We heartily recommend the Nikon Premier LXL 10x42 for birders who want 10x power in a top quality binocular but who wear glasses. Even if your glasses rest a long way from your eyes.

In fact, if you wear glasses, it's the best 10x42 binocular you can buy. It truly gives you the ful picture, with edge to edge sharpness.

With its enviable 19mm of eye relief (20mm in the 8x42), even the hardest-to-fit eyeglass wearers have the pleasure of seeing the full field of view. No need to press your binocular against your glasses in the effort to get the whole picture with the Premier LXL!

In the summer of 2004, we got a chance to test drive Nikon's new top-of-their line binocular, the Premier LXL. It looks the same as the previous model, the Venturer LX. Same outstanding resolution and contrast. Same comfortable contour and pleasantly textured rubber-armored exterior. Still has that rapid, precise, outstandingly smooth focus wheel that we love to turn.

But the new Premier LXL weighs 6 oz. less than its predecessor (a 19% reduction). Thanks to a magnesium-alloy body, its 28.2 oz. weight is comparable to the other top birding binoculars. At our binocular trials, our judges wanted to try the new Nikons over and over again. "Wow," said one. "This Nikon goes wham, and the picture pops out at you!"

The Premier LXL features Nikon's Eco-Glass, which is friendly to the environment: no lead, arsenic or polluting vinyl chloride used in its manufacture. The eyecups are made of non-chloroethylene, soft-touch silicon rubber.

We tried the 10x42 and the 8x42. The new Premier LXL is also available in 10x32, 8x32, 10x25, and 8x20.

Nothing gives a brighter, clearer picture than a Nikon Premier LXL. And it's moderate in weight too!

Features of the Nikon Premier LX Binoculars:

Sharpness and brightness unexcelled by any other binocular.

Waterproof. In fact, they are "fully submersible." If they get dusty, you can rinse them off under the faucet.

Nitrogen filled, so they never fog up inside, even if you go someplace steamy like the tropics.

Phase coated, for excellent contrast and resolution. This binocular gives a perfectly sharp image, edge to edge.

Soft armoring. The non-slip texture and soft armoring feel nice in your hands.

Long eye relief, so they work for birders who wear glasses as well as those who don't. The 8X42 model offers 20 mm. of eye relief. The 10X42 model offers 19 mm. of eye relief. Very few 10-power binoculars do so well. This is one that almost every eyeglass wearer can use and still see the whole picture.

Twist-up eyecups, for fumble-free operation. You can twist the eyecups just the amount you want to give yourself the exact amount of eye relief you need for your eyes and your glasses.

Close focus down to 9.6 feet. Few binos will let you see so near. And there is no sense of eye strain, no feeling that your eyeballs are being squeezed when you use the Nikons at close range. We found this to be an excellent, comfortable close focus.

Warranty 25-year limited warranty, on manufacturers' defects in material and workmanship.