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Pros - Lightweight and compact - Fits comfortably in the hand - Very durable and weatherproof Cons - No tripod mount (despite description saying it is tripod-compatible) - BK-7 prism glass (despite description saying it is BaK-4) - Carrying case uses loud hook & loop closure

Welcome to my review of the Barska 10×40 Blackhawk Monocular. This is another entry in the widening market of travel monoculars built for easy carrying and convenient use. The Blackhawk monocular measures 6.2 inches long and is 2 inches wide, and weighs 10 ounces. It features a 40mm objective lens with a BK-7 roof prism. Let’s check this baby out and see how well it performs in the field.

What Do I Get in the Box?

The first thing you probably want to know is what you’re getting when you purchase this particular monocular. Here’s what comes in the box:

• Barska 10×40 Blackhawk Monocular
• Wrist strap
• Carrying case
• Lens cloth

The wrist strap is pretty cheap fare, and I hate wrist straps to begin with. Give me a lanyard instead, and I’ll be a happy camper, but Barska has decided the wrist strap is the way to go. The carrying case is also an inexpensive item, and the flap closure is held closed with hook & loop fasteners, which are very noisy to open. The carrying case does have a belt loop for attaching to your belt, but I don’t bother using the included carrying case most of the time; it’s so noisy it scares off the wildlife, which is pretty much a dumb idea for either birdwatching or hunting, two of the most common uses for a monocular.

How Powerful Is the Barska 10×40 Blackhawk Monocular?

This monocular features a 40mm objective lens, and offers 10X magnification. Resolution and clarity of the image are quite good for the price, but 10X magnification gets very shaky without a tripod. I purchased this particular monocular based on a product description that said the monocular was tripod-compatible. Unfortunately, this proved to be false advertising, as the monocular does not have a tripod mount at all.

What Type of Optics Does the Barska 10×40 Blackhawk Monocular Have?

Here’s another instance of the product description at the retailer not matching the box, because the retailer said the roof prism of the Barska Blackhawk monocular was made from BaK-4 glass. In fact, it is BK-7 prism glass, which is a lower quality glass than BaK-4.

The optics are multi-coated, and the monocular is fully fogproof and waterproof (thanks to O-ring sealed lenses and a nitrogen-filled barrel). The field of view through the monocular is an excellent 315 feet at a thousand yards, and the close focus is 13 feet, allowing you to zoom in tight and close on objects less than 5 yards away.

What’s the Body Like On This Monocular?

The Barska 10×40 Blackhawk Monocular is coated in rubber armor, with diamond pattern rubber grips. These rubber grips provide an excellent grip on the monocular, and the knurled eyepiece focus wheel is easy to use without being too loose; some have even called the focus ring “stiff,” but I find it to be just about perfect. The fold-down rubber eyecup adapts easily to use with or without eyeglasses, and the ergonomic finger knurls in the body of the monocular work well either with or without gloves.

How Durable Is the Monocular?

The Barska 10×40 Blackhawk Monocular has a rubber-armored body for durability, and let me tell you…this monocular can take some damage. I’ve dropped it in the mud, in the lake, and even off a ten foot cliff (what can I say? I’m clumsy), and the monocular still works just as good after all of those spills as before. Barska has done an excellent job of making this monocular pretty near to bulletproof.

How Well Does the Barska 10×40 Blackhawk Monocular Work in the Field?

If you ditch the included carrying case, the Barska 10×40 Blackhawk Monocular is fantastic in the field for a lightweight 10X monocular. It is easy to grip, has excellent resolution and clarity to its images, and is quite fast to focus for such an inexpensive monocular.

I ended up getting a new carrying case to fit the monocular, one without Velcro for closure, and have taken the Barska 10×40 Blackhawk Monocular with me on several hunting trips. It’s proven to be very useful in the field, allowing me to confirm the bedded-down location of several deer that my scope alone could not discern. That, to me, is one sign of a good monocular, if it allows me to bag a deer that I would have missed out on otherwise.