Athlon Optics Argos G2 UHD 10x42 Binoculars

When one hand is on a trekking pole or a rifle sling, the binocular has to come up in the other. The Athlon Argos G2 UHD 10x42 has what Athlon calls an "open-bridge style" and "a secure, ergonomic, and comfortable one-handed grip", with UHD extra-low dispersion glass and ESP dielectric-coated BAK4 prisms in a 25.5 oz magnesium body.

Key Features

• UHD or HD? On Athlon's sheets the Argos G2 HD 10x42 matches this model's 16.1 mm eye relief, 319 ft field, 13 ft close focus and 25.5 oz, and costs less. What the UHD adds is extra-low dispersion glass, which Athlon says gives "little or no chromatic fringe", and Athlon lists bird watching among its applications.
• Prisms and coatings. The ESP dielectric coating on phase-corrected BAK4 prisms "reflects over 99% of the light to your eyes", with advanced fully multi-coated lenses and an XPL protective coating on the outer lenses.
• Weather. In Athlon's words, "Argon gas purging makes the Argos binoculars waterproof and fog proof."
• Magnesium chassis. Athlon rates it 30 to 40% lighter and 40 to 50% stronger than aluminum.
• Fit. The twist-up eyecups go fully down for eyeglasses and have an intermediate stop, and the diopter ring sits on the right side, below the eyecup.

Ideal For

• Hunters, birders and nature watchers, the three applications on Athlon's sheet.
• 8x or 10x? The Argos G2 UHD 8x42 widens the field to 371 ft and the eye relief to 17.3 mm at the same 13 ft close focus and 25.5 oz, and costs less.
• Wider field, closer focus. The Midas G2 UHD 10x42 gives a 341 ft field, focus to 8.2 ft and 23.3 oz. The Argos keeps the open-bridge style and 16.1 mm of eye relief against 15.2, and costs less.
• Edge sharpness first. The Cronus G2 UHD 10x42 adds Athlon's E2ES field flattener, a diopter that locks and 19.3 mm of eye relief, at 27.8 oz.

Accessories & Compatibility

• Tripod. A ¼-20 tripod adapter socket under the logo plate on the hinge takes the Athlon Binocular Tripod Adapter, made to "mount a binocular to regular camera tripod".