Nikon Monarch 5 vs Nikon Travelite 8x25

I'm an avid outdoorsman and have been wanting to get into bird watching, hunting, and just general exploring/tracking of animals. I have never had a good set of binos but have had a couple of \~$30 ones. My dad knew I was looking to get a good pair and he did a bunch of research which landed him on the Monarch 5.

These seemed to be nice binoculars, however they weren't for me. They seemed to work well for my girlfriend, but the frame was just too small for me to use. TLDR: Good quality, nice design, just small, so I returned.

Viewing the Orion region with either binocular is an inspiring experience, but more so with the Bushnell’s larger FOV. Image brightness of the Nikon and the Bushnell, as judged by the ability to see faint stars in the Orion region, is the same. Unless the Nikon name, lower weight, compactness and close focus are over-riding considerations, the Bushnell, at 30% of the prize of the Nikon, is the much better deal.

Lens caps are too hard and uncomfortable. I bought these just to watch the birds in my back yard and replace an old pair of cheap Bushnells' that gave up after several years of stellar use. They were clearer, easier to use and focus and half the price!? Unfortunately that model is no longer available. I will keep these as they are adequate for what I need but be forewarned if you are looking for and expecting a really good set of glasses