Main Specifications
Optics: BaK-4 Roof Prism
magnification: 8x
Waterproof and anti-fog: Yes/Yes
Objective lens diameter: 25mm
Viewing angle: 8.2 degrees
Eye Relief: 0.39 inch/10 mm
Weight: 9.9oz/281g
The best binoculars are the ones you carry with you at all times. The Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB (known as Nikon Sportstar EX 8×25 in the UK) waterproof binoculars are easy to take with you wherever you go. However, they don’t have the aperture to see anything other than the moon at night.
With the plethora of binoculars on the market of all shapes, sizes and prices, it is clear that there are many different designs made for other uses. The best thing about the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars can be partially deciphered from the product name. “Trailblazer” suggests that these are intended for use while hiking and traveling. Moreover, the use of “ATB” proves it. This stands for “All Terrain Binoculars”. As well as the promise of waterproofing. However, when buying binoculars, you should always take into account the numbers used. In the case of the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars, it is 8 and 25. 8 is the magnification and 25 has to do with the size of the objective lens of the binoculars. In the case of this product, objects in the field of view are magnified 8 times and the lens has a diameter of 25mm.
So the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars are a product designed for general use, with enough magnification and light gathering to be used outdoors during the day to get closer to distant objects, but not for impressive close-ups or night-time astronomy.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars, a great choice for those looking for a pair of binoculars for the outdoors, wildlife watching, and all-around use.
Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB: Design
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- ★★★★★
- Compact size for easy portability
- Smooth focus wheel with fine adjustment
- Insufficient eye relief and low eyecup resistance
The biggest attraction of the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars is that they combine 8x magnification with a pocket-sized, folding design – the latter thanks to a dual-hinge bridge that allows the two barrels to rotate 45 degrees and stow at the bottom. While the binoculars aren’t as small as old-fashioned opera glasses, which often only offer 5x magnification or less, they’re almost as small when folded up.
Weighing just 9.9 oz (280 g), these are the ideal compact binoculars for anyone. They’re also perfect as kids’ binoculars, as they’re small and light enough for even the smallest kids to hold.
We also liked the focus wheel, which rotates smoothly but has a fair amount of resistance, allowing you to focus and fine-tune your subject. Unfortunately, the twist-up eyecup has no resistance, so it can’t be left in a specific position, nor can it be laid flat, which means there isn’t much eye relief for people who wear glasses, resulting in a narrow field of view. In fact, the eyecup is weakly built compared to competitors, which also hampers basic design and operation. To turn the diopter adjustment ring on the right eyepiece (a critical adjustment to compensate for differences between the two eyes), you have to move the eyecup as well, which is quite difficult to do unless you have small fingers.
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There are a few other small design flaws, the most serious being the lens caps. There is no lens cap for the objective lens, and since the center bridge extends to the end of the barrel, there is no way to attach one. This makes the included carry case a must. Meanwhile, the flimsy lens caps provided for the eyepieces fit reasonably well, but like the eyecups, they don’t have enough tension and come off easily, making them easy to lose. The larger binoculars have figure-8 shaped eyecups that are tied to the body so they can’t be lost. I wish the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB waterproof binoculars had a similar feature. Products designed for the outdoors shouldn’t have such cumbersome parts.
The custom pouch that comes with the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB waterproof binoculars is better quality than most. It fits the folded product perfectly and has a Velcro seal, but the belt loop is pretty basic; a carabiner attachment would be better these days. Ditto for the neck strap, which is fine but could do with a little padding around the neck.
Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB: Performance
- ★★★★
- It is easy to keep the camera still and obtain a stable image.
- Sharp, bright images with good depth of field and impressive close focus range
- Good view of the moon, but not much else at night
If you’re looking for the best compact binoculars for daytime use, look no further. The Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars provide clear, bright images with ample magnification and excellent depth of field, making them ideal for bird watching and viewing distant objects across landscapes. They’re also particularly good for viewing relatively close objects, focusing on animals and objects at a distance of over 6 feet, which is unusual for such compact binoculars. They also offer a wider field of view than most 8×25 binoculars (unless you’re wearing glasses).
However, if you are looking for binoculars that you can use to spot animals at dusk or identify star clusters at night, the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars are not for you. Instead, choose a full-sized pair of binoculars such as the 10×42 or 10×50, which have much higher light transmission.
That’s not to say the binoculars are completely useless at night. We used them to watch the Moon as it made its half-way round the Earth, first focusing on the thin crescent in the west after sunset, and finally on the orange full Moon rising in the east. It was clear that the Moon was small in our view, but the view was always bright and colorful. But when we dragged our Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars to the Milky Way sky after dark, we could barely see any star clusters. There just wasn’t enough light.
Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB: Functionality
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- ★★★★
- The perfect weight to keep you still for a stable view
- Waterproof and anti-fog design suitable for outdoor use
- The non-slip silicone tube cover is easy to grip and does not leave fingerprints.
There’s a reason why the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars boast 8x magnification. Binoculars with higher magnification are heavy and difficult to hold still, amplifying every small movement of your body, which means a shaky and clumsy view. But the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars boast 8x magnification yet are small enough to hold still easily, so your view stays steady. This is slightly improved by the use of non-slip silicone covers on the tubes, which thankfully resist greasy fingerprints.
The Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars are perfect for outdoor use, whether hiking, general travel, or wildlife watching. They are fully sealed, meaning no moisture can get inside, meaning they are fog-proof, so you don’t have to worry about the inside of your binoculars fogging up when you return to a warm hotel room after a cold day out.
User reviews
Online reviews for the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars are very positive. One reviewer states that despite the low magnification, the product offers incredible depth of field, eliminating the need to constantly refocus. Others praise the clear, bright field of view, easy and smooth focusing, and compact folding design.
How we tested the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB waterproof binoculars
With our target market in mind, we brought our Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars to the Brecon Beacons/Bannaw Brycheiniog National Park in Wales, where we hiked Fan Frynich through drizzle and low cloud. Although visibility was poor at times, the summit was clear and we could see out to the other peaks. Along the way, we used our Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars to get up close and personal with red kites, buzzards and wild ponies, survey the landscape below, and identify the trig point ahead, sometimes through dense fog.
Should I buy the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB binoculars?
Buy this if:
✅ You want a good all-rounder: They are perfect for those looking for a versatile pair of shoes for hiking, backpacking, and the outdoors, but don’t want to carry around a heavy barrel.
✅ Want a compact pair: You can use it during the day without carrying extra weight.
Do not purchase if:
❌ You wear glasses: The twist-up eyecups don’t lay flat and don’t have enough tension to hold them in a specific position, and either way, they reduce the field of view.
❌ For astronomy we need them: These binoculars give you a good view of the moon at night, but that’s it.
The Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars are a great choice for anyone looking for a compact, high-quality pair of binoculars for trekking, hiking, and adventures. They’re not the best for people who wear glasses, and the lens caps are easy to lose, but overall they offer bright, colorful, and clear images housed in a foldable, waterproof, and fog-proof case.
What if the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars aren’t for you?
If you Best compact binoculars But if you want something more affordable than the Nikon Trailblazer 8×25 ATB Waterproof Binoculars and with a bit more magnification, consider the Celestron UpClose G2 10×25, which weighs just 11 ounces/312 grams (we review the larger Celestron UpClose G2 10×50 here ) If you want something a bit more serious that will give you much better results in low light, especially around sunrise and sunset. Celestron Trail Seeker 8×42Since an objective lens of 42 mm or more can capture sufficient light, astronomy After dark. Weight: 23.1 oz/654 g.
