Hi Guy,



I would also recommend the Seattle Audubon Nature Shop as the local place to
go for optics. I bought my last pair of binoculars there, and have been
very satisfied. Not only do they have a wide selection, but the folks who
work there are very helpful and knowledgeable. They're happy to let you try
out whatever's in stock.



I noticed that the most recent edition of Birder's World magazine (Feb '10)
has an article about the new lighter-weight mid-priced 8x binoculars. I
might go with 7x for a kid, but the article might still be worth a look.
You can find the article online here IF you have a subscription:



http://www.birdersworld.com/en/Birdwatching/Optics/2009/12/Field%20test%20li
ghtweight%20eights.aspx



Hans



Hans de Grys

Bothell, WA