Meet the new Nocs Field Tube, a compact and waterproof monocular built for birdwatching, stargazing, sightseeing, whale watching, sports viewing and so much more. Announced today (May 23) by Nocs Provisions — makers of my favorite lightweight and waterproof binoculars — the Field Tube may very well be the best-looking monocular ever built, particularly in Corsican Blue.
The Nocs FIeld Tube is an updated version of the brand's Zoom Tube with better waterproofing and a new optical formula that promises crisper views with better contrast and fewer aberrations; less fogging, too.
I had the chance to put the Nocs Provision Field Tube to the test ahead of its launch, using it to check out urban sights and feathered friends around Seattle, Washington.
Here's a closer look at all the new features, along with some sample photos snapped through the lens with my smartphone. I'll also dig deeper into how the Field Tube stacks up against the competition — namely, its predecessor.
Nocs Field Tube hands-on: Price and availability
The new Nocs Field Tube is available now for $125 through Nocs Provisions and comes in two varieties: 8x and 10x zoom. For the former, you have the choice of Corsican Blue, Coral Red and Banana Slug Yellow. The more powerful version is available in Ponderosa Green, Paydirt Brown and Oxblood Maroon.
Nocs includes a "no matter what" limited lifetime warranty on all its products to encourage customers to get out and use them. Just don't abuse them.
Nocs Field Tube hands-on: Optics
Like most Nocs products, the new Field Tube monocular boasts scratch-resistant lenses that are multi-coated to eliminate optical uglies, like ghosting, lens flare and chromatic aberration.
It also sports a new optical formula with seven lens elements arranged into five groups, which is quite a bit more complex than the Zoom Tube's four elements in two groups.
The updated optics allow the Field Tube to focus as close as 7.4 feet compared to 10 feet on the older version.
With the Field Tube mounted on a tripod and the eye release pulled out all the way, it's pretty easy to line up a smartphone camera to the back of the monocular and snap some solid-looking images.
The Field Tube is definitely the sharpest near the center of the optics, which is not surprising. By the way, the above two images of the Space Needle and Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood were snapped from roughly a mile away using an iPhone 12 Mini.
Nocs Field Tube hands-on: Waterproofing
Perhaps the biggest improvement Nocs included in its latest monocular is vastly increased water resistance. The older Zoom Tube (shown at the bottom of the above image) is IPX4-rated against moisture, which translates to survival in light rain but not full submersions.
Meanwhile, the Nocs Field Tube is IPX7-rated against moisture. This means it's guaranteed to withstand submersions in water up to roughly 3 feet deep for up to 30 minutes. So, if it falls out of your bag into a stream, you have little to worry about, that is, unless the water is deep. Unfortunately, the Field Tube doesn't float (I tested it).
Assuming you do fish the monocular out, you can take solace in the fact that the internal chamber is filled with nitrogen and sealed with an O-ring to prevent any fogging.
Nocs Field Tube hands-on: Design and features
Aesthetically, the new Nocs Field Tube looks a whole to like the Zoom Tube, which is fine by me as I dig the design. You get an oversized focus wheel to lock in sharpness — it turns smooth as butter — and a twist-up eyecup to adjust the viewing relief. For glasses-wearers, it's best to leave it twisted down.
Like all Nocs products, the Field Tube is coated in a rubber material with a funky wave design pattern that both looks cool and makes it easy to grip.
At 8.4 ounces, the Field Tube is a tiny bit heavier than the Zoom Tube but still a reasonably lightweight optic. A thermal plastic frame contributes to its manageable payload. It's also roughly one-third inch taller than its predecessor.
Again, like the older Nocs monocular, the latest version has a built-in tripod thread mount and a carrying strap loop.
Nocs Field Tube hands-on: Compared to Nocs Zoom Tube
With a price difference of $50, the new Nocs Provision Field Tube takes the fantastic and familiar design of the Nocs Zoom Tube and ups the durability in the form of true water submersion protection, rather than protection against just light rain.
It also features a more complex optical formula for clearer views and a nitrogen-filled internal chamber to ixnay any signs of fogging. Are those improvements worth $50? I tend to think so.
