Swarovski Optik’s new CL Companion lineup is a next-generation redesign of the company’s most popular travel binoculars, offering a wider field of view, improved eye relief, and a refined compact housing designed for intuitive handling and all-day viewing comfort.
Three things distinguish the new CL Companion from the version it replaces. The field of view is wider—eight degrees on the 8x30 and 6.6 degrees on the 10x30, which translates to 420 feet at 1,000 yards and 345 feet at the same distance, respectively. The eye relief is longer at 19 mm on the 8x30 and 18 mm on the 10x30, which matters a lot if you wear glasses. Additionally, the housing has been redesigned around an improved bridge that shifts the balance point toward the shooter’s hands, making the binocular feel lighter than its 19 ounces would suggest when held to the face for extended viewing.
The optical performance is what Swarovski has been known for since the Tyrolean family-owned company started making binoculars in the 1930s: 90% light transmission, natural color fidelity and high-contrast imagery across the full field. Both models focus down to just less than 10 feet, which is closer than most compact binoculars manage and makes the CL Companion useful for birdwatching as well as elephants. Interpupillary distance adjusts from 55 mm to 74 mm, and diopter correction runs plus or minus four. The binoculars are waterproof to 13 feet and operational from −13° to 131°F—specifications that cover essentially any environment a rugged PRS competition, safari vehicle or national park trailhead could deliver.
The three available colors—Desert Orange, Mountain Green and Safari Brown—are named for the environments the binocular was built to reveal, and the choice between them is more about personal preference than performance. The choice between 8x30 and 10x30 is a different kind of decision. The 8x30 offers the wider true field and the larger exit pupil (3.8 mm vs. 3.0 mm on the 10x30), making it the better choice for low-light viewing and for tracking moving subjects like birds in flight. The 10x30 trades some of that brightness and field for additional reach, which rewards patience and a steadier grip. Both weigh the same 19 ounces, both use the same housing and both carry the same optical coatings.
“SWAROVSKI OPTIK is redefining high-end travel binoculars with the new CL Companion,” said Dean Capuano, director of communications for Swarovski Optik North America. “It combines our proven quality with a modern design and allows travelers to discover details that would otherwise go unnoticed.”
The CL Companion 8x30 is priced from $1,499, and the 10x30 starts at $1,549. Both are available now from authorized dealers and through the Swarovski Optik online store at swarovskioptik.com.
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