Alpen Wings ED HD 8x42 Compact Binoculars Review

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Last Updated on August 20, 2024 by Paul Clayton

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Alpen Wings ED HD 8×42 Compact Binoculars Review

Alpen introduced its Wings series of binoculars in 2009. This line was a significant change from conventional designs for two primary reasons. The first is the open bridge or two-way hinged construction style built into this brand of optical tools.

The second is that these were the first binoculars outfitted with ED glass and sold at an affordable price of $400. Please read the rest of our Alpen Wings ED HD 8×42 Compact Review to learn more.

Key Takeaways:

1. Compact and Durable Design: The Alpen Wings ED HD 8×42 binoculars offer a lightweight and compact design with a durable, dustproof, waterproof, and fogproof construction. Weighing just 24.2 ounces, they are ideal for long treks and outdoor activities.
2. Superior Optics: These binoculars boast exceptional optical performance for their price range. ED glass, multi-coated lenses, and PXA technology provide crisp, color-neutral images. Some chromatic aberration and pincushioning are noted but are minimal.
3. Comfort and Usability: The binoculars feature adjustable eyecups, a comfortable inter-pupillary distance, and user-friendly diopter and focus adjustments. They offer excellent ergonomics and ease of use for most users, including birdwatchers.
4. Field of View: The 8x magnification model stands out with an impressive 393-foot field of view at 1000 yards, making it superior to most competitors in this price range.
5. Accessories and Protection: Alpen provides robust rain guards, lens caps, a padded Cordura strap, and a lightweight, holster-equipped case, all of which enhance usability and protection.
6. Warranty: Alpen offers a Lifetime No-Fault Warranty covering manufacturing defects but excludes damage from rough handling or improper maintenance.

Physical Features and Build Quality

Alpen Wings ED is a standard-sized, 42mm roof prism set of field binoculars, available in two variants: one with an 8x magnification option and the other with a 10x magnification option. Compared to the older designs, the binoculars in this series are very compact and stand at a height of just 5.9 inches, with their eyecups fully elongated.

In terms of width, it is also a reasonably compact instrument with a width of just 4.9 inches. The binoculars weigh around 24.2 ounces, which is good because, for a set of binoculars of 42 mm, any weight under 25 ounces is considered light. The barrels are coated with the iconic Alpen forest green rubber coating, with black hinges, focus knob, finger cups, and eyecups.

Like all the other roof prism binoculars on the market today, the Alpen ED is completely sealed with nitrogen inside the lens barrels to keep it dust, water, and fogproof. The Wings 8x model has a comfortable eye relief of approximately 17mm, while the 10x model has just 15mm, which might be a bit low for people wearing eyeglasses.

Alpen Wings ED HD 8×42 Compact Review

The binoculars also come with soft black rubber rain guards linked together by a bridge made of the same black rubber. This rain guard does a fantastic job and fits so comfortably over the eyecups that it won’t come off, even by accident. Alpen has installed brackets on each cup to install the binocular strap with the rain guard on.

The left bracket has a gap so the user can unstrap the binoculars if he or she wishes to. This is an impressive rain guard. It is incredibly efficient at its job and has no apparent flaws in its design.

The main lens covers are also constructed of the same black rubber used for the rain guards. They come with caps connected to the barrels via a short rope. Each cap has a groove made on the inside into which the rim of the lenses snugly fits, giving the lenses tight protection.

This generally works very well. However, it has one drawback in the ring that is supposed to fit into the rim. Alpen made them too loose, and the entire lens cap assembly could be toppling off time.

Alpen is presumed to have been developing a product to remove this flaw. However, Alpen spares no expense in providing its customers with replacement caps if the original ones are lost.

Case and Strap

Alpen’s case for the Wings ED set of binoculars is a refreshing change from traditional, old-fashioned designs. It has a more sophisticated design, lightweight rubber, and a double zipper enclosure system. The case also has a Cordura strap attached to it.

Along with the binoculars, the case comes with a removable holster, which can be used as a belt accessory. It can be used on hikes and treks while offering ample protection from external threats to the binoculars. The holster has an elastic snapping lock system to hold the binoculars when not in use.

Alpen provides a premium lightweight Cordura strap with large leather patches around the neck and comfortable foam padding to maximize comfort. For those who prefer, Alpen also has a harness strap that can be bought along with the binoculars. In addition to all these extras, the Alpen ED 8×25 case comes with a lens cloth for maintaining and cleaning the binoculars.

Optical Features and Image Reproduction

The first thing that can be noticed when looking through the Wings ED binoculars is the images’ startling quality of optical resolution and crystal-clear clarity. It is sometimes so good that it is almost impossible to believe it costs only $400. Giving all the credit to the newly installed ED glass is standard. Still, these binoculars have incorporated many other features that contribute to the superb clarity, which is worth mentioning.

The binoculars have multi-coated lenses and the Alpen trademarked PXA coating, a fundamental component in producing superior-quality optics and better color reproduction.

It has been found that the image generated is completely color-neutral, and the superior level of contrast helps develop a clean and clear image.

The Wings ED binoculars, however, show some signs of field curvature or edge effects. This generally happens with objects situated too far away from the field of view, causing them to appear curved towards the inside of the binoculars. This phenomenon, called pin cushioning, is significant in this device.

Some degrees of chromatic aberration were also noticed, but these were in negligible quantities. The company claims the 8x magnification variant has a 393-foot field of view at 1000 yards of distance, and the 10x version is just 330 feet. Among its competitors, the 10x version has a slightly higher-than-average field of view for a 42 mm binocular.

However, the 8x version completely decimates its competitors with its staggering field of view numbers.

Focusing Mechanism

Alpen’s Wings ED binoculars have a very generously sized focus knob that is covered all over with uniformly cut thin strips of black rubber, which enhances the stability of the grip. The whole process of focusing is super smooth, very efficient, and happens quickly. The minimum close focus of the 8x variant has been measured to be around 7 feet, while it is 7.5 feet for the 10x model.

It has been noted that the transition from minimal focus to infinity can be made in approximately 1.7 turns of the focus knob. This is a bit higher than binoculars of the same variance. However, with its exceptional focal capabilities, the binoculars can show crystal clear images for objects up to distances of 20 feet with just 0.7 turns of the focus knob.

This covers most objects that users, specifically birdwatchers, would like to see, as the minimal focal length thoroughly covers the object. This model perfectly implements this attribute, improving a user’s experience exponentially.

Peripheral Features

The framework used to adjust the diopter on the Wings ED line of binoculars is a very user-friendly and easy-to-use mechanism. It consists of a single twist ring fitted to the base of the right eye lens. The position for equal eyes is marked by a white dot on the ring, which marks the position for equal eyes in line with a raised vertical line on the rubber case.

A very subtle but innovative and helpful addition to the model is a set of raised markings on either side of the dot, which can assist people with approximate markings in case of unequal eyes. A helical twisting mechanism adjusts the eyecups according to the requirements. One can accomplish this by rotating them clockwise to extend them and counterclockwise to retract them.

This binocular only possesses one balanced position between fully extended and retracted eyecups. The Alpen Wings ED binoculars also have an impressively sizeable inter-pupillary distance starting from 54 mm and ranging up to 73 mm. This means that they are going to be a very comfortable fit for anyone in the eye, especially for people with less broad faces.

Advantages

Lightweight, compact binoculars make carrying on long treks and hikes or for longer durations easier.
It has a durable and efficient construction, which maximizes ease of use and comfort.
The lens barrels are dustproof, waterproof, and fogproof from the inside.
Sturdy lens caps and rain guards offer superb protection to both lenses.
It is a sophisticated and lightweight case that comes with a holster.
Comfortable strap made out of Cordura, foam padding, and leather strips around the neck.
Superior optics used in these binoculars provide clear images.
Excellent color reproduction due to trademarked PXA technology.
Both variants provide a generous field of view.
It provides a minimum focal distance of 7 feet, which is ideal for outdoor uses like bird watching and other adventure activities.
User-friendly and surprisingly efficient focus adjustment mechanism.
Considerable inter-pupillary distance within a range of 54 to 73 mm ensures everyone is comfortable using it.

Disadvantages

In some pivotal points, the 10x magnification variant performs poorly compared to its younger kin, the 8x.
Significant instances of pincushioning are seen around the lenses’ edges, making images look like they are bending inward.
Negligible amounts of chromatic aberrations are also noted around the far limits of the field of view.
When the lens ring that is supposed to fit into the lens cap is made loose, the whole lens structure can fall apart.

Customer Reviews

Something common among all Alden binocular customers was their extremely high levels of satisfaction starting from the time they started using the Alpen Wings ED binoculars. They have all reported being very happy with the product’s ergonomics and build quality. Customers even highly praised the image clarity and found this pair more user-friendly than their older binoculars.

However, some people complained about the strap being too bulky for a binocular and this compact. Still, since this model comes with a detachable strap, there was no major objection from the customers towards this attribute. There were mixed reactions regarding the screw in the mode of the lenses. However, most customers appreciated the surprisingly light weight of the binoculars.

Travelers and bird watchers were the customer segments that were particularly happy with this attribute. This makes it obvious that this binocular is ideally suited for the job it was tasked with.

Warranty

The Alpen binoculars also come with an Alpen Lifetime No-Fault Warranty, which covers manufacturing defects, which are probably internal damage due to wrong assembly or mechanical failure due to the breakage of the component. However, the Alpen Lifetime No-Fault Warranty does not cover the damage caused to the product due to rough handling or dropping of the product. Neither does Alpen cover for defects like scratches on the lens because of improper cleaning methods nor the normal wear and tear the product undergoes over time.

Nonetheless, it is always advisable for customers to ensure proper maintenance for maximum utility and satisfaction while using these binoculars over their lifetime.

Conclusion

With a sturdy and compact build, Alpen has come out with a traveler’s, trekker’s, or birdwatcher’s ultimate friend at a very reasonable price. Judging by the image reproduction generated by this line of binoculars, it is sure that the Wings of Alpen are all set to take off as soon as this product starts to become better known among the relevant circles of prospective customers.

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