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Waterproof Leupold Binoculars Had No Damage
By Wendy Jones | May 23, 2009
I never expected it to happen to me. A year or so later I was on a canoe trip in the Adirondack Mountains region. I love those clear glacial lakes and refreshing cool or cold water. Of course I had my wonderful Leupold compact binoculars with me everywhere I went. I was a beginning birder at the time and I looked for new lifelist birds everywhere I traveled.
Our group hiked several peaks in the Adirondacks. I learned strategies for proper binoculars care from other group members. I always carried them inside my vest protected from drippy paddles or swinging branches. I never let go of the straps and enjoyed listening to comparisons as experienced birders discussed their own binoculars and features.
I was amazed that Leupold Binoculars were favorites not only due to quality but also because they are MADE IN AMERICA. I knew it made a difference to many people who would never buy a “foreign car”. But binoculars? Wow. What a revelation that was.
I loved the late night moonlight canoe trips and sunset solo swims. I was delighted to swim out beyond the ropes and gaze at the swallows dipping and zipping and eating mosquitoes. Even dragonflies were busy. Then I swam back to shore just a bit chilled and went to a campfire. I was out of my mind with delight. I loved the late night moonlight canoe trips and sunset solo swims. Pre-breakfast walks to the red raspberry patch yielded exquisite breakfast treats. Loons called in the distance every evening but I could not see them in the dim twilight. A friend promised to take me out to see their nest the next day.
Well, then we did some serious canoeing in a high altitude swamp. That was the day I was so thankful that I bought waterproof binoculars. Three of us were assigned to each canoe. I was given the center because they needed a better balance.
About 20 yards from shore, the guy behind me moved in his seat and shook the canoe. We each tried to stabilize from his move but only made it worse. In seconds we were down and under the canoe. In shallow water. Thank goodness. We stood up and walked on the rocky bottom to haul the canoe back to shore, using our paddles for balance.
Being the shortest one in the group I was in water up over my waist when I surfaced. We were all shivering in the summer sun by the time we got out of the cold mountain water. Aware of the risks of hypothermia, we three returned to camp for dry gear.
Only then did I realize my Leupold Binoculars had been soaking inside my vest, dripping wet for the past 20-25 minutes or so. I was stunned and grateful to discover they were not damaged or even fogged up. That evening the waterproof properties of my binoculars and the physics of weight distribution in canoes became the primary topics for discussion. All Leupold binoculars are waterproofed and fog proofed and the interiors are purged with nitrogen. That is one more measure of their quality. I am so grateful.
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