Athlon Optics Cronus G2 15x56 Binoculars

I wanted a set of higher powered binoculars for daytime viewing, and some stargazing. I live in AZ, so I have some wonderful long views in the day, and dark skys at night. I had settled on the Maven B5, but something was bugging me: how do they make a binocular that goes from 10x to 18x all in the same length body? Shouldn't the different focal length mandate a different body length? Maybe I am missing something, so I sent them an email asking. No response. Nothing. Meanwhile the Athlon were tempting me, at a price point where I don't worry about them if I leave them in my vehicle. I already own a pair of the Midas G2, so I sort of knew what to expect. I decided to give the Cronus a try. I really like them. Something to be aware of with any binoculars: None of them are perfect. There is always a compromise with the way they gather light rays and couple the image to the eye. There will always be room for improvement. Given that I am after the best bang for the buck. I think that these are it. They have the state of the art prisms (can't beat Abbe-Koenig) and excellent coatings. The only thing that I own that is comperable are the DD Optics Pirschler (8x56). I was going to get a higher power version of the Pirschler, but they lost the comparison. The Pirschler are more rugged and refined. Unfortunately warranty coverage is impossible in the US, and they put the tripod mount out on the objective bridge. This puts them way out of balance on any kind of mount. Now the Athlons have a mount on the front of the single bridge. Not exactly at the balance point, but pretty close. I am using them with a monopod, and with a tripod. But hold on, these can be handheld! Even with my essential tremor, I can hold these steady enough for a clear image. The trick is to brace the eyecups against the brow bones, and grip the body as far toward the objectives as possible. I did not expect to be able to handhold such a high magnification. If I can manage this, most peaple should have no problem. Just be aware that they are rather large and heavy (this helps damp the shakes) so your arms will get tired fast. However if you are laying in a gravity chair stargazing, it gets less tiring. btw, they have a lifetime warranty. Hopefully I will not need it, but at least if there is a problem they have a US presence. If your are on the fence, go for it. These are well worth a try.

I did a lot of research trying to find the best binocular (15x) for the money and decided on the Athlon Cronus G2. Abbe-Koenig prisms and a magnesium chassis top a long list of features typically found on optics costing much more. They are a pleasure to use and the image is crystal clear all the way to the edge of the field. To top it all off they come in a very nice latching hard case with a padded hiking case too. Attached objective lens caps, comfortable neck strap, and great all around aesthetics. If you're on the fence between Maven or Vortex, I highly recommend that you look closely at these. I've been a real fan of Vortex for many years and have several of their scopes, but these are as good, if not better than the Razor.

First, these are definitely made for tripod use. Can be hand held, but the higher magnification will make them difficult to hold steady. Seems like quality product at a medium price! Have not experienced any color fringing yet. Grab a tripod & a good mount & you won’t be disappointed!

Replaced my vortex 15s and I can clearly tell the difference. Definitely would recommend

It is very large, very heavy, and you cannot carry it by hand, unclear and annoying. I regret buying it and I will return it