Celestron Trailseeker 8×32 Binoculars: Our Review

At A Glance

PROS:

• Clear and bright image
• Color is true to life
• Minimal distortion when panning
• Good field of view

CONS:

• Focus wheel sticks a little when all the way to one side
• Neck strap not the most comfortable

STATS:

• Price: $280 MSRP at press time. Prices often fluctuate, so check with retailers
• Close focus: 6.6 feet (200 cm)
• Field of view: 7.9° (415 feet at 1,000 yards). More about field of view 
• Weight: 17.8 oz (506 g)—that’s about 0.1 oz (3 g) heavier than the average for compact binoculars in our review. Compare binocular sizes and weights
• Eye relief: 15.6 mm

Viewing Experience: The Celestron Trailseekers offer a bright, colorful, and sharp image that merits serious consideration given the sub-$300 price tag. On a late April morning, these binoculars resolved the wispy brown streaking and rusty caps of a pair of Palm Warblers chasing insects in the glare of the rising sun. On a distant backlit Great Crested Flycatcher they cut the glare well, bringing out the rufous tail highlights and the gray-to-yellow transition of the underparts. In terms of overall crispness and color these binoculars held their own with most of the higher-scoring models in our full review, with smooth and comfortable action when panning and adjusting the focus. Celestron makes a version of the TrailSeeker with upgraded glass (the TrailSeeker ED)—and while that model offers slightly better sharpness and low-light performance, the TrailSeeker’s lower price and otherwise high performance could be a great combination for some consumers.

Feel and Build:

The TrailSeeker has a sturdy and hefty build for a compact binocular. It’s housed in soft, black rubbery armoring with enough texture to create a secure, comfortable feel. Orange accents on the focus wheel liven up the overall look. The size and shape are virtually identical to the TrailSeeker ED, save for slight details in the graphics/lettering. The eyecups are comfortably beveled, and they click solidly into place at three settings. The focus wheel is easy to adjust, allowing quick and smooth transitions from near to distant objects, though we found it got a little sticky out at the two extremes. The solid but not-too-stiff hinge was easy to adjust to different-sized eyes.

Comments From testers:

• Bright and clear image
• Easy to focus
• Neckstrap not the most comfortable

This article is one in a series of mini-reviews. To see how these binoculars compare to others we’ve tested, see our full review of affordable compact binoculars.