I am interested in solving a bit of a manufacturer mystery. Here is the background.
About 2 weeks ago, I purchased a pair of "Rugged Exposure" brand 10x42 waterproof roof prism binoculars from a local sporting goods store for $60. I was very impressed with the image quality, considering the low price. They claim to be BAK4, fully coated, waterproof, and fogproof. My only complaint with these after almost 2 weeks of use has been that when pointed at objects near the sun, some internal reflections occur because the blackening paint used on the internal surfaces is not matte, but has a slight bit of gloss to it. OK... no big deal, for $60 I'm not complaining - especially considering the overall excellence of everything else about these binoculars. In fact I ended up buying two pair, one as a backup "thrasher" pair for backpacking use.
Fast forward. A few days later, I see an internet ad on Cabelas that shows a Barska brand 10x42 waterproof (the "Atlantic" model) with the EXACT SAME armor, in a different color, as the Rugged Exposure brand I bought. Other websites show the Barska with slightly different armor, but you can see it is just a cosmetic makeover and the Cabelas ad is apparently showing one of the first models before they changed the armor over to the new design. Here is the link:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...requestid=41497
Fast forward again... to today. I am in a camping store and notice a pair of Celestron Outland binoculars, in 10x42, and I ask to see them. After careful examination, I conclude that they are the EXACT same binocular as the Barska and Rugged Exposure models, other than the rubber armoring. Internal construction is identical (which can be examined with a flashlight from the objective lens end), focus control is the same, the view through them is identical, and the diopter adjust and eyecups have the same stiffness and feel, and identical dimensions to my Rugged Exposure model. The ONLY real difference other than the rubber armor style is that the Celestron is listed as 304 ft. at 1000 yds. field of view, instead of 303 ft. at 1000 yds. listed on the other two models. I STRONGLY suspect this awesome 1 foot difference has been printed in order to differentiate the product and keep people from becoming wise to the commonality of these binocular brands, not as a result of any REAL difference in optics or actual field of view measurements.
OK.... where are all these binoculars coming from? There is a factory somewhere in China that is making GREAT 10x42 optics with one tiny flaw (the slight gloss to the internal blackening paint) and selling them for next to nothing. They are re-branding them and putting custom armor on for whoever wants to go into the cheap binocular business, and apparently doing pretty well at it - even Celestron is buying from them. Who is this factory? Does anyone know? Also, what is Chinese for "Use matte black paint, not semi-gloss"?
Best wishes,
Bawko