Do You Need Binoculars for a Football Game?

Attending a football game can be one of the most fun, exciting, and exhilarating experiences. Seated amongst likeminded and die-hard fans of the home team and hearing the roar of the crowd after a spectacular play has little other comparison.

But not all seats in an NFL or football stadium are created equally.

The NFL often features some of the largest and biggest stadiums in the world, allowing for tens of thousands of fans to pack the stadium any given Sunday to view the home team play. As such, many seats are placed further away from the field and from the center of action.

However, with that uniqueness comes some challenges for fans. In particular, for fans seated further away from the field, viewing the happenings and action on the field can be difficult.

That is why, below, we are going to discuss just whether or not you need binoculars for a football game and how bringing along a pair of binoculars with you to the game will not only enhance your enjoyment but also make the action on the field more visible.

What Are Binoculars?

While many of us have toyed with binoculars, especially in our younger years, we may not have fully experienced their fullest capabilities and benefits.

Binoculars, for those inexperienced with them, are a handheld optical instrument which helps to magnify a view of an object in the distance. Binoculars consist of two similar telescopes, one for each eye, mounted on a single frame.

When placed over the eyes, the binoculars provide a magnified view of an object from a far distance and allow the wearer to view objects at a distance with clarity and magnification.

In addition, a single thumbwheel may control the focus of both telescopes simultaneously, and provision may be made for adjusting the focus of each separately to allow for varying characteristics in the two eyes.

This thumbwheel allows for added magnification and increased distance viewing.

Are Binoculars Necessary for a Football Game?

When it comes to whether or not you need a pair of binoculars for a football game, the answer, as with so many things in life is, it depends. If you are seated closer to the field and the action, then binoculars are not particularly necessary as you will have a great view from your seat of the action on the field.

However, if you are seated in the upper portion of the stadium and not directly in front of the field, then binoculars are a great choice and addition to bring along with you to the game. Doing so will allow you to view the happenings and action on the field better and more clearly than relying on your eyesight alone.

In addition, if you have an poorer eyesight or are visually impaired, you can purchase binoculars which contain your specific prescription lenses to better improve your overall field of sight and viewing distance.

That said, we are personally fans of bringing along a pair of binoculars with us to a football game and have found that the experience is more heightened and made better by having a pair with us.

We are better able to view the happenings on the field and track a thrown football with a pair and do recommend bringing a pair with you to your next game.

Different Types of Binoculars

Once you’ve determined whether or not you will be bringing along a pair of binoculars to a football game, it is time to grab a pair that are suitable for a football game. And while there are plenty of choices, not all binoculars are made equally.

Overall, there are six different types of binoculars widely available on the market. We will be going through each six below.

• Roof Prism Binoculars – roof prism binoculars are a more modern binocular. Streamlined, straight-tubed, lightweight, and more compact, these binoculars are technically advanced and allow for a much higher magnification power and brighter end imagery.

• Porro Prism Binoculars – Porro prism binoculars were originally developed in the 19th century by Ignazio Porro. These binoculars send light from your objective lenses through an interdependent pair of triangular light-catchers in a quick horizontal jag. This movement then amplifies and inverts the light to give you a sharp, magnified image of your target. Offering a clearer, more three-dimensional image, these binoculars also provide a greater field of view and are great for football games.

• Night Vision Binoculars – night vision binoculars are electronically assisted binoculars which utilize the little available light to amplify it through the lenses. Great for viewing objects in the dark, these binoculars are not great or necessary for a football game.

• Marine Binoculars – another cool binocular is the marine binocular. Mainly used in and around bodies of water, they have a wider ocular and objective lens with low to moderate magnification power. However, marine binoculars aren’t recommend for a football game.

• Astronomy Binoculars – astronomy binoculars are for the avid stargazer. Great for viewing celestial objects, these binoculars are often larger and more expensive than other models.

• Opera Glasses – and lastly, opera glasses are mainly used for viewing an opera or musical performance. Great for viewing subtle movements, these glasses are commonly found in operas and musical theaters.

Best Binoculars for a Football Game

Per the above, your best bet for a great pair of binoculars to bring to a football game is the Porro prism model. Below, we are going to recommend a few that we have personally utilized at a football game and recommend you bring with you to your next game.

• Vortex Optics Raptor Porro Prism Binoculars – the Vortex Optics Raptor Porro Prism Binoculars is our top pick for the best binoculars to bring to a football game. With 8.5 magnification and 32mm objective lenses, these multi-coated lenses transmit bright, crisp images with excellent color fidelity and clarity. Coated in rubber and waterproof, these binoculars won’t drop easily and can withstand even the harshest conditions. And with a field of view of 390-feet to 1,000 yards, you’ll have no problem viewing the happenings on the field.

• Kowa Sporting Optics – the Kowa Sporting Optics is another great binocular to bring to the ballpark. With over a half-century of experience, Kowa provides top-end features in an inexpensive price point. The Kowa Sporting Optics provides a pleasurable viewing experience and what we really love about this particular model is the large field of view it provides. Clear, vivid, and crisp, you’ll be able to view the entirety of the field with these binoculars.

• US Camel Binoculars – the US Binoculars are not as well known as other brands. However, at a cheaper price point, they’re definitely worth a look. High-powered with a 20x magnification, these binoculars come with an added phone attachment, allowing you to view the happenings on the field through your phone and not needing to place the binoculars on your eyes.