lightweight options

[Endrick]

I do a lot of walking in remote areas and hills and am looking for a lightrweight binocular or even monocular recommendation. I have a 6x20 monocular which is close to useless and my lightest bins (8x30) are too bulky to fit in my pocket. So if someone can recommend something in the 6 to 8 maginification range that would be great. I'm expecting to pay less than £300 and if there is an outstanding option a lot less than that then I won't be complaining.

Malcolm

[Daisydog]

Have a look at he RSPB HD compact range. I have the 8 x 20, approx £235, and I carry them all the time when walking the dog. They are not too heavy and will fit in your pocket easily. I originally went to buy some Swarovski compacts but after trying both in the RSPB shop decided that the HD compacts were just as good for me and were £200 cheaper.

[johnf3f]

I have never believed that "Compact Binoculars" are of any real value for serious use though I do have a little pair of Nikon bins which are OK - or remarkably good if you allow for the fact that they cost £40!
Hovever I recently had a play with 2 pairs of Swarowski 8x20 bins. They are tiny, almost like something you buy for kids. The first pair I tried was in good light and I had various larger bins from Swaowski, Zeiss, Nikon, opticron etc to compare them to. Frankly at £400 (a bit over your budget) they were the nicest bins there regardless of size, though it must be said that the dearer standard size bins were somewhat better. The second pair I tried was on a typical Welsh overcast day, this is where the weaknesses of smaller optics show up! Now the situation was reversed and even quite reasonably priced standard size bins were better.
If size/weight is the deciding factor have a long look at these 8x20 Swarowski's, I have not seen a pair of compact bins that come close - yet?!?
Just my 2p