Maven C1 42mm ED Binoculars (8X42)

Very fine birding binoculars. Including good offset for using with or without eyeglasses. I couldn’t believe the clarity and brightness when I first put them to my eyes compared with binoculars I had previously used.

They are quite clear compared to other options in this price range below $500. I'd go as far as saying a bit clearer than the Vortex options priced more expensively. Overall construction is solid. I have to nit pick that eye caps don't have a way to hold them like the front lens covers. Gotta hold them in your hand when using. The adjustment for your right eye is also a bit easy to turn and it does turn once it brushes against clothing. A locking option should be included on any pair above $200. Field of view is noticeably smaller than other 8x I have used, but the extra clarity makes up for that.

Mine are the 8x42 and they are excellent. Sturdy build, quality materials and the focus ring is a beautiful, solid machined metal with excellent knurling. Min focus distance rated at 5.9ft and my pair does considerable better at well under 5ft. Image quality is great, nice bright colors and the optical coatings keep everything bright and effectively eliminate flare and ghosting. I have had several sets of Celestron ED binoculars and the Mavens are a nice step up (and pricier). I would appreciate a larger FOV but I guess you can’t have everything at this price point. The lower FOV probably helps keep these optics sharp *almost* to the edges. VERY recommended.

So this is a great pair of binoculars. I love them. Top of the line . Great value for the money I have never had to use the warrantee and as far as I know its great also and thats what counts. -But they don't have a camouflage option. And I want to camo them. -So I called the company and asked how/where I could do that and not void the warrantee. It seem I cant. It's a small thing. I still recommend them and will buy more from the company.

They were very nice. Bought for my wife but they didn't go narrow enough for her eye width. Thought I'd give them a try because I was considering new binoculars for myself. They were not wide enough for my eye width, which was disappointing, so I returned them. However, upon inspection they were of good build quality and very good optics based on the views I did get. So much so I purchased their MAVEN big brother 9x45 B2 for myself. This episode taught me more about binoculars than I ever knew and that specifications are important, especially those that relate to how well they fit your 'face'. Adjustable eyecups and pupil-to-pupil eye width (intra-ocular span) are so very important. Measuring your eye width BEFORE buying any binocular is crucial-- the internet is full of how-to's for this. So the rating is an educated estimation based on limited use combined with extensive use of a similar binocular from MAVEN.

Seem like they are made well. I like them because they are lighter than most. The quality seems good - i tried three pair - all good binoculars. The maven won because they were the lightest and medium priced.

Super bright, fast, sharp and excellent color. Great field of view, and also easy to adjust focus. I have compared them to lei pole bx3 10x50’s and vortex viper 10x42 and these put them both to shame. They are noticeably heavier than the other two bino’s but that is a small price to pay for the quality you’ll get for $125 less. For $325 these are a steal!

I had high expectations for these binoculars based on many positive reviews, but was disappointed on receipt. I bought and tried many top 8x42 picks in the $200.00-$600.00 range, mainly due to a curiosity on what the difference in price translates to. Models tested side-by-side include: Tract Toric $600.00; Vanguard Endeavor ED II $400.00; GPO Spectra HD $400.00; Olympus PRO $500.00; Athlon Midas $230.00-$290.00 (depending on accessories bundled) and, of course, these Maven C1’s. These Mavens were at best second from last in my subjective rankings. The packaging seemed cheap (blow molded plastic insert?!), and the included accessories were miserly at best. They stunk of petroleum distillates or plastics, and it did not dissipate. Eye cups were stiff, and uneven. Focus was so-so, even after much adjustment. Brightness/transmission was poor compared to all others. In a nutshell, save the money, and buy the Athlon Midas 8x42. They are fantastic, and beat or equal all others tested. The WireCutter review for the Midas is spot-on.