Binoculars are helpful tools whether you want to go birdwatching or scope out the landscape before a hunt. Two of the most popular pairs on the market include the Athlon Ares and Athlon Midas. In this piece, we’ll dive into each product to determine which is ideal for your needs.
Technical Specifications
First, let’s talk about the technical specifications of the Athlon Ares and Athlon Midas. The top technical specification is the prism, a component of the binoculars that takes the upside-down image and flips it right-side up for the user to see. What prism sits inside each product?
The winner in this category is neither. They both have the BAK4 roof prism. With this addition, you can expect an excellent, vibrant experience with the image in front of you. You can’t go wrong with either if the prism is a critical part of your choice.
We’ve discussed the benefits of each prism type in the Athlon Ares and Athlon Midas binoculars. The prism works with every component inside the binoculars, working towards the overall performance. Let’s go over that subject next to see how well each will work for you.
Performance
The performance of binoculars is vital. They exist to help individuals see things in the distance better than they would with their eyes. Quality binoculars allow individuals to see items they didn’t before or focus on a target far away. Let’s talk about performance features.
There are many similarities between the Ares and Midas. They both offer a magnification of 10x the human eye. They also provide an objective lens diameter of 42 mm and an actual angle of view of 6.5 degrees. These are just the first few similarities.
The field of view for the Ares and Midas is 341’ @ 1,000 yards or 113.2 m @ 1,000 meters. They have a minimum focus distance of 8.2’, or 2.5 m, and have an exit pupil diameter of 4.2 mm. The Ares and Midas provide a center focus type, permitting simple adjustments.
There are a few areas where the Ares and Midas differ. The eye relief of the Ares is 14.7 mm, while the relief on the Midas is 15.2 mm. The Ares offers an interpupillary adjustment range of 56 to 73 mm or 2.2 to 2.9 inches. The Midas provide 57 to 74 mm, or 2.2 to 2.9 inches.
Although they aren’t too different, we think the Athlon Midas is the winner in this area. It offers a slightly larger interpupillary adjustment range and a longer relief for users to enjoy as they take their binoculars outside. Still, you can’t go wrong with either product in this area.
The performance of a pair of binoculars matters. If they don’t perform well, it’s tricky to use them to your advantage. Now, let’s talk about the features you will find in the Athlon Ares and Athlon Midas binoculars.
Features
The features on the Athlon Ares and Athlon Midas binoculars help determine what weather conditions they will survive in and which you should stay away from outside. Fog and water are two of the biggest enemies when operating outdoors.
Fog is more trouble than a danger for your binoculars. If the air is humid, the lenses of the binoculars will fog up. You won’t be able to see, rendering your tool useless. It will be like you don’t have binoculars at all.
Both the Ares and Midas exist to be fog proof. They accomplish this process through argon filling. You don’t have to worry about fog here.
Water is another danger. Whether it’s raining or you drop the tool in a puddle, it’s helpful to have a pair of binoculars to withstand exposure to wet conditions. They will last much longer.
The Ares and Midas are waterproof. You don’t need to worry about them falling apart if water touches any part of their exterior layer of defense.
There is no winner in this category. Each tool offers fog proof and waterproofing options for users, allowing a confident experience.
We’ve talked about the features added to each pair, designed to make them better and withstand harsh environments. Now, let’s dive into the general specifications of each pair. It’s ideal to consider the dimensions and weight of each product for practical use.
General
The general specifications of each product are critical to consider, too. These help determine how easy it is to transport the binoculars and put them to work. The Athlon Ares and Athlon Midas come in varying sizes and weights.
The Athlon Ares is 6.7 x 5.2 inches, or 17 x 13.2 centimeters. In contrast, the Athlon Midas is 5.7 inches x 5.2 inches, or 14.5 x 13.2 centimeters. The Athlon Midas is a full inch shorter than the Ares, but the same width. It’s slightly easier to move from one spot to another.
Now, the weight. The Athlon Ares weighs 29.8 ounces or 844.8 grams. In contrast, the Athlon Midas weighs 25 ounces or 708.8 grams. The Athlon Midas is almost four ounces lighter than the competitor. It’s a little easier to carry around on the move.
If you’re hunting for a smaller and more lightweight pair, go with the Athlon Midas. It’s a full inch shorter than the Ares and weighs about four ounces less. You will have a simplified transportation experience with the Midas option.
Now that we’ve covered all vital components of the binoculars, it’s time to determine which of them comes out on top. Should you invest in the Athlon Ares of the Athlon Midas for your next outdoor excursion?
Final Thoughts
The Athlon Ares and Athlon Midas are excellent choices for binoculars. However, we would have to pick the Athlon Midas over the Ares for its advances in general dimensions and weight, eye relief, and interpupillary adjustment abilities.
We hope this information was helpful! No matter which pair of binoculars you select from the quality Athlon brand, you will receive a high-class experience. A quality pair will change how you see the world in every adventure.