Nocs makes some of our favorite binoculars and monoculars, whose compact sizes and colorful aesthetics really set them apart in the category. Suffice to say, they’re a lot more fun to use in the outdoors than the boring black and silver offerings from other outfits. Their latest release, the Nocs Zero Tube, doubles down on the compact proportions, offering what is easily their most portable monocular yet.
They call it “the smallest, lightest, most durable… way to see the unseen.” And they’re not lying. This thing is so small, you can conveniently clip it to your belt and keep it there the whole time, allowing you to have a magnifying optical tool on the ready any time you need it. Whether you’re a birdwatcher, a hiker who likes surveying the trails ahead, or just someone who’d like an optical tool in their EDC kit, this thing makes for an excellent tool to bring to your collection.
The Nocs Zero Tube is a very compact monocular measuring just 4.3 x 1.6 x 1.7 inches and weighing an ultralight 7.2 ounces. That, pretty much, makes it as small as some pocket flashlights, all while offering 10x magnification and a 25mm objective lens diameter. It’s, basically, made up of two halves connected together, with each half housing a 10-piece lens array, with each glass piece layered in anti-reflective coating with a low refractory index. According to the outfit, all surfaces get multi-layer coatings to ensure crisp images and clear colors down to the edges of the monocular’s field of view, while ED glass is used throughout to ensure accurate and true-to-life colors. It also uses Swiss-made Bak4 prisms with dielelectric coating and phase coating to minimize the scattering of light.
Like their other monoculars and binoculars, it comes in a rugged plastic housing that’s designed to absorb impact, allowing it to shrug off both bumps and drops, as well as a ridged exterior that helps further dissipate any impact force, while making it easy to secure in hand. It’s not just rugged, it’s also waterproof, with an IPX7 rating that allows it immerse in up to three feet of water for up to 30 minutes without taking damage.
The Nocs Zero Tube uses a medical-grade O-ring assembly to keep the optical elements inside sealed, with nitrogen-filled internal chambers preventing fog formation in the field. Despite the small size, they managed to integrate a twist-up eyecup that can be extended or retracted based on your preferences, while being compatible to use as a zoom lens on your phone when combined with the outfit’s optional smartphone adapter. That’s right, you can use it as a telephoto lens for your smartphone photos and videos.
Other features include a minimum focal length of 4.9 feet, a 341 feet field of view at 1,000 yards, an integrated carry clip for securing on edges (e.g. belts, pockets, and straps), and the outfit’s “No Matter What” lifetime warranty. It’s available in the same fun-looking red, blue, and gray shades used in some of their previous optical devices, hopefully with more colors coming down the line.
The Nocs Zero Tube is available now, priced at $175.
