Tasco Essentials Binoculars Review 2024

Do you enjoy the great outdoors? Are you fond of camping trips, fishing, bird watching, or hiking? Are you in the market for some decent, value-priced gear to help you better enjoy your passions? If you answered yes to the questions above, then you’re going to be intrigued by what you read in this—our Tasco Essentials binoculars review.

Tasco began life more than half a century ago under the name “Tanross Supply Company.”

Initially, they specialized in hardware and fishing tackle, but over time, they expanded their product line to include sports optics, including rifle scopes, binoculars, and telescopes.

Although they are a well-known brand, their emphasis isn’t on high-end, top-quality gear. Rather, most of their equipment is aimed at the entry-level of the sports optics market and specifically, people on a budget who may not have a ton of money to spend on gear.

That’s not a bad thing. The entry-level value segment of the market is huge, and Tasco serves them well.

While it’s true that you can spend more and get binoculars of better overall quality, if you just don’t have the cash, Tasco gear is a great way to get started. 

It’s also good because if you want to check the gear out but you’re not sure you’re ready to seriously commit to sports optics equipment, Tasco gear is a good way to get your feet wet, and later, your Tasco binoculars can serve as a good backup when you decide to upgrade.

In this review, we’ll take a closer look at the Tasco Essentials line so you can decide for yourself if these are the right binoculars for you. If your interest is piqued, read on, and let’s take a closer look.

Tasco Essentials Binoculars – Features and Capabilities

The first thing we should note is that our Tasco Essentials binoculars review covers the entire Tasco Essentials line, which contains more than a dozen different options. Given that, we’ll start by listing the various options you’ll find on the company’s website and various vendor pages so you can have a high-level look at the overall offering. Here’s the scoop:

Name	Frame	Dimensions	Weight	Prism	FV/ Close Focus
Tasco Essentials 7×35 Binoculars	Rubberized, water resistant, Black	7.5” x 6.25” x 3.13”	8.6 ounces	Porro	470/17
Tasco Essentials 8×21 Binoculars	Rubberized, water resistant, Brown camo or black	5.25” x 2.5” x 3.5”	5.8 ounces	Roof	380/30
Tasco ES8x42 Essentials Binocular	Rubberized, water resistant, Black	7.25” x 6” x 3”	10.22 ounces	Roof	185/30
Tasco Essentials Binoculars 10×25	Rubberized, water resistant, Black	5” x 4” x 3”	8.8 ounces	Porro	320/18
TASCO Essentials Roof Prism Roof Binoculars (10×25)	Rubberized, water resistant, black, blue, green, brown camo, or red	5” x 4” x 3”	8.4 ounces	Folding Roof Prism	300/30
TASCO ES10X32 Essentials Binocular	Rubberized, water resistant, black	2.62” x 3.87” x 7”	11 ounces	Folding Roof Prism	260/30
Tasco Essentials Binoculars 10×42	Rubberized, water resistant, Black	8” x 6” x 3”	10.22 ounces	Roof	185/30
Tasco 10×50 Essentials Binocular	Rubberized, water resistant, black	8” x 8” x 3.13”	27 ounces	Porro	367/18
TASCO Essentials 10-30×50 Binoculars	Rubberized, water resistant, black	10” x 9” x 4”	26.4 ounces	Porro	192/25 at 10x, and 105/45 at 30x
Tasco Essential Binoculars 12×25	Rubberized, water resistant, black, brown camo	5” x 3.5” x 2.5”	8.4 ounces	Folding Roof	288/30
TASCO ES12X32 Essentials Binocular	Rubberized, water resistant, black	2.62” x 3.87” x 7”	11 ounces	Folding Roof	260/30
TASCO Essentials 12×50 Binoculars	Rubberized, water resistant, black	3.12” x 8” x 8.87”	27 ounces	Porro	262/18
Tasco Essential Binoculars 16×32	Rubberized, water resistant, black	2.62” x 3.87” x 7”	10.22 ounces	Folding Roof	185/30

The first thing to note about the information in the table is that each item’s name contains the magnification and the size of the objective lens in millimeters. So, for instance, the Tasco Essentials 8×42 binoculars are binoculars with an 8x magnification and a 42-millimeter lens.

The second thing to mention here concerns the numbers in the last column. Here’s what they mean: FV is short for Field of view at 100 yards. The second number is the closest point of focus in feet. Armed with that information, you can evaluate the various models in the Tasco Essentials line and determine which one works best for you.

If you’ve never owned a pair of binoculars before, what you’ll generally find is that binoculars with smaller objective lenses tend to be better for birdwatching and similar activities that involve hiking. There’s less light gathering, sure, but these are more portable and convenient to carry around.

Binoculars with larger objective lenses, which are heavier but offer greater detail, are usually recommended for hunting and the like.

Weight is another consideration if you plan to wear these around your neck. Everyone is different, of course, so only you can answer the question, “How heavy is too heavy?” But generally speaking, lighter is better—if that’s how you plan on carrying them. The other option is a carrying case.

Finally, if you’re not familiar with the two main prism options available, here’s a quick explanation:

The Porro prism design sees the objective lens tubes offset from the eyepieces. In a roof prism design, they’re not—those are built with two arrow-straight tubes. This small but important difference means that roof prism binoculars tend to be smaller and more compact, so if size matters and smaller is better for you, then you probably want roof prism binoculars.

On the other hand, Porro prisms tend to offer a slightly brighter, crisper image, all things considered, but they also tend to be a little larger than a comparable roof design.

Ultimately, there are no right answers. It comes down to what you plan on using them for and what your

Tasco Essentials Accessories

This is another surprisingly strong component of our Tasco Essentials binoculars review because Tasco provides a surprising number of accessories with the binoculars they sell.

In particular, you get the following:

Granted, the quality of the carrying case isn’t great but hey! You get one, and that’s pretty cool. We consider all three of these to be high-value additions, and we’re impressed to see the full suite on offer.

Tasco Essentials Binoculars Review Conclusion

If you’re a serious outdoor adventurer, the day will inevitably come when you outgrow your Tasco binoculars and start longing for something with better overall quality. Even when that day comes, though, your Tasco binoculars will still have a place in your kit as a backup in the event that something happens to your main pair.

They’re not spectacular binoculars, but they weren’t designed to be. They are very good entry-level binoculars, and there’s nothing in the world wrong with that. We recommend them as a first pair of binoculars to anyone, especially if you’re on a budget. These will serve you well.

Comparable Products to Consider

If you’ve reached the end of this review and have decided that you’re not looking for something value-priced and want to step up to the next tier, quality-wise, here are a couple of other options to consider:

As with the Tasco Essentials series, there are a number of products here that are well worth a look. Blackhawks don’t come with carrying cases, but you’ll get lens caps and a neck strap with whatever model you buy.

In addition to that, the grip tends to be better on these, and the overall build quality tends to be higher. Yes, they’re more expensive, but this is definitely a case of getting what you pay for.

Olympus is a British company that’s been in the sports optics business for more than a century. Their products are definitely a cut above, and if you decide to invest in a pair, you definitely won’t be disappointed!

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Official Manufacturer Support

References and Resources:

• Tasco, Official Brand Website.
• Tasco Essentials Binoculars User Manual.
• Binoculars for Stargazing: Our Top 6 Tips, EarthSky.
• How to Fix Double-Vision on Binoculars, Instructables.
• Seeing Clearly: Understand Binocular Types Before Spending Big, Amarillo Globe News.