Gear Court: Hawke Sport Optics binos give her ‘turkey vision’

The “P” on her hat stands for “Prois”; Britney’s choice for women’s hunting clothing. Check them out at www.proishunting.com.

Anyone that follows me on social media knows that I’m a turkey hunting fanatic. My turkey vest is always jam packed with calls, bug deterrent and of course – snacks; so one thing I don’t have room for is a pair of bulky binoculars. That’s why I loved the idea of the Hawke Sport Optics Frontier PC Compact binoculars.  I utilized the Frontiers for pre-season scouting, during turkey season and even to spot pesky woodchucks in my back yard.

Weighing in at 10.6 ounces, these hinged binos collapse down to approximately 2-5/8 inches X 4 inches and are the perfect addition to any turkey hunter’s vest. During the 2012 spring turkey season I braved weather that ranged from one extreme to another, including rain and 85 degree heat. The Frontier PC truly holds up to its fog-proof claim. I purposely tried to fog the lenses during a “run and gun” session in the rain and they stayed perfectly clear. I’m always an advocate of putting my gear through extensive “field testing” and I’m not one to baby my gear, especially while turkey hunting. I can say confidently that Hawke’s claims of waterproofing are also valid.  After I dropped my Frontiers into a mud puddle, they were just fine. So, that’s what the neck strap is for …

After 18 days of hunting, Britney took this eastern turkey with and 8 1/2 inch beard in Menominee Co., Michigan! Hawke was there the entire time.

Don’t let its size fool you; the Frontier PC is quality constructed optics.  Along with being waterproof and fog proof, it also features the following benefits:

• Phase corrected prisms that increase color and contrast
• Grade A, fully multi-coated lenses
• Twist-up eyecups for proper eye relief
• Precise focus knob
• Soft-textured rubber coating to increase grip
• Lifetime limited warranty

The fantastic customer service department at Hawke made my selection process extremely easy. In one quick phone call, they established my needs and recommended the glass that would be the best fit for the type of hunting I was planning. They were a pleasure to talk to and extremely competent when it comes to the ins and outs of optics. I learned that purchasing binoculars with high magnification power isn’t necessarily the best thing for certain types of hunting, especially when you will be in thick woods. It makes sense to me now, but I had always been one to think “go big or go home” when it came to optics. I’m glad that the Hawke representative took the time to explain it to me. Hawke also has a great social media presence, which is becoming increasingly important in the fast-paced world of the Interwebs.

Take note of the absent neck strap … Don’t try this at home.

Frontier PC Compact binoculars retail for $129.99 and are available in black and green in both the 8X25 and 10X25 models.  I dare you to try to find another company in this price point with the same quality of construction and caliber of customer service. In my opinion, Hawke can’t be beat. Hawke also makes a host of other optics -– including  rifle scopes, crossbow scopes and spotting scopes. To view their full line of products visit www.hawkeoptics.com.

Endorsement Disclosure: Per the guidelines of the Federal Trade Commission, this product review is an endorsement and the writer may have been compensated by “in-kind” payment to review the product.