Atlas Optics Intrepid ED 10x42 Binocular

These binoculars replace a venerable pair of heavy porro-prism Minolta 10x42s that had served me well but were starting to show their age.

I'd been wanting a set of ED glass binoculars but could not see myself paying $500+ for that feature. I believe in the law of diminishing returns that you will get relatively less value the more and more you continue to spend on items like binoculars. So when I heard of this model was on sale and had all the good reviews that they'd gotten on this site, I was very interested.

So I'd already been impressed with a pair of Atlas 8x42 Radian binoculars which I found, much to my amazement, better in optical clarity than Vortexes that cost double. How would their more expensive cousins compare?

The Intrepid EDs are green, clad with a smooth rubber armor, no ridges or anything fancy texture-wise. The only very thoughtful design touch was a pair of thumb indentations that feel very nice when holding them. Also the open bridge design actually allows you to hold this one-handed, if you had to, but more-so allows your fingers to grip the barrels in a nice, comfortable, fashion.

The focus knob is probably my only gripe about these, there is some play (probably 1/8th inch) between when you start focusing and when the mechanism actually catches. Once it does however, the focusing speed is very reasonable and I had no problems focusing near (love the near-focus: 6.5 Feet!) and far without feeling frantic about the slowness of the refocusing.

And the optics on these are so clear! To be able to get additional 25% magnification over the 8x models and still experience all the fine detail, without light loss, is exactly what I was looking for, and these did not disappoint.

As an avid birder, however, I was concerned that the 10X power would be too much (causing shakes) but this is not a problem with these. I think if they were too light or too heavy this would have been problematic but I have so far found this not to be an issue.

There are some minor negative points though that I will note: The objective lens covers (the larger far side lenses) are too loose and will come off when simply pulled from the rather cheap, black, non-logo-ed case. The twist-up/down multi-position eye-cups are comfortable enough for eye-glass wearers like me but do have some play in the mid position and less in the fully up position.

There is no manual really, just a generic single sheet of folded paper, with the requisite Italian, French, Spanish, German and Dutch taking up most of the space. There is also an attempt to provide a lens cloth, but it looks like a cheap piece of felt.

The provided neck strap is wide and comfortable but the weight of these binoculars will cause them to really swing when you are walking; a harness strap will redistribute the weight and make them more stable to use than what was provided.

That said, these are excellent binoculars for the money and if you do the research, these will have few peers that can match them for features, design and that wonderful Eagle Optics Platinum Protection warranty.

I always wanted a really good pair of optics, but could never find the extra thousands of dollars needed to buy the swarovsky class. I want you to know that since I bought the Atlas pair, I will never have a need to purchase the overpriced
European style optics.

I love these. I not only use them for birding, I use them for hunting. Their light gathering ability at dusk is excellent.
I have also used them now for about 6 months and I feel the quality and durability of the case is great.

I am never without them.

The Atlas 10x42s have superb optics! No color distortion. Good for far and near. Sturdy. They are fairly heavy, but that is no problem with a harness rather than a neck strap. I highly recommend them.

love them- sharp, bright colors, not heavy, focus is plenty fast, had agonized over 8x versus 10x- either makes an amateur birder like myself very satisfied. have compared in field with eagle ranger and nikon monarch- all are winners. the case and lens covers are ok(i haven't lost them yet!), but then i haven't seen any case or lens covers to rave about- but that's not why i bought binoculars anyway. bottom line- i love to use them!

Well, what more needs said, The 8x42s were so nice that when I wanted 10x42s, I bought another pair of Intrepids ED. I wish they made a 12x50. If you're fussy about the case and objective lens cover, you'll be disappointed, so buy an Eagle Optics or Vortex case and covers. I love these glasses, and bought another case.

I compared with binoculars that sell for a thousand more (Swarovski) Clarity and focus seems just as good.

I have been test-driving this item for a month in all lighting conditions and I am as happy with this as I was unhappy with my previous purchase, the Vortex Vixen 8.5 x 50, which I also reviewed. For the first time I am the guy on the field trip showing the beginners what decent optics have to offer. I am unable to detect any chromatic aberration with these EDs and, like the Vortex Viper, all the technical/manufacturing aspects of this bino are top notch, with a couple of differences. First, the carrying case, as you will read elsewhere, is an afterthought at best - I will be shopping for an after-market case. Second, the open design, while not evident from the illustrations here, is far superior to the close-set Viper design and feels as comfortable in the hand as a wide-set porro prism model. If you don't "palm" the barrels but hold your optic in the fingertips, then this will not matter. If you have man hands, it will.

My wife and I ordered and tested both the Atlas 10X42 and the Ranger 10X42. The Ranger was little shorter, little lighter, and $100 cheaper, but the Atlas felt better, has a better view, and smoother focus control. The Ranger has a much better users manual. The Atlas manual is a joke.

I was looking for a new set of binoculars to replace my Nikon Travelite III 10x25 compacts for birding. I did a LOT of research on paper and emailed customer service with a list of questions (which they promptly answered). They indicated that the Atlas' had the best optics among a list of binoculars < $400 I sent them, including the EO Rangers and Nikon Monarchs.

I decided to order two pairs - these and the Eagle Optics Ranger 10x42 to compare them side-by-side and return the one I didn't keep.

Eagle Optics - Smaller, lighter, fairly good resolution; had trouble getting them adjusted to create a clean circle of light (vs. crescents); noticed significant purple/green fringing from chromatic aberrations on high contrast subjects (like the edge of snow drifts), even in the center; some visual blurring around the edges

Atlas - longer, 5 ounces heavier, felt sturdy/solid; noticeably clearer and lighter picture; significantly less purple green fringing; cheaper carrying case though

I've only had them for a day, so we'll see how they work over the next few months...I'm also happy to report that snow is now 'white' with my new binoculars (instead of cream-colored on my old Nikons).

Poor fit and finish, slow focus wheel. Bought Eagle Optics Ranger binos several years ago for about the same price and loved them. Was hoping for the same quality, but was disappointed.

i purchased the 10x42 atlas intrepid bionocs at the suggestion of the eagle sales person. some years ago i bought a pair of celestron ultima 10x42 porros. these glasses i loved. the field is 347 ft. and the optics are very adequate. i tried to replace them with nikon 10x42 monarks and was very dissapointed. then i tried celestron 10x42 ultima roof prisms, no go. now i have used the intrepids for a month. optics are exellent, field is just what a birder or any binoc user desires. i was warned of focus slowness, not a problem. these atlas glasses may be the best kept secret i ever encountered. thanks for the tip.

I had an inexpensive pair of 8 X 40 binoculars that were so so. I am very impressed with the Atlas Intrepid binoculars for viewing cranes and backyard birds. They are easy to hold. I was afraid of the "jiggle" factor with 10X binoulars. I highly recommend these binoculars. They have met my expectations.

This is by far the best binoculars I have ever had, and I have had many over the years. The instrument fits like a glove in the hands, and the ED glass is clear and bright. I highly recommend them!

I am thrilled with my Intrepids. I find them to be extremely versatile. The clear, bright image works well in the settings I've evaluated... birding, boating, astronomy. I have found the previous reviews of this glass to be "spot on". The service that I have received in considering, purchasing, receiving and evaluating my comments after purchase has been top-notch, as well.
Best purchase I've made in a long time--- of any kind!

I own a pair of Atlas Optics Intrepids in 8x42, but I test drove the 10x42 before deciding. In a direct comparison with other binocs in this price range (e.g., Eagle Optics Ranger, Nikon Monarch), the optical quality of the Intrepids is far, far superior. The ED glass is extremely bright and sharp, and the expansive field of view for the 10x42 is comparable to the Rangers at 8x42. These are heavier, but they weigh the same as the top-end models from Swarovski and Leica. The only draw back is the relatively slow focusing speed, which is only a minor issue when moving from close to distant targets (and the shallower depth of field between 8x and 10x is why I decided on the 8x). The Atlas Optics Intrepids are a major steal for the price, and should be seriously considered for anyone looking for a pair of exceptional binoculars but is unwilling to spend huge amounts of cash for an alpha-class pair. With Eagle Optics' unmatched service and warranty, this is a no-brainer.

I ordered the binocular on Friday, and it arrived on Monday. That service is just super.

The binocular is exactly as advertised. The optics are clear and they are easy to set up and use. I would recommend this binocular from Eagle Optics to any of my friends.