introduction of the MeoStar binoculars.
The MeoStar HD hunting binoculars by Meopta feature a rugged, compact design that makes them a great choice for hunting and hiking. Additionally, they’re also very beginner-friendly. They offer excellent optics and a durable construction that allows these binocs to handle heavy-duty use in the backcountry.
Overview and Features
The aluminum alloy body is covered in a thick green rubber armor coating complete with some stippling designed to improve user handling. There are also thumb indents located underneath the body for improved grip. These thumb indents are well placed and won’t interfere with your natural grip. The build quality looks and feels impressive.
The barrels are nitrogen purged and sealed. These binoculars are fog-proof and waterproof and are perfect for hunting and birdwatching.
Optics
The multi-coated lenses eliminate reflection, glare, and have a ninety-nine percent light transmission rating.
The extra-low dispersion, high-definition fluoride objective lenses eliminate color fringing and chromatic aberration in challenging light conditions. The lenses also offer pinpoint resolution, vivid color fidelity, and increased contrast.
FOV
The large field of view comes as somewhat of a surprise considering the compact size of the binoculars themselves. They also only have an 8x magnification with lenses that are thirty-two millimeters in diameter, providing three hundred and thirty feet at one thousand yards, which is excellent.
MeoShield
The protective coating called MeoShield protects the lenses from dings and scratches. The manufacturer claims that the lenses are military standard, which gives us the impression that these lenses are incredibly durable.
Waterproof Design
Part of binocular basics is using a pair that’s durable enough to handle the environment and inclement weather conditions. As we mentioned, these binoculars are also fog-resistant, waterproof, and can be submerged in deep water without damage.
Armor
The design of the binoculars consists of aircraft grade aluminum, combined with the thick rubber coating, giving these binoculars an almost futuristic design.
Warranty
These binoculars are covered by a lifetime warranty. If you run into any issues with performance contact the manufacturer for part replacement or repairs.
Eyepieces
The twist up eyepieces eliminate distortion and provide an impressively clear view and improved sharpness.
Quality
With one look through the lenses, you’ll find that the color fidelity is excellent. These binoculars are able to deliver superb image clarity across the wide field of view. The colors appear natural, vibrant, and true. The lenses effortlessly pick out subtle details and excellent contrast and plumage variation in even the most challenging light conditions. Even this model’s low light performance can be best described as top notch.
Chromatic aberration, reflection, glare, and other difficult lighting issues are easily handled by the optic system. These binoculars have managed to exceed the performance of higher priced competing models in a number of areas. While the Nikon Premier hunting binoculars are currently the Meostar’s top competitor, hands down these binoculars offer a more reliable, solid performance and are simply more versatile.
Ergonomics and Build
In the past, the manufacturer produced binoculars for the Czech military. You can easily see in the design the hints of a military heritage. The binoculars are solidly built and feel almost indestructible. The finish is excellent, offering top of the line build quality and easy focus adjustments that make these binoculars a real asset during a hunt.
The design is noticeably shorter compared to most models of contemporary binoculars. They’re also slightly wider, which is due to the added rubber armor that provides a higher level of protection and cushioning. The binoculars have a bulky, chunky appearance that gives them an almost vintage feel. The manufacturer has taken a new approach to design and chose not to follow the popular open bridge, dual hinge design that most modern models now offer. Instead, the binoculars have a large central hinge design that gives these binoculars a more solid feel.
There’s no doubt the design is incredibly strong, however, the extra bulk may make these binoculars uncomfortable to use for an extended period of time.
You can click here to learn more about popular dual-hinged hunting binoculars in our epic buyer’s guide.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Protective lens coating
- Crystal clear viewing in any type of light condition
- Fast adjustments
Cons
- Bulky design
Hobby Devil.com Product Rating:
The MeoStar binoculars by Meopta are truly a thing of beauty, but their bulky design can be a deal breaker for some. Overall, these binoculars provide top of the line image quality and clarity, are easy to adjust and focus and feature a design that’s built to last. We gave these binoculars a rating of four and a half out of five stars.
