The best camera, the saying goes, is the one you have on you - and the same rule holds for optics. The first time anyone books an Alaska cruise, we all start thinking about buying a serious pair of binoculars for whales, bears and eagles, and then discover the two walls of that plan: real binoculars are expensive, and they are heavy. The Nocs Provisions Zero Tube 8x25 that Nocs sent over for review is the exit from both problems, and after a couple months of carrying one it has earned a permanent spot in my gear bag.
Nocs Provisions sells the Zero Tube 8x25 directly as well as on Amazon. Nocs backs it with a lifetime warranty. The main decision is 8x versus 10x - we break down below why the 8x25 is the right choice for most cruisers and when the 10x25 earns its keep. Binoculars are the gear everyone researches and nobody carries. Getting to the right pair for your budget and needs is a rabbit hole, and even after you pick well, a pair of heavy binoculars is just one more thing to worry about - I have been burned by exactly that more than once. This waterproof monocular Nocs sent over is the accessory version of the problem, and it is reasonably priced for the quality. Rugged, Shockproof, Fogproof Optic for Adults & Kids, for Hunting & Travel, Backpacking, Sightseeing Promoted by FlowAds I chose the 8x25 over the 10x25 because it is the better choice for most cruisers: a wider field of view and less image shake. If you are operating entirely from shore - spotting eagles or bears on a hike, reading detail on a mountaintop - the 10x25 buys you a little reach, but it is tough to watch fast-moving objects at that magnification. It is less good for wildlife in motion, and especially so when you are already bouncing around on a whale watching boat, a zodiac expedition craft, or simply looking at something distant from the moving deck of your cruise ship. The specs are what you would hope for in a take-anywhere optic: Nocs rates the Zero Tube at 7.2 ounces, protects it with impact-absorbing Wave Armor, seals it fully IPX7 waterproof, and nitrogen-purges it to prevent fogging, all under a lifetime warranty. An integrated heavy-duty belt and pack clip lets you deploy it one-handed and keep it within reach - which is the whole point of a never-leave-it-behind optic, and the kind of gear that makes packing for an Alaska cruise simpler instead of heavier. Promoted by FlowAds I have been testing it locally through the southern migration on Lake Erie and Lake Michigan, glassing shorebirds and waterfowl where a stable platform and a wide field of view do their best work. Ship time is where the argument gets made: the wider 8x field holds a moving whale in view far better than a narrow 10x window does. A more comprehensive look at binoculars versus monoculars is coming, but this one has already changed what I carry. The honest limitation of any monocular is depth. With one eye you lose the dimensional reading binoculars give you - fine for scanning open water or watching a bear across a meadow, noticeably absent when you want to judge distance. Long single-eye sessions also fatigue faster. Neither one argued me back into a full-size binocular, though, because at 7.2 ounces the question is never whether to carry it. The Zero Tube has earned a permanent spot in my bag, and the proof of how much I like it is what I plan to do next: pick up a second one to keep in the car and replace the cheap spotting scope I bought a few years ago - one that was not waterproof and was built with hard plastic instead of the softer rubber and sealing this one has. For the price of an accessory you get a real 8x25 optic that survives the rain, the salt spray, and the shoulder bag. It has also earned a place in our cruise gift roundup alongside the waterproof bags we tested for Alaska cruises, and if you want the older thinking on full-size glass, our top travel binoculars guide covers five pairs for the itineraries that need more reach.
Why A Monocular Instead Of Binoculars
Nocs Provisions Zero Tube 8x25 ED Glass Waterproof Monocular
Picking The 8x25 Over The 10x25
Wave Armor, Waterproofing And A Lifetime Warranty
Real-World Testing: From Lake Erie Birds To The Cruise Deck
What A One-Eyed Optic Cannot Do
Verdict: A Permanent Spot In My Gear Bag