I'm interested in opinions on compact bins.
My next birding buy will probably be something to fit in my jacket pocket. I tried out a pair of Swarovski 10x25 at the weekend; nice view, comfortable in the hand, very compact when folded, relatively expensive. My local shop only carries a limited range of manufacturers and I'll probably need to look elsewhere before deciding.
What would members put as their top 1 or 2 compacts and why?
I have put some effort into this question. I have a topic for you here. The short answer seems to be Zeiss Victory 8x20 though for a number of reasons. Assuming you can afford it.
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=133195
Another short answer would be Nikon HG-L, can be found for a little over 300 € and it's very good. Best compact is the Leica Ultravid, but expensive.