Hi Tweets:
Julie has a question about her new Swift Audubons and I'm going to reply
on-list because I have a question about do-it-yourself waterproofing of
bins. I bought a new pair of Swift Audubons last Dec. on the internet.
They cost $250. and were billed as "water resistant". Water proof bins
started at $700. and were beyond my price range. Mine are 8.5X44 and work
very well for me. I loved them on a Texas trip I took.
They have a cover that hangs on the neck strap and I slip it over the
eyepieces, when I'm not using them. But on a walk that I took this summer
up on Vancouver Island, even the cover didn't help. We were having drizzle,
and I had been holed up in my truck, so I decided to venture out. I was
about 2 miles from the truck when the deluge started. It proceeded to rain
4" that day in our camp! (It was a record rainfall in the area for a day in
July.) I would occas. try to use the bins, then cover them, and ended
putting them inside my Goretex coat. My Goretex failed by the time I got
back to camp. I was thoroughly wet, all the way through. After that my
bins would fog up when I tried to take them from the truck to outside. They
would eventually clear. This lasted for about three days. It hasn't
occured since, but I'm concerned.
Here is my question. I was told by some birders that I could put drops of
beeswax around the rim edge of my eyepieces, and that would this would keep
them dry inside. Does anyone know where to buy this product, how to melt
and drip it, and how to spread it?
Carol Schulz
DesMoines
-----Original Message-----
From: Jamonahan at aol.com <Jamonahan at aol.com>
To: TWEETERS at u.washington.edu <TWEETERS at u.washington.edu>
Date: Monday, September 25, 2000 7:15 PM
Subject: advice, pls: Swift Audubons


>Dear Tweeters,
>
>I bought a pair of Swift Audubon binocs (8x42), and have just heard they
>don't handle well in inclement weather. Seeing how this is the Pacific
>Northwest, that sounds like a major defect. Any users out there? What's
your
>experience? I still have a week to return them.
>
>Thanks,
>Julie Monahan
>Seattle