Gear Review: Maven Binoculars
The more I hunt out West the more I appreciate the use of optics to aid in my success. By no means am I an aficionado of fine optics but I certainly know when something gives clear and concise views and is well-built. These, when attempting to cover the ground with your eyes or differentiate between a legal and non-legal bull are qualities you'd want. I recently had the opportunity to get my hands on a pair of Maven field glasses. What Maven has done is eliminated the middle man (i.e. retail store price markups) and is creating high-quality glass at a not-so-high price by building and shipping directly to the consumer.
Initial Thoughts
The pair I received was B.1 8x42 in grey/orange. Initially, out of the box, they appeared flawless and finely constructed. Handling them truly led me to believe they are fine pairs of binoculars and I had high hopes for trying them out. Just to give you a little spoiler on how nice a pair of binos they are, I mistakenly compared them to a pair of 10x42s I already own thinking they were of the same magnification. I had them pegged as giving a better view and further reach than the 10x42s before I remember they were only 8x42s!
Specs
I will give you a link to their stats page (scroll down to the bottom) but a few of what I think are some of the key items are:Weight: 29.125 ozDimensions (WxHxD): 5x6.2x2.1Field of View @1000 yards: 388ftWaterproof and Nitrogen Purged (fog proof)For comparison I looked at the Swarovski EL 8.5x42 binos and they were very evenly matched with the EL's weighing 29.5 oz, sized at 5.2x6.3x2.4, and a FOV of 399. A few other details you should know: full size, magnesium chassis, phase-corrected roof prism construction, fully multi-coated ED glass which allows for optimal image resolution, enhanced contrast, and true color fidelity (by aiding in light transmission).ComparisonWhat I did to get a frame of reference for comparison is took out the Mavens along with pair of entry-level 6x30s from a very reputable manufacturer and a pair of highly regarded 10x42s from a lesser-known company.
What I found is there wasn't much of a comparison. As previously stated while initially comparing them I failed to realize that the Maven's were only 8x42 and still fared better than the 10x42. Not that there is anything wrong with an 8x42 or a 10x42 but they are certainly different magnifications. The images from the Mavens were much more clear and detailed than the other two and allowed me to single out specific leaves in distant trees whereas the others didn't allow for such a fine distinction. The colors popped more in the Mavens as well which would make it easier to find that mule deer laying in the shadows during the midday. The B.1's really began to show their true colors as top-tier binoculars as the light began to fade while I was giving them a serious stare-down.
I can say, without pun intended, it was night and day difference as far as light transmission goes looking through the Maven's vs the other two. While the light began to dim I had difficulty discerning things through the other two but I could clearly and easily still see through the B.1's.DurabilityI didn't have these long enough to give you a true sense of long-term durability, but what I can tell you is they had that solid, no worries feel to them. I carried them for roughly a month of my whitetail season and never had issues. What I did do just to put them through some sort of a real-world test was left them out in 32-degree rain for 24 hours prior to comparing them to the other binos previously mentioned.
There's no guarantee it'll be pleasant when in the field so I wanted to get a feel for how they would perform under those conditions. Of course, other than the exterior getting wet there were no leaks or degradation in performance.NotablesMaven has an unconditional lifetime warranty that states, "If your binocular becomes damaged or is at all defective, contact us immediately for repair or replacement. We don't care where or when you bought it or if it was your fault or not - if it says Maven, we will take care of it." That really says something about how well they believe their product performs.
They offer a selection of stock optics you can order but if you have some very particular tastes or needs you can also custom-build a set of binos from their website. Not many other manufacturers offer this option that I'm aware of.ConclusionI was very happy with the Maven B.1 8x42 binoculars. They exceeded all other binoculars that I have been exposed to and do at a reasonable price due to their direct-to-consumer sales. If you are in the market for a high-end bino without the huge price tag be sure to give these a long look. Disclaimer: I received these binoculars for only a limited window and eventually had to return them. It wasn't easy as these were by far the best field glasses I have used and I would love to have them this Oct hunting elk. I did my best to give you an honest look at them through the eyes of a guy who's by no means an optics expert but does realize the importance of quality optics.
