Vortex 8x36 monocular — value. excellent optics. eye relief ! - Vortex Solo 8x36mm Monocular

Had been looking at these for quite awhile, but finally pulled the trigger when I found I was going to Alaska. Was surprised at how good the optics are for the price. In fact, at the just sub-$100 price I got with holiday discount, it was a steal. Very bright. The reported eye relief of 18mm seems about right (important as I wear glasses). Just the hint of vignetting the last ~5% towards edge (normal for any sub-$500 optics). Haven’t yet checked chromatic aberration (need just the right white target and lighting to test). Decent heft without being heavy — doesn’t feel cheap in hand, undoubtedly aided by the thick and grippy rubber coating. Has a weird “lug” which I finally figured out is probably to keep it from rolling off a flat surface. Only two drawbacks. 1.) Because of coating (which is a plus for gripping and optics protection) it’s bulky and doesn’t fit in smaller pockets for portability. 2.) The eyecup mechanism — seems a bit clunky. But, again, that sub-$100 price — can't have everything.