Being aware of your surroundings - it's not something many people think about when doing their disaster survival planning in my experience.

Similar to having a strong emergency communications plan, effective situational awareness is something that could save your life. 

Makes sense right? You need to know whats going on around you, so you can avoid bad stuff. 

Ideally you could lug around huge radios, spotting scopes, weather stations...but if you are trying to build bug out bags that are nimble and light-weight, that isn't going to work.

But there are options. You might not get 100% of the results you can get from base kit gear, but that doesn't mean you can't get high levels of performance. 

And that leads us to the subject of this review, the Zoom Tube 8x32 Monocular Telescope. 

In each of our vehicles we keep a pair of binoculars. We use them all the time - mainly for sight seeing, but we've had one occasion where they have helped us locate a missing friend stuck on a lake. 

They are a little bulky though. That's where monoculars come in. 

The Noc Provisions Zoom Tube

Whats a monocular? It's half a binocular. So you use one eye instead of two. 

You're still getting the same visual magnification, just in a smaller package. 

And we want small and lightweight when we are carrying something around for long periods of time, which is what we tend to focus on over here at Bug Out Bag Builder. 

That's not to say there aren't other worthy use cases: keeping one of these in a car is a smart idea. If you have a boat I think it's an even better idea. 

We also like to bring them along on vacations - whether its to look at wildlife or some not-easy-to-see architectural design. 

But getting back to survival planning - the Zoom Tube fits the bill when it comes to a ruggedized, water resistant, high-quality piece of glass you could rely upon in an emergency situation. 

If you are going back country for any reason, having one of these along with you is a no brainer. 

So what do we like about the Nocs Provisions Zoom Tubes? 

A couple of things stand out to us:

First is the unique design. I like the grippy feel of the outside of the tube. It makes it  feel sturdy, secure, like it wont slip out of your hand if you are in the rain. 

The glass is nice and clear, with good color representation. There is little to no distortion at the edge of the lens, which makes for a nice clear image. 

Note that it is a fixed magnification lens, at 8x power. It is not variable. The only moving parts are the focal dial and the eye cup. 

I like that I can leave the eye cup in the closed position and use the Zoom Tube with my old man reading glasses. 

They also can be setup on a tripod, so if you have a quasi-permanent setup need - there you go.

It comes with a nice sock to keep it in, and a cleaning cloth as well. 

Zoom Tube Specs

For my fellow quants, heres all the data:

Where To Get One

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We're a family run business. When you purchase via the links below it really helps us out, and we take our cut from the sellers end, your cost doesn't change. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Zoom Tube 8x32 Monocular Telescope

Typical Price: $75

Built from the ground up as a monocular ready for anything. Designed to pack easily, and be held effortlessly, the Zoom Tube is the monocular you wished you had all along. Top shelf optics in a compact go-anywhere package. 

• Water Resistant (IPX4)
• Wide Field of View (384ft @ 1000yds) 
• Fully Multi Coated Lens + BaK4 Roof Prism
• Rugged Impact Absorbing Housing + Scratch Resistant Lenses
• Twist Up Eyecup, compatible with glasses

$75Nocs