More than a mile away, an elk herd fed on a ridge high above the valley floor. To the naked eye, the ridge was a stark line against the sky dotted with trees. But one look through the Maven B.7 binocular just before sunset confirmed my suspicion that elk would be feeding high on the ridge this late July evening.
For the last few months, the B.7 has been my go-to pair of binoculars largely due to its light weight. While I have a few pairs that rotate through testing and are used for hiking, birding, and hunting, the Maven B.7 earned a spot in my bino harness during archery elk hunting in September and hasn’t left since.
In short: The Maven B.7 ($600) will surprise users with its super-clear lenses and light-gathering capabilities, especially for such a small pair of binoculars. For those who demand high quality in a small, light form factor, the B.7 should be on the top of the list.
Maven B.7 Binoculars
Specs
-
Weight
12.4 oz. -
Close focus range
9.8' -
Eye relief
15.0 mm -
Magnification
8x and 10x -
Objective lens
25mm -
Field of view
356 (8x), 314 (10x) (feet at 1,000 yards) -
Prism
Schmidt-Pechan
Pros
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Very compact size
-
Light weight
-
Aggressively textured controls
-
Durable
-
Excellent lens clarity
Cons
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Hard to use with gloves
-
Too small for long hours of glassing
Maven B.7 Binoculars Review
As I noted above, the B.7 has been my go-to binoculars for this fall’s hunting season. I also used them on several hikes during the late summer, carrying them in a case in my backpack.
For clarity, I used them a lot to glass medium-range meadows and forests, largely looking for big game like deer and elk. This is a tough test for any binoculars, especially for a small set like these. And really, the B.7 is not an ideal pair specifically for this job, but they did way better than I would have expected.
I used them for this task largely because, particularly during archery elk and mule deer season, I hunt terrain that doesn’t offer vast areas to glass. I rarely had a chance to look for game beyond about 600 yards. On the occasion that I did have long-range glassing opportunities, the Maven B.7 was certainly undersized. But as I noted above, I was able to find and glass animals at well over a mile multiple times.
But where they really stand out is at moderate ranges. For archery hunting from a tree stand, working through timber or broken meadows, turkey hunting, birding, or other situations where you need great optics that get used for quick looks, but not hours on end, the B.7 is really ideal. They provide a crisp, bright field of view and won’t weigh you down.
Maven B.7 Review: Solid Build, Little Weight
I’ve mentioned a few times that the B.7 is small and light. They really are, folding down to just 2.94 x 4.76 x 1.99 inches. That’s not much bigger than your average multitool. But while they are small, the B.7 is deceptively tough and solid.
In my testing, I dropped the B.7 into snow banks a couple of times. I used them while sweating heavily during a wet but cold snowstorm. I used them with and without sunglasses, and in both bright and dim light.
They impressed me with a very well-textured focus ring that provides a quick, robust focus device. It works great without gloves. However, due to the small size, the focus ring and diopter adjustments are tough to use with gloved hands. You can do it, but I did find myself removing my gloves when I needed to focus these.
That said, I often left the B.7 in my bino harness, focused at about 400 yards, and was able to easily pick them up and glass ridges while walking during a day-long hunt. In this case, I rarely needed to refocus them or remove my gloves.
The B.7 has, like other Maven binoculars, multiple-position eye cups. I found that by using these extended, the binos landed consistently, with the eye cup hitting just below my eyebrows. That gave me quick target acquisition, and I rarely had trouble finding the field of view with my eyes. For me, these definitely work better with the cups extended a little, but this varies according to user preference.
Maven B.7: Who Should Buy Them?
Are the Maven B.7s for you? Well, one downside is certainly the price. At $600, these are a pretty big investment for smaller binoculars.
But for a lot of people like me, they could easily serve as a primary optic during many outings. If you really want to trim weight, but still have a functional, capable optic, the B.7 is a very legitimate choice.
With it, you get 8x or 10x magnification (I chose 10x) and a sharp, bright view. You’ll be giving up a lot of the light gathering and a larger field of view of bigger glass. But you’ll also be saving a whole lot of weight.
The 25mm objective diameter is a true limitation of these very small binoculars. While the B.7 uses Maven’s premium extra-low dispersion ED glass, the light gathering is limited by the physical size of the 25mm objective lens. It’s simply smaller than what’s available on mid- or large-size binocs.
For tree stand hunters, turkey vests, and archery, I think these are an ideal choice. For backpackers or others who want binos for birding, safety, or other uses, they make a lot of sense. The only time these aren’t a top pick is when you’ll be spending long hours glassing big terrain, such as in some Western big game hunting.
But when weight takes priority, your legs and back will thank you for choosing the Maven B.7. And for many uses, your eyes will be pretty happy, too.
The post Small, Light, and Crystal Clear: Maven B.7 Binocular Review appeared first on GearJunkie.
