Hiking is a versatile form of active recreation. It allows you to simultaneously exercise, enjoy nature’s beauty, communicate with like-minded people while walking, and even watch the stars. For the latter activity, all hiking enthusiasts need a good telescope. Choosing one is always a difficult task since, in this situation, the buyer must consider many aspects. To make the task a little easier, you need to read our article carefully. In it, we have collected the main criteria you should pay attention to when choosing a telescope and also prepared some valuable recommendations for you.
Basic selection criteria
When choosing a telescope for a hike, consider five essential criteria. Each allows you to discard some unsuitable models and leave only the most optimal ones. By checking the models you are interested in according to these criteria, you can determine whether purchasing them before a planned outdoor event is advisable.
Cost
In most cases, a particular telescope model is chosen based on its cost. This is not quite the right approach since, in addition to it, other critical criteria must be taken into account. However, the price of a telescope is one of the main parameters that help to evaluate its quality and capabilities. The most popular among hiking enthusiasts are mid-price models. They are known for their optimal ratio of cost, quality and available functionality, so they are considered an ideal choice for people with limited financial capabilities. Such telescopes will perfectly cope with their tasks and help save money to buy other valuable things on a hike.
Of course, the best choice will be premium models. These telescopes are always expensive, but their excellent characteristics and additional features compensate for this disadvantage. Models in this price category allow you to see further and get the highest-quality images. Budget telescopes can also be used for hiking. They are significantly inferior in characteristics and functionality even to mid-range models but are available to everyone. Such models are often straightforward, making them ideal for people just beginning their acquaintance with the starry sky.
Portability
Telescopes come for a variety of purposes. Depending on this, they have a specific size and weight. The most significant models can weigh tens of tons and take up more space than a two-story house. Naturally, for ordinary people, such telescopes are an unacceptable option. In this regard, hiking enthusiasts often use portable models to observe the stars. They usually take up as much space as AGM night vision devices and weigh only a few hundred grams. Due to these features, portable telescopes are ideal for long-term wear and do not create problems during transportation.
The portability of models is achieved in several ways. In addition to reducing size and weight, manufacturers achieve the desired effect by creating a folding design. Such telescopes are very easy to disassemble into several parts, and the process of their transportation becomes the most straightforward task. If necessary, folding telescopes can be assembled in a couple of tens of seconds and become full-fledged optics suitable for observing the starry sky in the field. This option is ideal for hiking, so you should choose it.
Aperture
One of the main parameters of any telescope is the lens’s aperture. It is measured in millimeters or inches and shows the ability of the device to collect light. The higher its value, the better the picture will be. The user will see a clear and detailed image at the highest values, and at the lowest, it will be a little blurry (especially at the edges).
There is no single correct value of the lens aperture for hiking. This is explained by the fact that fans of this activity always need to look for something between the image quality and the size of the telescope. The highest values can only be achieved in the bulkiest models, which will be difficult to carry and use in the field. Because of this, the optimal hiking option will be the lens aperture’s average value. It is approximately 70-80 mm, with the possibility of minor deviations in both directions. With such indicators, the telescope will create a picture of average quality, in which you can see even some tiny details. At the same time, the device will be compact enough, and fans of this activity can take it with them on a hike easily.
Reliability
An essential criterion for choosing a telescope is its reliability. It depends on many factors and can be achieved in dozens of different ways. Almost all models available for sale today boast high reliability, which is possible due to the use of high-quality components in production. They all cope well with their tasks and do not fail over time. Of course, there are exceptions related to defects or the manufacturer’s unscrupulous attitude to the assembly process, but these days, they are rare.
During hiking, reliability is one of the critical parameters of a telescope. Without it, using optics in less-than-ideal conditions can quickly end in a breakdown or other troubles, due to which you will have to observe the stars with the naked eye. It should also be remembered that even the most reliable telescopes need proper care. Only in this way will they work without failures for dozens or even hundreds of hikes.
Protection from external influences
During hiking, the telescope will be used in unpredictable environmental conditions. Sometimes, they can be pretty extreme, so the selected model must be reliably protected from all possible types of impacts. First of all, this concerns physical contact with various objects. The telescope needs the most durable case to withstand them and not get damaged. It should be made of materials with the appropriate properties and reinforced in all available ways. Only in this way will it be able to withstand contact with other objects in the backpack, rough handling, accidental impacts, etc.
Another mandatory characteristic of a telescope for hiking is water resistance. It will help protect the device’s internal parts from the destructive effects of moisture. Water resistance is achieved by installing additional protection for the case. With it, the telescope can be used even during rain and snow. In addition, it will help to avoid problems when observing the night sky. At this time of day, the air temperature decreases, so the air humidity increases so that water droplets can appear on the surface of various parts of the device.
Recommendations for selection
Very often, the primary criteria are insufficient to choose the perfect telescope for hiking. In this case, you should also consider the recommendations of people actively using such optics outdoors. The primary advice is always to buy telescopes that are extremely easy to operate. This will eliminate the need to perform a multi-stage equipment setup, which becomes even more difficult in the field (due to wind, lack of lighting, etc.).
Hiking enthusiasts should choose models whose lenses and mirrors have a multi-layer coating. Its presence will improve the quality of the resulting image (by eliminating glare and other defects), which is not always ideal for portable telescopes. Next, you should remember about the efficiency of the zoom function. In cases where optics are chosen for hiking, it is recommended not to chase the maximum zoom indicators but to choose a slightly lower maximum magnification. In most cases, this will positively affect the image quality and will not significantly limit the user’s ability to approach the object in question visually.
During a hike, it is easy to damage a telescope. In this regard, it is recommended to use various protective elements (for example, a cover that covers the lens of the device) and special devices for carrying optics (cases and other similar products). In most cases, they come with a telescope. These are the models that hiking enthusiasts should look for. Sometimes, the user must use a tripod to get high-quality images. For field conditions, you should choose products that are lightweight and have a collapsible design. You also need to ensure that the telescope has an appropriate mount for fixing the tripod’s optics.
Hiking is exciting but somewhat monotonous. To diversify it a bit, you should take a telescope with you. A telescope allows you to observe the stars and other celestial bodies, which can be very enjoyable. When choosing a telescope, consider several essential criteria and do not forget our valuable recommendations. All this information will be beneficial. If you use it correctly, you will easily find the suitable optics.
