5 Best Binoculars to Watch Rowing – Buying Guide 2024

Rowing is decently popular, but many people love it and attend every rowing event happening around. I may not be the one who loves rowing, but my brothers do, so along with them, I also attend even if I am free. 

We (family members) all sit at seats that are very far away from the water bodies and use binoculars to watch the rowers doing their magic in the water and propelling the boats using oars. If you are also rowing lovers, and attend such events, I suggest you have a bino to get the most out of it. 

But the question is why are the best binoculars to watch rowing? Nikon Monarch 5 are suitable option to use for watching rowing. However, if you have a tight budget, you can also try Nikon Aculon, and Vortex Crossfire as they are available at affordable pricing. 

In this detailed guide, we will believe discussing binoculars are good to be used to watch rowing. You will also know the factors that have an impact on rowing binos. So, let’s get started.

Also Read: Best Binoculars for Astigmatism

Comparison Table of Best Binoculars for Rowing

How to Choose the Binoculars for Watching Rowing?

I love all of my readers – and I don’t want you to make buying decisions without knowing binoculars. So, in the section below, I am going to mention a small buying guide that will give you important factors that you must consider before buying binoculars to watch rowing sports.

• Zooming power of binoculars is one of the most important things that you should consider. For watching the rowing, you will be sitting at some distance from the water body. So, I suggest you choose powerful magnification so that you can see everything. If you ask me the exact number then I would suggest you choose 10x magnification.
• The stronger build quality is another important thing that I highly recommend you to choose binoculars for rowing which are capable of bearing extreme temperature and harsh outdoor usage.
• The optical performance is important not only for rowing but for all purposes. It does not make sense to buy binos that offer compromised visual quality. You must ensure your chosen binoculars have high-quality glass material, and FMC lenses so that you can get decent clarity.
• A quick, efficient focusing system is also key when you watch the rowing. If a binocular does not come with an ideal focusing system then you won’t be able to shift your focus from your rower to another. You should go with binoculars having a central focusing system with a knob mounted on the middle of two barrels. It would allow you to adjust the focus easily.

I am sure that by considering this basic information, you will end up choosing a top-notch pair that would give you an optimal viewing experience. But this is not the end, as our typing fingers continue to do their jobs.

Reviews & Top Picks of Best Binoculars to Watch Rowing

I am going to give you some top-notch picks that we have made after extensive research and testing. Our picked, and reviewed binoculars will give you ideal optical performance. It is not mandatory to choose from our recommended options, but if you choose them you won’t regret it for sure.

Here is the list of those binoculars that you can use for enjoying the rowing:

1. Nikon 8252 Aculon A211 10-22×50 Binoculars
2. Vortex Optics Crossfire HD Binoculars
3. NIKON Monarch M5 10×42 Binoculars
4. Bushnell Marine 7×50 Binoculars
5. Vortex Optics Viper HD Roof Prism Binoculars

In the section below, I will discuss these binos and tell you why I consider them useful and worthy of being used for watching the rowing.

Our Top Picks

Best Budget-Friendly Option	Check Price
Best Performing Binoculars	Check Price
Premium & High-End Option	Check Price

1- Nikon 8252 Aculon A211 10-22×50 Binoculars

As I mentioned earlier, for watching rowing, you will need a binocular that is powerful and offers more viewing range with excellent clarity. From that point of view, these Nikon binoculars are just right up there due to their variable magnification power.

They come with a magnification power range from 10x to 22x which is quite phenomenal. You will be able to use the magnification according to your needs, and preferences. Suppose you want to get a very close view of the rower, then you can zoom in and get very detailed visuals of the rower.

Apart from the magnification, their optical quality is also up to the mark. They consist of decent quality glass material which is not obviously not ideal, but still good enough to give you nice optical performance. I would give you 7 points in terms of optical performance which is not bad.

They are slightly heavier which is a kind of drawback for me. But it does not mean that you won’t be able to use them while holding hands. Although they are heavier, still you will be able to use them easily as they have better ergonomics. 

Due to their nice adjustable eyecups, and decent eye relief, they won’t give you eye strain which is a very good thing for the old aged people. They also come with a lifetime warranty, and the company will repair or refund you if you get any issues with your bought binos.

Our Final Verdict

These binos are our favorite due to their availability at a very low price. Again, this pair offers nice features, so I don’t think that you will regret buying them. This is truly a value-to-money kind of product.

2- Vortex Optics Crossfire HD Binoculars

I still remember when my wife gifted these pairs a year ago, and I still own them. They are truly value-to-money products, but they are also a bit heavier which makes them not a very good option for someone who loves to carry lightweight pairs.

First thing first, these binoculars come with ideal optical performance. While watching the rower, you will feel like you are very close to the water body, and see throwing with naked eyes without using any binoculars. Thanks to their highest quality glass material.

They have ideally long eye relief which is another useful thing. You won’t get tired while watching the rowers doing their job on the boat. The adjustable eyecups further uplift the standard of these binoculars as you will be able to increase or decrease the eye relief by rotating the eyecups.

One thing that I can say with confidence is that their durability will impress you. They are made with aluminum material which is very strong, but heavy. So usage of this material in the chassis ensures that these optics will be able to bear the shocks and fall quite easily.

In fact, they are very much capable of bearing the extreme temperature which makes them the best binoculars to have for rowing. Apart from that, they also have a lifetime warranty which will give you peace of mind for future usage.

Our Final Verdict

If you are someone who loves to carry heavier binoculars that give ideal optical performance, then I highly recommend you to give these a try. They won’t disappoint you. I rank them high due to their build quality, and lens protection.

3- NIKON Monarch M5 10×42 Binoculars

This is the second product from the Nikon brand, but these M5 binos are our favorite due to their lightweight, user-friendliness, and ideal optical performance. If you have noticed, the above-given products are slightly heavier.

But these binoculars are totally opposite to them as they are lightweight, and easy to use while watching the rowing. They consist of lenses made with high-quality glass material that produce no chromatic aberration. So, you won’t see any glare, etc.

As I said, these binoculars attracted me due to their optical performance. Ask me why. When I used these binos for testing, I was able to see very clear visuals, with natural color balance which is something you rarely get in binoculars.

They have nice eye relief, and optimal ergonomics that make them easy to hold when using them to watch the rowing. So, it won’t be an issue for you to use them for an extended duration. If you have a mid-range budget, I highly recommend you to buy these pairs as they are worth the investment.

Our Final Verdict

Due to inflation, the rates of binoculars are touching the high sky. If you want perfectly performing binoculars, then you must consider these binoculars as they offer premium features at very affordable prices. If you ask whether I would buy them for myself, I would say a BIG YES!

4- Bushnell Marine 7×50 Binoculars

As I said earlier in the introduction to write this guide, I did spend many hours. The reason is that I had to do research, check the forums of the rowing enthusiasts, and also talk with those people who usually attend rowing like my brother.

So, I came to know that many people use these Bushnell binoculars for rowing as they offer ideal gripping and handling. Their body consists of indents that allow you to keep your hands easily on the binoculars for a longer duration, and they (Bushnell binos) won’t slip out of your hands.

Above all, I loved their compass, and rangefinding capabilities which will allow you to know the direction and range. While sitting on the seat while watching the rowing competition, you will be able to know how far is the rower from you. You will be able to follow their directions.

They are very heavy. It won’t be wrong if I say that these Bushnell binoculars are the heaviest pairs among all the binoculars that I have reviewed in this guide. But due to bigger, bigger-sized objective lenses, their low light usability is better than all the other binoculars discussed above.

There is always a trade-off between the weight and lowlight usability of binoculars. If you want to get excellent low-light usability, then you will have to choose heavier binoculars that come with a bigger-sized objective lens. These bushnell binos also have 50mm of objective lens which makes them heavier.

Our Final Verdict

To be honest, I don’t consider them ideal pairs due to the compromised magnification power. But many rowing watchers appreciated these binos so I’ve picked them up in this guide. They offer ideal optical performance in lowlight conditions which makes me feel good about them.

5- Vortex Optics Viper HD Roof Prism Binoculars

Do you have a handsome and want to grab a premium pair that offers ideal optical performance? If yes, then these vortex vipers should be your choice as they come with the performance that no other binoculars discussed in this guide offer.

These vertex binoculars are famous due to their ideal optical performance.  they are lunges are coated with anti-reflective material which is of very high quality to ensure that these binoculars offer you ideal performance when used in different light conditions such as before dawn or after dusk.

I know the fact that lowlight useability is not very important when it comes to using binoculars to watch rowing.  but certainly, it is an additional feature that will give you confidence that your Binocular is good enough to be used in different light conditions.

They are very strong, plus their lenses are coated to ensure that they don’t get scratched when used in harsh conditions. However, their weight is slightly on the higher side but it is not going to affect your ease of usability. 

The reason is that their body’s ergonomics are so user friendly, that the weight won’t have any bad impact. Look usually we avoid buying the heavier binoculars as the extra weight affects the ease of using and carrying binoculars. But the ergonomics, and shape of these binoculars make them very easy to use.

So, a slightly heavier weight won’t affect the ease of usability. Another thing is that their size is not bulky which is also a good thing especially when you use your binoculars for viewing rowing for a longer duration. This pair has all the features that you get in premium binos.

Our Final Verdict

I recommend these binoculars to those people who have a handsome budget and want to enjoy the excellent optical performance of the binoculars. For me, their optical performance is something that makes them stand out in this guide.

Conclusion

With the big hopes that this guide will add value to your buying-making decision, I am stopping this guide. But if you’ve any questions in mind, feel free to ask in the comment section, and I will be quick to respond. See you with another useful guide.