LAST EDITED ON Dec-08-08 AT 09:01AM (MST)[p]I never put caps on any of my glasses or my spotting scopes.
I clean them when they need it. I find that If my optics are not ready to use, i wont use them when I should. most bino covers on the newer binos are NOT worth much, especially if you ever hunt use them in the wind. First thing I do is take the covers off and throw them in the trash. . . I take bit better care of my lenses, but not much. They seldom - almost never are in a case, and hardly ever have lens caps/covers on them. I do put lens covers over the bigger lenses when I transport them over long distances, but 90% of the time they are ready to shoot. If you think your swaros are $$ try buying top end camera lenses. . . I could buy 5 80mm swaros for one lens. . .
The point is this, it's your money, you own the product, treat it however you want, but dont buy them then keep them put away in a case because you dont want to get them dirty. If you keep them put away, I know you wont use them when you should, it's some kind of physics principal, if you cover your glasses you use them less.
The only real issue you have with the newer optics are the coatings, they do scratch so be careful about scratching the glass, but other than that, unless you throw them on the pavement, they dont need babied that much. Dont let water drops dry out on the glass, it will leave residue and damage the coating. . .
www.tonybynum.com
"Roadless areas, in general, represent some of the best fish and wildlife habitat on public lands. The bad news is that there is nothing positive about a road where fish and wildlife habitat are concerned -- absolutely nothing." (B&C Professor, Jack Ward Thomas, Fair Chase, Fall 2005, p.10).
