If you're looking for a lightweight pair of binoculars that are ideal for skywatching on the move and a wide range of other pursuits, Celestron's TrailSeeker 8x42 are a brilliant option. They are great binos at full price, but right now they come with a huge 41% saving – which is by far their lowest price since 2023.
You can get the Celestron TrailSeeker 8x42 binoculars for just $189.98 at Amazon.
In our Celestron TrailSeeker 8x42 binocular review, we awarded the binoculars 4.5 out of 5 stars, saying, "Traveling stargazers will love the Celestron TrailSeeker 8x42 roof prism binoculars that work well after dark and strike a balance between quality, affordability and portability." They also feature in our best binoculars buying guide as our top pick under $300.
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At the current price, the Celestron TrailSeeker 8x42 binoculars offer a vastly improved viewing experience over budget binoculars for a very similar outlay. The TrailSeekers come with high-quality BaK-4 glass and multi-coated optics, as well as waterproofing and nitrogen purging, making these binoculars usable in all manner of weather conditions.
The build quality of the TrailSeeker 8x42 binoculars is impressive and uses a lightweight magnesium frame with rubber coating for extra grip and protection. Included is a useful range of accessories. You get a comfortable neck strap, a padded carry case and a harness that you can use to spread the weight of the binoculars over your shoulders — very handy for longer viewing sessions.
While the 23.1 oz weight is on the light side, the TrailSeekers can start to feel heavy in the hands after prolonged use. For the lightest models we've tested, check out our best compact binoculars and best binoculars for kids.
Key features: rubber eyecups, waterproof, 42 mm objectives, telescope mount, multi-coated lenses, BaK-4 prisms, 23.1 oz (655 g) weight.
Product launched: 2013
Price history: The current $189.98 price is one of the lowest prices the binoculars have ever been. The only time this price has been beaten was very briefly in 2023 when it hit $172 for just a few days. The usual Amazon price is around $259, but the current offer has been in play since the beginning of August.
Price comparison: Amazon: $189.98 | Walmart: $210 | Celestron: $210
Reviews consensus: We praised the Celestron TrailSeeker 8x42 for its impressive optics, build quality and included extras in our review. However, our tester found that the 8x42 magnification is about as low as you can go for skywatching. Other testing websites concurred with our findings, while on Amazon, the binoculars scored 4.6 out of 5 from 367 reviews.
✅ Buy it if: You want a well-made, portable pair of binoculars for skywatching on the move, observing sport, nature, or virtually any other purpose.
❌ Don't buy it if: you're serious about astronomy – you'd be better off with higher magnification binoculars such as Celestron's SkyMaster 25x100.
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