No matter what you need them for, binoculars are a practical and entertaining investment. Having a trusty set of binoculars in your backpack can improve birding, sight-seeing and even hiking.
Yet, we’re not all made of money. We’d love to drop thousands of dollars on high-tech binoculars. But that’s simply not the reality we live in.
Balancing price, quality and desirable features when you’re shopping is not a straightforward task. It can make finding a suitable and affordable pair of binoculars almost impossible.
To make this situation much easier for you, we’ve rounded up the best binoculars under 100 dollars. Get ready to go through some pros, cons and technical details to find out which pair is best for you.
If you’re in a hurry, the Hontry 10x25 Compact Binoculars are at the top of our list. Interested in what other pairs of quality binoculars under 100 dollars are available?
Here’s a quick summary of the best binoculars under 100:
- Hontry 10x25 Compact Binoculars
- Adorrgon 12x42 Binoculars
- RONHAN 20x50 Binoculars
- FREE SOLDIER 20x50 Hunting Binoculars
- AOPFGN 12x42 HD Binoculars
- Occer 12x25 Compact Binoculars
- Adasian 12x42 Binoculars With Universal Phone Adapter
The Best Binoculars Under 100 Dollars—For All Your Outdoor Adventuring
1.
Looking for a slightly more affordable option, perhaps as a present for your nature-obsessed kid? Hontry’s 10×25 multipurpose binoculars might be the answer.
Suitable for both children and adults, these binoculars are one of the best compact binoculars under 100 dollars. You can use them for sports games and concerts, but outdoors is where they really shine, making them some of the best hunting binoculars under 100 dollars out there as well.
With a weight of just 0.6 pounds, you can understand why children won’t have any problems handling these binoculars. The foldable compact design also means they easily fit into a small backpack when hiking or birdwatching.
These binoculars are also some of our best binoculars for birding under 100 dollars. This pair will thrill avid birders with the 10x magnification, low night vision and fully multi-coated optics for sharp images.
Pros
- Foldable, lightweight design.
- Suitable for a range of uses.
- Great for kids and adults.
- Low night vision.
- Sharp imagery.
Cons
- Neck strap is a little short.
- Not the best magnification options.
2.
Unfortunately, these binoculars are not for kids—they’re clearly adult binoculars, which is great if you don’t mind the increased weight. At 1.1 pounds, these large-view binoculars are powerfully sturdy.
They are durable, anti-slip and shock-resistant, thanks to the odorless rubber Adorrgon includes as armor. But their design isn’t the only impressive aspect of this pair.
The binoculars also provide HD quality vision with a large eyepiece, which makes the most of the 12x magnification they offer.
With the ability to alter the eyecups, these binoculars are useful for those of you who wear glasses. This feature makes them some of the best binoculars under 100 dollars.
Adjusting the eye relief means you’ll be comfortable while scanning your surroundings for exciting birds and animals. Or gazing up at your idol at a concert!
These binoculars have low light vision, but it can leave your eyes feeling tired. You might want a different set of binoculars if you’re planning on using the night vision for a long time.
Pros
- Durable and sturdy.
- High-quality vision.
- Adjustable eyecups.
- Waterproof.
Cons
- Night vision tires out eyes.
- Lenses fog easily.
3.
Need some powerful, professional and weatherproof binoculars? The RONHAN 20×50 binoculars are a superb choice. They’re good for getting professional about your outdoor equipment while remaining cautious around the price tag.
Versatile and capable of withstanding tough environments, such as heavy rain, these binoculars could last you a long time. However, you cannot fully immerse them in any sort of water—not that you need binoculars when you’re swimming, anyway.
These binoculars have incredible optical quality. Images from them come out crisp and clear, and they have a wide field of view of 183 feet. Using this set of binoculars would likely let you far and wide.
Birds soaring through the sky might seem a little closer than usual when you’re using these binoculars with 20x magnification and high-precision focus. They’re some of the best binoculars for birding under 100 dollars, but they do weigh 1.8 pounds, so be ready to carry them.
Pros
- Sleek and weatherproof design.
- Clear, high-quality images.
- Low-light night vision.
- High-precision focus.
Cons
- It’s heavy.
- Focus knob is not always quick enough.
4.
Want to blend into the forest with these army-green binoculars? Need to lie low with the beige mud-colored set? Or feel like being professional with the standard black pair?
No matter which one you pick, these HD binoculars are some of the best binoculars for hunting under 100 dollars we found.
With 1.1-inch eyepieces, you’ll be able to see everything around you clearly and in precise detail. The 2-inch large objective lens can spot rapidly moving subjects like deer in the wild (or hyper kids at home). This makes these binoculars another of the best binoculars for hunting under 100 dollars.
The focus of these binoculars is quick and effective, unlike a few other options on this list. They also have a phone attachment, meaning you can take pictures through the binoculars with your smartphone.
Being able to capture photos with these high-quality binoculars is an interesting feature that could be fun to experiment with, which is why we had to include this model on our list of the best binoculars under 100 dollars.
Pros
- Good for hunting.
- Quick focus.
- Smartphone attachment.
Cons
- Doesn’t mount to a tripod.
- Quite heavy with the smartphone attachment.
5.
At 1.82 pounds, there’s no denying that this is one of the heavier options on our list. In short? Not good for kids. It might weigh you down, so make sure that you consider whether this is a suitable choice for you.
Need something more lightweight? Consider some of the best compact binoculars under 100 dollars on this list instead.
But if you’re not deterred by the weight, these sturdy binoculars could be a good fit for you. Specially designed with quality optics, they’re intended for a bright view with minimal distortion.
These binoculars are ideal if you’re a professional who is serious about hunting, hiking or birding. We’ve included them as some of the best binoculars under 100 dollars as they are useful for many hobbies and high-quality for the price.
You might find that these binoculars are more durable and robust than some of the compact options. They have a sturdy structure and a comfortable, rubberized anti-slip coating, which should make looking through them a pleasant and comfortable experience.
Also, they’re weatherproof—clearly intended for professionals who work outdoors no matter what the weather’s like.
Pros
- Durable and sturdy.
- Comfortable to use.
- Wide-angle viewing.
- Weatherproof.
Cons
- Heavy.
- Not completely waterproof.
6.
The Occer 12×25 Compact Binoculars merge several top features, including low light vision, compact size and adjustable eyecups.
High-powered and comfortable for you to hold, these binoculars could be your new best friend when you’re hiking or birding. As they are portable and foldable, they’ll easily fit in your bag and won’t weigh you down. They weigh just over 0.6 pounds, so are lightweight to carry.
They’re certainly one of the best compact binoculars under 100 dollars. With a 273-foot field of view and 12x magnification, these waterproof binoculars are ideal for a range of applications.
However, if you’re looking for a lifelong outdoor companion, you must look elsewhere. Nothing can last forever, and these binoculars are only well-suited for a couple of years of quality work. Still, at such an affordable price, we’d be lining up to buy a fresh pair with no hesitation.
Pros
- Low light vision.
- Pocket-sized and lightweight.
- Extensive field of view.
- Waterproof.
Cons
- Lifetime is only a few years.
- Not super sharp images.
7.
Similar to the Hontry 10x25 Compact Binoculars are our favorite pair and are perfect for budding bird-watchers and hiking enthusiasts alike.
Compact enough to fit in most bags easily and for all the family to use, they’re the perfect outdoor companion. We also loved the extensive field of view and low light vision feature.
Looking for the best binoculars for hunting under 100 dollars? The FREE SOLDIER 20x50 Hunting Binoculars are a great choice.
A smartphone attachment for photographing wildlife and effective focus even on speedy subjects make this pair of binoculars perfect for hunting. However, it could be a little heavy for those wanting a more lightweight option.
Good luck with finding the best binoculars under 100 dollars that suit you and your adventurous activities!