The Viking Kestrel ED binoculars offer an extremely high-performance at a cost-effective price. These binoculars have become so popular that they are our Best Buy of 2022. The combination of powerful optics with a superior build design really helps the Kestrel ED stand out from the crowd. The level of quality certainly makes these a favourite amongst birdwatchers out there.
The Viking Kestrel ED binoculars come available in a variety of focal ranges (8x32, 8x42, 10x42). The magnification power and objective lens size makes these binoculars perfect for all outdoor activities. The best magnification and objective size will vary depending on the person. However, if you require any assistance with this, we have a full guide on which magnification is best.
Viking may not be as well-known as some other optics brands, but we rate them extremely highly here at liGo. Offering high-quality optics for a much more affordable price than some bigger names, their binoculars are outstanding value for money. We were excited to get our hands on the Kestrel- but did it live up to our expectations? Read on to find out!
Design & Build
The Viking Kestrel ED binoculars offer a build design which is compact and lightweight. This design choice is common across all of the binoculars within the Viking range. Despite the compact size, these binoculars offer great durability thanks to the use of the rubber-armour finish. This design allows for the binoculars to be completely resistant to any water damage.
This lightweight build design makes the Viking Kestrel ED the perfect traveling companion. This also ensures that the binoculars feel comfortable to hold and use. This is especially important for those long days observing wildlife. For example, the Viking Kestrel ED 8x42 binoculars weigh in at only 629 grams. This size will vary depending on which variation of the model that you choose.
As previously mentioned, the Viking Kestrel ED binoculars offer fantastic protection and durability. The rubber-armour finish allows for the binoculars to be completely waterproof. Furthermore, this rubber-armour design makes holding the binoculars even easier. Even in wet conditions, the rubber-finish design offers a solid grip for your hands.
The Viking Kestrel ED also contains nitrogen in the lenses which helps to prevent fogging. This anti-fogging feature helps to keep your lenses as clear as possible. This ensures that you are able to achieve the highest possible results regardless of the weather. The nitrogen also helps to eliminate any dust or dirt from building up within the lenses. This keeps the binoculars clean and helps to maintain the overall condition of the lenses.
Viking Kestrel ED 8x42 Binoculars
There are many design features which help the binoculars feel more accessible. The inclusion of twist-down eyecups is a great example of this. This has become a staple feature with many recent Viking releases. This allows the user to find the optimal positioning for their eyes. These adjustments are quick and easy to make. The full operation feels smooth and without any hassle. This feature is particularly helpful for those that wear glasses. The twist-down eyecups provide extra eye-relief and allow for a complete view of the FOV.
The build design that the Viking Kestrel ED offers is fantastic and helps highlight the high standards of Viking. They continue their tradition of delivering high quality designs at an affordable price. The features available with binoculars perform smooth and efficiently. Everything about these binoculars will leave you seriously impressed. Every aspect of these binoculars performs exceptionally well without feeling complicated. This helps the Viking Kestrel ED feel accessible and suitable to everyone.
Quality of Optics
Reviewing how effective the binocular's optics perform is crucial. This is certainly the most important factor when it comes to deciding which binoculars are right for you. The Viking Kestrel ED binoculars thankfully deliver in a big way. These binoculars will provide you with crystal-clear results at all times. This is testament to the incredibly high standard that Viking have established for their products.
The inclusion of Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) glass really helps make a difference. This special glass helps to provide a flawless viewable image for the user. The use of ED glass also helps to eliminate any colour fringing. Therefore, if you are looking to maximise your results, then the Viking Kestrel ED is a fantastic option.
Pairing this with the multi-coated lenses helps perfect the overall image. The inclusion of multi-coated lenses helps to increase the rate of light transmission through the binoculars. The viewable image becomes brighter as the rate of light increases. This also ensures that the binoculars can perform in low-light conditions. The Viking Kestrel ED binoculars are ready to perform in all conditions and environments.
When taking these factors into consideration, it is clear that the Viking Kestrel ED delivers a fantastic performance. The combination of ED glass with the multi-coated lenses provide exceptional quality. Furthermore, the binoculars ability to perform in low-light conditions provides them with some versatility.
Viking Kestrel ED binoculars with carry case
The next point to consider with these binoculars is the field of view (FOV). This will vary depending on the size of binoculars that you opt for. For example, the FOV will be much wider with binoculars that offer an 8x magnification power. The widest FOV within this range can be found on the Viking Kestrel ED 8x42 binoculars. This offers an FOV of 8.1°. Having a wide FOV available ensures that tracking objects through the binoculars is much easier. This makes the Viking Kestrel ED a fantastic choice for all avid birdwatchers out there.
It is worth nothing that the FOV will change depending on which size of binoculars that you go for. For example, the Viking Kestrel ED 10x42 only offers an FOV at 6.5°. Whilst this is still perfectly suitable, you can certainly notice the reduction on the overall scope. This is mainly due to the increase in the magnification between the two binoculars.
If you plan on using these binoculars for birdwatching, the I would suggest opting for the 8x magnification zoom. This provides a perfect blend between the magnification zoom and a fairly wide FOV. This works well for getting an in-depth look at your subjects and allows for easier tracking. However, opting for the 10x binoculars is a fantastic option when observing from further away.
The Viking Kestrel ED binoculars are suitable for all occasions and activities thanks to their powerful optics. Whether this is birdwatching or general observations, you can guarantee fantastic results with this. We really could not recommend these binoculars highly enough.
The final point to mention is the eye-relief that these binoculars provide. This is an important factor to consider as it essentially determines how much comfort these binoculars can offer. Thankfully the twist-down eyecups are available on this model and provide fantastic comfort to the user. Furthermore, they also allow for those that wear glasses to take the full view of the binoculars in.
Once again, the Viking Kestrel 8x42 ED binoculars come out on top here. They provide the highest level of eye-relief at 17.2mm. This is a great deal of relief and provides excellent comfort. In comparison, the Viking Kestrel 10x42 ED binoculars are only able to provide 15.2mm. However, this is still a fantastic rate of relief which helps the user to feel comfortable.
Regardless of which option you choose, you can expect exceptional comfort from these binoculars. The twist-down eyecups are easy to use and smoothly click into position. In addition to this, these eye-cups will stay firmly in place throughout use.
Performance
We have been able to extensively test how well the Viking Kestrel ED binoculars perform. This rate of performance that you can expect from these binoculars is seriously impressive. These binoculars maintain the high standard set by Viking's previous releases. The powerful optics pair extremely well with the compact build design. The value for money available here is exceptional when you consider the overall quality.
The high-quality available with the optic lenses makes these binoculars suitable for all occasions. The image quality is crystal-clear thanks to the combination of ED glass and multi-coated lenses. These binoculars just feel great to use and deliver consistently high quality results. Furthermore, these are suitable for use in all weather conditions and environments. The inclusion of features such as the nitrogen in the lenses prevents any fogging. This ensures that the binoculars are ready for use all year round.
The Viking Kestrel ED performs well in every single aspect. The full operation is smooth and delivers crystal-clear results. Features such as the focusing wheel offer quick adjustments which deliver precision results. Everything feels as though it was custom built for the user. These binoculars feel accessible and suitable for both beginners and intermediate users.
There is a fantastic balance between the high-performance features and the sleek design available here. Viking has done an exceptional job at combining these features and presenting at such an affordable price. The combination of ED glass with the multi-coated optics delivers crystal-clear optics. Furthermore, the compact yet durable design ensures that these binoculars are ready for use in any environment. For this price, you really can not ask for more.
Verdict
The Viking Kestrel ED binoculars deserve all of the praise that they receive. The binoculars pack a serious amount of quality and value for such a low price. From the superb image quality to the compact build design, it offers you everything that you need. The inclusion of the ED glass ensures that these binoculars deliver the highest possible image quality. The glass helps to ensure the image is consistently crystal-clear and without any flaws. Regardless of your environment, you can be sure that the image will be clear and defined.
We really can not recommend the Viking Kestrel ED binoculars enough. Consider this an entry-level price point into the world of ED binoculars. If you are looking to maximise the overall quality, then this is certainly the right choice for you.
