Binoculars for eyeglass wearer

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My Findings, in my opinion for what it is worth, I am no expert. My eyes are 2020 with astigmatism corrective lenses. I used my shooting glasses (single prescription not bifocal or progressive). I normally wear progressives. I find how and where on your face the eye glasses are really effect using binoculars, monoculars and spotting scopes.

I got out 3 days with multiple weather conditions from sunny, overcast and mixed bag of rain sleet and snow. I was in the mountains over looking Mt. Washington and the presidential range. All three performed well, the Athlon and Hawke were neck and neck with the Hawke I believe slightly more vivid. Eye relief and comfort on both were great. The Nikon while optically good as well just did not seem to fit me like the Hawke and Athlon.

I really like the Athlon Optics Cronus 8.5×42 I am keeping them. The Hawke Frontier 8×42 ED X are fantastic although the deal I got on the Cronus swayed my vote. My eyes really do not see $200 of price difference. The Monarch 5 nice but just did not feel right for me, they may for you and are very nice.

The Hawke and Nikons are on their way back and now to find a compact set for use on my motorcycles.

Hope that my findings can help some of you with a similar issue.

Thanks to all for the suggestions
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Thanks for the binocular review for eyeglass wearers!

I go birding nearly every weekend and I also wear glasses. I have been using an older pair of Vortex Viper 6x32's (pre-HD) models and I can attest that the eye relief is great (listed as 19.5mm). I am really happy with them and wish they had not been discontinued. They are compact and light, but not shirt pocket size though so I am not sure they would serve for your motorcycling trips. If you ever run across a pair, I am fairly certain you would like them.


 
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Long-time birder here w/ progressive lens glasses. I have never found any binos that I can use with my glasses on, no matter how much "eye relief" they advertise. I push the glasses up on my forehead and use the binos adjusted for my eyes w/o glasses. Had Leica for many years; currently Zeiss Victory SF 10 x 42 - absolutely suberb. Also move glasses to use a spotting scope, but use air rifle scope with glasses on.
 
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There were plenty of binoculars that use to have true long eye relief. The problem today is finding a place where you can try out many brands at the same time. The other problem is that optical design still limits what power, and size objective, can give you a big view with long eye relief, and they are typically not the popular sizes everyone thinks they want. Thirty years ago Optics Shows were not uncommon, now they are non-existent. Join cloudynights forum and ask people, or buy and try. I have been out of the collecting bino's for a while now but I use to find that the 7x42 size binoculars typically had good eye relief and easy viewing, at least in the European brands. I still have a pair of 7x42 Fujinon's that have the longest eye relief that I have used and the thickest of horned rimmed glasses won't even start to touch the retracted eye cups. The lenses aren't the best but the view is real easy. Everything is a compromise. The new technology with coatings is trickling down now though and perfectly acceptable bino's can be bought for less than $500 these days, not so in the past. Like I said above, when I bought my Leica's back in 1990 they were considered the best birding binocular that you could buy and today those Hawkes going for $345 have a better view. Like all of these hobbies you have to be mindful of all of the review sites, forums, and track the technology and every now and then you get what you want, for what you are willing to pay. Unfortunately there is no more Better View Desired, or Eagle Optics to help but there are enough sources and places to buy if you commit to finding them.
 
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Long-time birder here w/ progressive lens glasses. I have never found any binos that I can use with my glasses on, no matter how much "eye relief" they advertise. I push the glasses up on my forehead and use the binos adjusted for my eyes w/o glasses. Had Leica for many years; currently Zeiss Victory SF 10 x 42 - absolutely suberb. Also move glasses to use a spotting scope, but use air rifle scope with glasses on.
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I have tried using binoculars for 40 years with glasses. Every brand I could get my hands on. Sure some binoculars you can see thru with your glasses on but you never get a full field of view. Take your glasses off with any of them and your field of view increases a bunch. I use swarovski sac 10x56 I also have an older pair of Pentax 10 power that are nice.
 
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Eyeglass wearer here also. I have found a solution for my scopes and binoculars. I adjust the binos and scopes without my glasses on. I can see thru them without glasses once adjusted, unfortunately no one else can....tough titty, they are my toys adjusted to my eyes, so go get your own. Now....I do need to put my glasses back on to see the scope knobs or look at a map, but I can see thru the toys without glasses
 
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Astigmatism can't be focused out, you need to wear your corrective lenses. That is why they make long eyerelief binoculars. Of course the field of view usually won't look as big way back from the lens, but you can keep your glasses on. For really good spotting scopes, like Tele-Vue, they will actually grind a corrective lens for your astigmatism for their eyepieces. I haven't seen, or inquired, if any binocular company does, but that, or laser surgery, is the only way I could use bino's without glasses on.
 
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