While hiking last week I met another hiker who had a very interesting monocular. It turned out to be a Zeiss "Mini-Quick" scope


I borrowed it from him for a bit and was impressed at the image sharpness. The scope weighs only 0.8oz (that's right, zero point eight) and looks like a fat inkpen.

The small lens size is sure to provide mediocre performance in low light, but for the overall unit size & weight it is impressive. It's small enough that you won't think twice about bringing it along. It looks to be perfect for situations like discerning far-off signs or traffic jams, but where you wouldn't carry "real" optics with your business suit. It really appeals to ultralight hikers like me who simply won't put up with the weight of traditional optics.

The best price I've found online is around $90. I plan to get one soon and will provide a review then.