Bushnell H20 10x42 Review
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
This Product
Bushnell H20 10x42 | |||||
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Awards | Best Bang for the Buck | Best on a Tight Budget | Best Travel Binoculars on a Budget | ||
Price | $100 List $69.95 at Amazon | $320 List $174.18 at Amazon | $170 List $127.45 at Amazon | $76.95 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $110 List $66.95 at Amazon |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | Don't expect too much from this pair of binoculars | One of the best overall values on the market, particularly for mid-range price shoppers | A great choice for birders on a tight budget | Decent clarity and compactness make these a good budget option for traveling, backpacking and hiking | A good choice for someone on a budget and who could use a pair of binoculars that lets in a lot of light |
Rating Categories | Bushnell H20 10x42 | Vortex Diamondback... | Celestron Nature DX... | Nikon Trailblazer A... | Nikon Aculon A211 8x42 |
Clarity (35%) | |||||
Brightness (20%) | |||||
Comfort (15%) | |||||
Field of View (10%) | |||||
Ease of Adjustment (15%) | |||||
Close Focus Range (5%) | |||||
Specs | Bushnell H20 10x42 | Vortex Diamondback... | Celestron Nature DX... | Nikon Trailblazer A... | Nikon Aculon A211 8x42 |
Measured Weight | 23.1 oz | 23.1 oz | 22.8 oz | 10.5 oz | 27.2 oz |
Measured Interpupillary Distance Range | 58mm - 74mm | 56mm - 75mm | 57mm -74mm | 38mm -75mm | 56mm - 73mm |
Measured Size | 6.0" x 5.2" | 5.7" x 5.1" | 5.4" x 4.5" | 2.7" x 4.1" | 6.8" x 5.9" |
Measured Close Focus | 11.8 ft | 5.5 ft | 8.0 ft | 6.6 ft | 11.9 ft |
Measured Eye Relief | 14.5 mm | 18.0 mm | 18.0 mm | 10.5 mm | 12.0 mm |
Glass Type | BAK-4 | HD | BAK-4 | Eco-Glass | Eco-Glass |
Magnification | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 8 |
Objective Lens Size | 42 | 42 | 42 | 25 | 42 |
Claimed Field of View | 361 ft | 393 ft | 388 ft | 342 ft | 420 ft |
Claimed Close Focus | 12.0 ft | 5.0 ft | 6.5 ft | 11.5 ft | 13.0 ft |
Claimed Eye Relief | 15.6 mm | 17 mm | 17.5 mm | 10 mm | 12 mm |
Waterproof/Fog Resistant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not mentioned |
Tripod Adapter | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Measured Lux Reading from Brightness Testing | 411 lux | 1163 lux | 823 lux | 237 lux | 1236 lux |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
Clarity
As you might expect with such an affordable pair of binos, you will not get anywhere near the clarity of a multi-thousand-dollar pair of binos. At this price tier of binoculars, there is often some serious compromise on the quality of materials and construction. Not only did we observe blurring and vignetting, but the lenses were not level with each other in the barrels. Collimation in our test model's right lens led to serious eye fatigue, headaches, and an unenjoyable experience.
Brightness
We took a deep dive into observed and measured brightness as well as exit pupil size to properly evaluate this metric. The Bushnell H20 10x42's larger lenses, by design, should allow for greater light transmission than smaller ones. Still, the Bushnell's underperformed nearly all similarly priced models with identical lens sizes and didn't do much better than some much smaller lenses. Beyond the noticeably darker observed brightness, we measured brightness at 411 Lux.
Comfort
The Bushnell H20 10x42 binos aren't too hefty, weighing in at 23.1 ounces, and are balanced relatively well, making them comfortable to hold for extended periods of time. Small dimples also provide some additional finger grip and comfort. When not in use, a fairly standard strap is neither uncomfortable nor anything to write home about.
Field of View
The Bushnell H20 10x42 did not fare well in our field of view testing. Using a vertical wooden fence, at a set distance, we were able to clearly see 47 fence boards, whereas we were able to see more than 60 with a handful of top models.
Ease of Adjustment
No locking diopter and a short 14.5 mm eye relief are two reasons that the Bushnell H20 10x42 scored poorly in our ease of adjustment test metric. More specifically, this model was one of the few we tested that were nearly impossible to use with glasses. As such, we recommend that those who wear glasses consider other models.
Close Focus Range
The Bushnell H20 10x42 finished our close focus range testing with a somewhat disappointing close focus range of 11.8 feet. While 11.8 feet is slightly better than the manufacturer-stated specifications of 12 feet, these would not be the best choice for things like butterfly houses or aviaries.
Should You Buy the Bushnell H20 10x42?
We cannot in good conscience recommend the Bushnell H20 10x42 to the readers who rely on our testing and unbiased scoring to identify a great pair of binoculars; the Bushnell H20 10x42 simply is not up to par with the other binoculars we tested. While this model does have a modest price, we tested a few models with better performance at similar prices, which would all be better options.
What Other Binoculars Should You Consider?
At a similar price point to the Bushnell H20 10x42, the smaller Nikon Trailblazer ATB Waterproof 10x25 binoculars provide better performance. While these are also not the best pair of binoculars we tested, they manage far better clarity and close focus range at 6.6 feet. If you're willing to spend a bit more, we think the Vortex Diamondback HD 8x42 has one of the best price-to-performance ratios. It is one of the best overall value binoculars we tested, and you'll be happy you increased your budget for a vastly superior pair of binos that offer superior clarity, brightness, and field of view. Check out our best binoculars review for more comparisons.