Stabil-Eyes™ vs Traditional Tripods

Most likely, yes! Stabil-Eyes is designed to fit a wide range of binocular sizes and brands. To be sure, use our Fit Finder Tool — simply enter your binocular’s make and model to instantly check compatibility.
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Stabil-Eyes is similar in size to larger binocular harness outfits. It is smaller than some and makes better use of space than most. It takes up a lot less space than a tripod.

Because Stabil-Eyes incorporates a monopod assembly to hold your binoculars, it’s about 11.5oz heavier than most standard binocular harnesses. However, since it is carried on your chest, it actually provides a counterbalance to your backpack and users report they don’t notice any extra weight at all. A typical tripod, by comparison will add well over 2 pounds – often much more – and unbalance your pack.

Our testing shows that fully deploying Stabil-Eyes – that is from closed pack to fully deployed, locked, and eyes to binos – can be done in 8-12 seconds. But remember that full deployment is not always necessary. If you simply want to bring your binoculars up for a quick look, you may elect not to lock them down. In this case, deployment will only be a couple of seconds longer than pulling your binos from a regular binocular harness pack. In fact, depending on your harness pack’s configuration and your binocular’s fit in that pack, Stabil-Eyes may actually be faster, whether deploying for a quick look, or fully locking Stabil-Eyes in place. In any case, deploying your binoculars in Stabil-Eyes is a far cry faster than mounting them on a tripod. And when it comes to stowing your binos, Stabil-Eyes can actually be faster than your regular binocular harness. Deploying and stowing can easily be done on the move. Try that with a tripod!

Stabil-Eyes is infinitely more steady than hand-holding your binoculars, resting them on your bow or trekking pole, or finding a rock, branch or your knees to rest them on. You can steadily glass almost indefinitely with Stabil-Eyes, without the fatigue of any hand-holding method. It is not as steady as a tripod, of course, but it is far more flexible and easy to use than a tripod. And you’re likely to find that reacquiring a viewing target that has moved away from your field of view is easier than doing so with tripod-mounted binoculars.

Stabil-Eyes has been field tested in big and small-game bowhunting situations and in 3D archery events, shooting uphill and down at various angles and ranges, and navigating numerous obstacles. All without hindering shot mechanics. As for rifle shooting, you’ll need to account for the same considerations you would with any binocular set-up. It’s fine for shooting from standing or sitting positions. You may want to remove Stabil-Eyes when lying down to shoot, or at least remove the binoculars from the pack. Easy to do with the Talon&Perch™ mounting assembly.

Other binocular packs are not made to accommodate anything other than the binoculars themselves. You could not fit your Stabil-Eyes mechanism and your binoculars in a pack that is not made for that purpose. Therefore, you must utilize the full Stabil-Eyes Binocular Sighting System, which is durably built for years of demanding service in the field.

When you deploy your binos with Stabil-Eyes, make sure you lengthen the monopod so your head is NOT bending forward to see through your binoculars. This will typically require you to set the binoculars a little higher than you may originally have thought. Then, as you set the tilt attitude of your binos, you’ll want them tilted a little more down than you originally anticipated. Play with it and you’ll discover the point where you can comfortably glass for extended periods, hands-free.

Unlike hand holding your binoculars, with Stabil-Eyes, you can focus with just 1 hand and it can be either hand. Since the stabilizing mechanism is holding your binos steady, at your eyes, simply operate the focus wheel with either hand to bring your glassing target into sharp focus, and keep it there.

You’ll find that Stabil-Eyes actually provides a more effective and efficient gridding process when trying to locate animals or other viewing targets. Unlike tripods, Stabil-Eyes allows your binos to move with you from left to right and right to left, for more comfortable glassing over longer periods. By leaving one of the monopod sections untightened and controlled with your fingers, you can also more easily control the elevation of your binoculars as you grid. Once you locate a target, however, a tripod will maintain that position better than Stabil-Eyes, and allow you to move out of the way to permit viewing by a companion. Stabil-Eyes can’t do that, obviously, because it’s actually mounted to the user’s body.

That depends on the make and model of binoculars. Generally, any pair of binoculars with a length of 71/8 inches or less, and a width of 51/4 inches or less will fit in the current model of Stabil-Eyes.

You will find that Stabil-Eyes improves the effectiveness of your glassing with any pair of binoculars that you would normally hand-hold. And in fact, the more powerful your binos, the greater the benefit you get from Stabil-Eyes. As a result, you may be able to increase the power of your binoculars. For example, if you’re normally comfortable hand-holding 10x42 binoculars, you may find using 10x50s or even 12x50s to be more comfortable and effective with Stabil-Eyes. Of course, you’ll be thrilled with the improved steadiness and viewing capacity you get with your 10x42s as well.

There have been attempts to solve the “Shaky Binocular Syndrome” problem that are complex and gimmicky, but not Stabil-Eyes. This is a simple, elegant solution that can be used by anyone who uses binoculars. The mechanism is straightforward and easy to operate, and both the pack and mechanism are well-made and durable. At the end of the day, though, we suggest you give it a try for several expeditions. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Don’t forget, you have a 1-year “See For Yourself” Guarantee, so you can really put Stabil-Eyes through its paces.

Any kind. If you’re a still hunter who brings your binos up frequently but only for a few seconds at a time, Stabil-Eyes will fit that style, but also provide the additional stability to pause and glass a little longer. If you’re a spot and stalker who likes to spot and move, Stabil-Eyes is ideal. You can glass for seconds to 10, 15, 20 minutes or longer. You can grid distant areas over longer periods, without having to shed your pack, pull out that bulky tripod, set it up, and mount your binos, all before you can glass. And heaven forbid you see something on the move and have to go through the entire process in reverse before you can begin your stalk. Finally, if you’re a long-term glasser who typically spends hours behind your binos and spotting scope, Stabil-Eyes makes it easier to initially spot your target before switching to a scope. Or, using our Talon&Perch tripod adapter, you can dismount your binoculars from Stabil-Eyes in an instant, and immediately “perch” them on your tripod. Discover for yourself how to adapt The Stabil-Eyes Binocular Sighting System to your style of binocular use. Remember, you have that 1-year “See For Yourself” Guarantee, so you can really put Stabil-Eyes through its paces.

Well, the learning curve isn’t very long at all, but there are some helpful hacks we’ve discovered over the 5 years Stabil-Eyes has been in development. CLICK HERE  for a collection of videos that will help you enjoy the Stabil-Eyes Binocular Sighting System experience