Hawke Endurance ED 10x42 monocular review

The Hawke Endurance ED 10x42 monocular, with its top-mounted focusing wheel and pocket-friendly size, offers a practical design that is easy to use and carry.

This monocular's small size offers the convenience of small size but is still powerful enough for more than occasional use. The Hawke Endurance's quality lens delivered a solid performance in our test. Its ED glass is treated with a coating that provides low-light dispersion, ensuring a quality image even in low-light conditions. At 11.5 ounces (325 grams), it is light enough for one-handed use and weighs about the same as similarly priced competitors.

Did this attention to detail make the Hawke Endurance ED 10x42 monocular a solid performer on our test, and will it make it into our best monocular buying guide? Let's find out.

 Hawke Endurance ED 10x42 monocular review

Hawke Endurance ED 10x42: Design

★★★★

• Functional, minimalist design
• Solid Construction
• Good placement of grippy surfaces

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The Hawke Endurance ED 10x42 looks and feels like a very solidly made unit with carefully thought-out grippy material in all the right places on the body. Its design is purposeful, and all the touch points feel good.

The adjustable eyepiece allows for use with or without glasses. It's a twistable plastic cup with three positions. It worked well, but the eyepiece feels quite cheap; it could have been better weighted.

The objective lens cap is permanently attached to the body, but it does fall out of the way once removed. The eyepiece has a slip-on cap, which is easy to lose.

The top-mounted focus wheel has a smooth action, but it may be a stretch for people with smaller hands. The wheel's knurled edge gives the user a good grip, which makes focusing quick and efficient. A tripod mount on the base of the unit is a nice addition.

The unit comes with a strap premounted on a bracket under the eyepiece. This proved to be somewhat unnecessary, however, as the unit is so compact that it can easily be placed in a pocket when not in use. When walking between areas on our test, we found that if the strap was placed around the neck, the monocular got in the way. It bounced around on the chest, so it would travel better in a pocket.

The Hawke Endurance has a belt-mounted carry bag with simple Velcro fastening. It's made from a sturdy, woven material and worked well in our test.

Hawke Endurance ED 10x42 monocular: Performance

• Clear, crisp images
• Light-yet sturdy construction
• Good low-light performance

★★★★

The Hawke Endurance delivers a sharp and clear image. Much attention has been paid to the quality of the glass, with extra-low dispersion and premium BAK-4-coated prisms.

The Hawke Endurance excels in low—light conditions, facilitated by the large 42mm objective lens, returning clear images well into dusk. While this feature makes the unit larger than some rivals, it's a worthwhile compromise to ensure clear viewing even in challenging lighting conditions.

In our tests at a lake, the Hawke performed better than its more expensive competitors, including the almost twice-the-price Bushnell Legend Ultra HD monocular.

At 11.5 ounces, the Hawke Endurance isn't overly heavy, but it still feels substantial and reassuring in use. Thanks to nitrogen purging, the monocular is waterproof and fog-proof, which enables you to feel confident while out and about, no matter what the weather may bring.

When we tested the unit in the late evening and early nighttime, it had a clear image. Although relatively low-powered, at 42mm, it still impressed us on the test. We could fit the unit in a generous coat pocket, but anything smaller wouldn't work.

Hawke Endurance ED 10x42 monocular: Functionality

• Nonslip rubber armor
• Untethered eyepiece cap
• Decent-sized belt pouch

★★★★

The Hawke Endurance case is covered in rubber armor, with roughened areas for gripping the unit. This works well; we found this monocular easy to use with one hand during wet weather. The top-mounted focus wheel had a smooth, well-engineered feel and was quick to use. An included shoulder strap is tethered to the unit's base but needs to be longer.

The objective lens cap is fixed onto the unit's body and falls out of the way when used. The eyepiece cap squeezes on and isn't tethered, so it will get lost quickly. However, there's a built-in hoop, so you can attach it.

The included soft bag isn't really significant enough to be helpful. This is a strange addition, considering the unit is so rugged.

The Hawke Endurance has 0.5-inch (13 mm) of eye relief for spectacle wearers and a three-position twist-up cup. We found this monocular comfortable for use with and without eyeglasses. The cup itself could have a more distinct movement, though, and it feels cheap.

It doesn't come with a lens cloth, but a rugged belt pouch with Velcro fastening securely holds the monocular in place.

User reviews of the Hawke Endurance ED 10x42

Other Hawke Endurance ED 10x42 mm monocular users have said that it is a good value and well-made. The monocular gives a clear view, and it excels in low light. They found that the Hawke Endurance was easy to use with one hand and wasn't too heavy.

Our test included visiting bird hides, lakes and woodland locations in various weather conditions. We tested the device in as many different situations as possible to cover a broad spectrum of use.

Should you buy the Hawke Endurance ED 10x42?

If you are in the market for a quality monocular but on a tight budget, the Hawke Endurance ED 10x42 is the monocular for you. It performed well on our test and has most of the features of much more expensive rivals.

The chassis is very well made, and the coated glass provides excellent images for the price. It is easy to use with one hand and withstands some hard use in the field. It doesn't have pinpoint clarity, but it's an excellent all-round performer for the price.

If the Hawke Endurance ED 10x42 isn't for you

If you want better-quality imaging from your monocular, the Bushnell Legend Ultra 10x42mm monocular may fit the bill. In our tests, this monocular had excellent imaging, although it's almost twice as expensive.

If you'd like something smaller, the Opticron Explorer ED-r 8x42 may be worth a look. For around the same price, you get a less-bulky body focus ring. If low-light performance is more important to you, then consider the Celestron Outland x 10x50 mm monocular, which features a larger, 50mm objective lens.

How we tested the Hawke Endurance ED 10x42

Our test included visiting bird hides, lakes and woodland locations in various weather conditions. We tested the device in as many different situations as possible to cover a broad spectrum of use.