Just in time for summer comes what has to be one of the finest super wide angle handheld binoculars ever produced, regardless of price. Nothing even close made anywhere on the planet today!
This is a TASCO pre-Model 110 that is 12.5 degrees wide and 7x,35 in power and size. It is, in our own experience, easily the handiest super wide with a superbly comfortable chassis. It is a chunky/chubby little beauty with palm swells that reminds one of the hips of a woman. They fit any size hand and those with small to medium mitts have no problem grasping them.
This set preceded the better known, and highly regarded, Tasco 110 and later 410 models that differ only in that they have barrel focusers, and truly odd (some say awful) screw up metal eye cups on the 110. The 410 used fold down rubber ones and also introduced nicely sculpted, more modern looking, prism covers. Otherwise they are identical optically where all three iterations use an advanced five element ocular design.
They also eschew a separate weak focal reducing field lens on the prism cluster mounting plate as used in the 12.5* SEARS 6287-A. The "most beautiful binocular ever made." Based solely on the unique gator skin embossed vinyl chassis covering. Made for a mere two to three years, it is far better known than this Tasco model that is even scarcer than the Sears. We have been collecting for nearly nine years and this specimen is only the third one we've managed to snag. And easily as nice as our other two in the Collection.
But because of a truly awful left eye, this one doesn't quite focus sharply at infinity for us. So our loss is your gain! One could use spectacles with them by unscrewing those really shallow eye cups that came age welded in place. We carefully freed them as they are prone to cracking. So be careful. Once off, some felt or rubber O-rings glued in place makes them useful with glasses. But they were made for BARE EYES! And if used properly one will be cleaning eyelash grease off their nearly pristine ocular lenses after each use.
Focus controls were really stiff but are now light and smooth for easy manipulation. Some light brassing of one of the objective beauty ring was taken care of with two light coats of spray paint. If never mentioned we doubt one would even notice the repair.
This set came with all four logo embossed lens caps and a case. We swapped the case for a far better one that exactly matched the original in our collection, and threw in the leather carry strap for said case. The bino comes with a fairly wide, strong black nylon carry strap that was glued, stapled and finally taped in place. About as complete a set as one is liable to find!
No need to have it sent out for a cleaning as when the ocular assembly was popped off for a lube job we found the excellent Japanese Bak-4 prisms to be spot and film free! So you get factory set collimation for fatigue free views that are crystal clear, very crisp, and jaw dropping wide. When offered a peek we've seen grown men hurl their own high end German and Austrian roofers to the ground in disgust at having spent so much for so little. These super wides are like raising a miniature high definition television to your eyes and seeing the view before you magically enlarge seven times and immerse you. Yes, an immersive optical experience like no other bino produces save for other 12.5 degree models and, of course, the even larger 13 degree Vin Bins. The latter tend to have very yellow views due to UV combined with blue (magnesium fluoride) coating.
The case and carry strap were conditioned. Same with the binos chassis and eye cups.
Satisfaction or request a return and cheerful refund within three days of receipt, please.