OpticsPlanet.com Blog

Accurate firing with a crossbow can be a challenge. Wind and gravity affect an arrow far more than they affect a bullet, and the increased weight of an arrow limits its range. Because of these challenges, the good folks at Vortex developed a scope that is specially designed for the obstacles that face hunters and shooters using a crossbow.

Labels: archery, vortex

You're going to need to see these new binoculars to believe them! Swarovksi makes some outstanding optics, from rifle scopes and spotting scopes to binoculars and rangefinders that are truly top notch! But one of their latest product lines, the Swarovski CL Companion series, takes their awesome quality and shrinks it down to an ultra portable size that is perfect for hunters, birders and outdoor enthusiasts.

But it's not just their size that makes the CL Companion Binoculars great. The image you get is excellent. You're going to see a wonderfully bright, sharp image both through the center and at the edges of the lenses. This great image comes from the phase corrected coatings on the optics and the spectacular roof prism.

Since you can carry these in your pocket, it's important that the binoculars are tough, cause they're likely to get banged around a bit. Well, Swarovski made the CL Companions to stand up to a lot of abuse. They feature full rubber armoring for shock absorption, and the nitrogen filled tubes helps make them dust and dirt proof.

We have two different models of the CL Companion Binoculars right now: the regular Swarovski CL Companion Binoculars, which feature 8X magnification, and the Swarovski CL Companion 10x30 Binoculars, which sport 10X magnification. Both styles come in green, black or sand color.

Regardless of the option you choose, you're going to get a fantastic pair of binoculars from Swarovksi that are high performing, tough and compact! Check them out right now!

Labels: binoculars, compact binoculars, Swarovski

So you’re looking for a load-bearing vest; you want it to be light-weight but still durable, with enough pouches located in all the right places for your accessories, the perfect fit, great ventilation, and to top it off a reasonable price. After assessing your criteria you’re probably thinking that you can’t have your cake and eat it too. WRONG! Say hello to 5.11 VTAC LBE Vest. The 5.11 VTAC Vest is one of our top sellers for good reason. It is designed for practicality, durability, and to be completely customizable. Whether you are in law enforcement, the military, or just want to have an equipped tactical vest in case of an emergency you can configure the VTAC Vest to your specifications. It features the MOLLE attachment system with straps covering the front and back so that you can place your magazine carriers, medical pouches, and holsters wherever you want. Unlike other tactical vests with pre-placed pouches that can get in the way of your shooting, you can mount things on the LBE exactly where and how you like it. 5.11 VTAC LBE Tactical Vest is made of ballistic nylon mesh so it’s not only durable and light weight, but provides much needed ventilation which is vital when working in warm conditions. At OpticsPlanet, we offer three sizes: regular, 2XL, and 4XL and the vests come with additional straps that can adjust girth and length. The straps come in handy when you’re in the cold and need to layer up because you can loosen or tighten the straps so it can fit comfortably. As if you needed any more reason to get this vest, 5.11 Tactical also included an inside drag handle, hidden pockets on both sides, Velcro straps on the side and back of the vest for identification tags, and a pouch on the back for a hydration pack. You can tell that the designers put a lot of time and thought into creating the 5.11 VTAC LBE Molle Vest. They were able to integrate all that you might want into one vest at an extremely affordable price. Take a look today!

Labels: 5.11 Tactical, tactical clothing

I love checking out the various Streamlight flashlights we have available in our store. There are options for just about every possible activity, and each one has the awesome quality found in all Streamlight products!

While hunters, police officers and firefighters can all find something specially designed for them, I'm a more casual flashlight user. I don't run into a lot of burning buildings, but I do find myself fumbling around in the dark more often than I'd like, and I need a light close at hand that I can always find, which is why I love the Streamlight Clipmate. As the name implies, the Clipmate has a clip on the back which will attach to a wide variety of surfaces. I clip mine to my bed's headboard. My lamp is a bit out of reach, and when the power goes out it's nice to have a light nearby in the same place all the time so that I can find it. My Clipmate doesn't have to take up the minimal table space I have next to my bed, and I can always count on it to give me great light.

The Streamlight Clipmate Flashlight is also pretty versatile in its uses. Because of how lightweight it is (only 2.4 ounces), this tiny flashlight can clip to a baseball cap to act as a headlamp, and there's an included headband if you don't want to use a hat!

The LED light is visible up to a mile away, so it's pretty bright, and there are two color options available for the LEDs, white or green, so you can pick which is best for you. Not bad for a light small enough to fit in your pocket.

The Clipmate flashlight uses 3 AAA batteries, which I prefer to specialized lithium batteries because I always have a few AAAs laying around. But the battery type doesn't mean you'll have low battery life. The Clipmate will give you up to 40 hours of runtime!

I use my Streamlight Clipmate around the house for everyday purposes, but hunters love the camoflauge version, as it clips easily to their belt and gives them a great compact option when they're out hunting.

Regardless of your needs, Streamlight has a flashlight that will exceed your expectations. Check them out at OpticsPlanet today!

Labels: clipmate, flashlights, streamlight

We just got a couple new items in from Lomography. For those of you not familiar with them, Lomography is a particularly artistic camera manufacturer, whose focus is on giving you something different but still outstanding. People who choose Lomography blaze their own trail, and have a unique way of seeing the world that they wish to share with others.

Labels: camera, lomography

Finding a pair of binoculars that provide super high level image clarity while also being tough enough to stand up to the rigors of hunting has long been a issue for hunters. This combination is difficult to find because delicate glass tends to be clearer. Getting a tough pair of binoculars with good lenses has been pretty expensive, but Nikon has just upped their game while lowering their prices.

The Nikon Monarch 3 series of binoculars are truly something special. Currently available only in select stores (including OpticsPlanet, of course), they were designed for hunters trudging through the woods in search of the perfect game. Since water is everywhere and can ruin a pair of binoculars, the Monarch 3s are O-ring sealed and nitrogen purged, so they are totally waterproof.

But though they're waterproof on day one, the body needs to be tough enough to withstand punishment without letting in a leak. Well, the polycarbonate body on the Monarch 3s are crazy tough. The body was sculpted for durability and comfort, so they're tough, and you won't mind glassing for hours as they rest comfortably in your hand. The design also allows for long eye relief, which is a relief to users like me who wear eyeglasses. And if you want them pressed up tight to your eyes the flexible eyecups won't irritate.

But Nikon put in all these design features for one reason: to protect the outstanding optics. Nikon binoculars use premium glass, made from the highest quality optical sand, but the Monarch 3s have more than just great lenses. The coatings on the lenses allow for extremely high light transmission, so you get a really clear, bright image. And the lenses are fully multi-coated, so the image is clear regardless of what part of the lens you look through. The high-reflectivity silver allow prisms flawlessly magnify the image before it reaches your eye. Almost no light is lost while traveling through the Monarch 3 binoculars. And that clarity is what it's all about.

All these great features are found in both versions of the Monarch 3s we just added to our stores. The main difference between the Nikon Monarch 3 8X42 and the Nikon Monarch 3 10X42 is the magnification, which slightly alters the field of view and eye relief. Otherwise, they are two of the best pairs of binoculars available today!

Not a lot of stores are carrying the Monarch 3s from Nikon, so be sure to get yours from OpticsPlanet today!

Labels: binoculars, Celestron

Labels: blackhawk, concealed carry, holsters

No doubt for most of you the first thing that comes to mind when you consider Swarovski is the famous quality of Swarovski Crystals. There's good reason for that, since their crystals are some of the best in the world, with a style and elegance that is in a class of its own. The quality of Swarovski is so high that they are currently the only brand of crystals available through OpticsPlanet.

But with all the attention that Swarovski gets for their crystals, many people forget that they produce a lot of other great items. The category I want to focus on today is their eyewear. With the amazing clarity and beauty of their crystals, it shouldn't be surprising that Swarovski Sunglasses are some of the most stylish of our brands. One of my favorites are the Swarovski SK0003 Sunglasses. They have a similar look to traditional aviator sunglasses, but with unique touches added to the frames to let everyone know you have something special. The SK0003's come as prescription sunglasses too, with bifocal and single vision options, so everyone can enjoy them!

The quality of the lenses is exemplary, and comes from the expertise Swarovski has cutting crystals. They've been at it for over 100 years, and their items are world-renowned for their perfection. The lenses in all Swarovski eyewear receives the same special treatment as their crystals.

I think I just sold myself on getting a new pair of sunglasses from Swarovski. There is a sophistication associated with their name that will make you feel like a million bucks! Don't just wear the latest fashion; wear artwork.

Labels: eyewear, sunglasses, Swarovski

The big struggle a lot of people have with their multi-tools is their compliance with TSA regulations. Many items that were once okay to bring on a plane are now banned, so what if you need to bring tools with you and you don't wish to check them?

Leatherman has come up with a solution. Since they're all about producing the best multitools and knives on the market, Leatherman looked really closely at TSA regulations and found exactly what is and what is not allowed on an airplane. The result of their efforts is the Leatherman PS Style. This multitool has been tested at over 300 airport security lines, and while some of the security staff needed to be shown that the tool is compliant with their rules, the PS Style has always gotten through security.

It wouldn't be a multitool with a number of different tools, so with the PS Style you'll have a spring-action needlenose pliers, a spring-action regular pliers, spring-action wire cutters, a pair of scissors, a nail file, tweezers, flat head and Phillips head screwdrivers, a carabiner and a bottle opener. That's a lot of tools in a small package, and you can have them all on an airplane! The carabiner makes it easy to attach to a backpack, keychain or belt buckle, so you won't need to worry about it once it's packed.

There are a lot of Leatherman Tools, but you have to be careful which one you try to bring onto a plane, but the PS Style is compliant and you shouldn't run into any problems.

We just recently found out that a Leatherman representative took his PS Style onto a plane and was able to not only get a picture of it on the plane, but he had the pilot holding it in the cockpit! A few minutes after takeoff a flight attendant asked to borrow the PS Style Multitool to fix the PA system. Pretty cool.

Labels: leatherman, multitool

Labels: fiber optics, riflescope, Trijicon

Bob Munden, the world’s fastest quick shooter can draw his gun from his holster and shoot at his target in less than 0.2 seconds. While most people won’t find themselves in a position where they need to fire before they even get to blink, law enforcement and military personnel know that speed is key when reacting to a threat. Naturally nothing can replace training when it comes to improving your reaction, but a quality gun holster can save you time on your draw. This is where the Fobus holster comes in.

Developed in Israel with military and special services use in mind, Fobus offers an extensive line of holsters that fits every type of gun. Their unique injection molded polymer holsters are made to be low maintenance, comfortable, durable, and have a faster draw time than leather holsters.

So if you rely on speed and want to be the first to fire, then the Fobus tactical holster is for you. This specific model has a unique safety and retention system of its own. The gun can be drawn quickly through the design of a safety strap that goes around the trigger guard and an open withdrawal slot on the rear of the holster. Without sacrificing safety for speed, the handgun is secured by the safety strap in addition to a muzzle stud. The Fobus tactical holster is also designed to accommodate gun accessories such as rail mounts and trigger guards.

In addition to tactical holsters, we also carry the Fobus Roto-Holster, Fobus holster accessories, and more. With their no questions asked return policy and a 100% lifetime warranty of repairs or replacement, Fobus stands by their product and customers. So what are you waiting for? You have nothing to lose. Check it out at Optics Planet.

Labels: fobus, holsters

Labels: ATN, thermal imaging

Cuddeback has a 25 year history of making outstanding trail cameras. Starting out with classic film cameras, Cuddeback has adapted to changing technology to add digital cameras and an IR function to their trail cameras. Their latest product line is the Cuddeback Attack Trail Camera, with two options available.

The Cuddeback Attack Trail Camera combines simplicity and high quality images to give hunters an superb scouting option. The first thing to note is the speed of the hair trigger. The camera has a motion detector that will pick up a deer running at 20 feet per second and snap a photo. Since the whole point of the camera is to track game, you'll need this fast trigger speed or the deer would be gone when the picture is taken and you'll just see the forest.

The Attack series has been in development for 3 years, and Cuddeback considered all the features that hunters would need. A big factor was simplicity. While the trail camera has a ton of features and can perform a number of tasks, the simple design and limited number of buttons makes for ease of use. A single dial controls many of the features, from switching date and time settings to changing the delay time from as little as 15 seconds to as much as 30 minutes. The flip of a swithc changes the camera from still photos to video.

This trail camera from Cuddeback uses an SD card to store photos, although if you happen to forget the card there is also internal memory so you'll always be covered. The stored photos can be transferred using either an SD card or USB drive. It doesn't get much simpler than that.

But say you want to take nighttime photos too. You're going to want an Infrared camera for that. A flash can scare away game, so that while you get a picture, the deer may learn to stay away from the camera, turning all your efforts to scout the area useless. Fortunately, the Cuddeback Attack IR Trail Camera has what you'll need. In addition to providing the same great trigger time and daytime photo viewing ability, the Attack IR Trail Camera also takes clear nighttime photos.

Unlike the regular Attack Camera, the Attack IR camera doesn't have the built in memory, so you'll want to be sure to bring along that SD card, but with the clear pictures and video you get day or night you'll have an awesome option available to scout out your favorite stomping grounds this hunting season.

We love Cuddeback here at OpticsPlanet. They've been making great trail cameras for a quarter century, and every new line features their signature attention to detail so that you get the best pictures of game at your hunting site. Take a look today and I'm sure you'll come away impressed!

Labels: cuddeback, trail cameras

Labels: eyewear, persol, polo, ray-ban, sunglasses