rainguard/fogproof question

[ENCOREROOKIE]

Ok heres my prob...I hunt in west virginia and its snowing.went through the first week with snow on the ground.I saw some deer and threw up my scope...fogged up and i do everything to get it off...it happened a few other times...I wear glasses and between the glasses and the scope , i had my hands full ,it worked but i still didn't like the idea...has anyone tried the fogproof option in extreme conditions.Zach, I know your a big fan of the 4200 but in all fairness, i know your from florida...LOL...if any has snowy cold rainy situations with the 4200. i would like to hear the good/ bad on it, i was thinking about getting a nikon monarch but the fogging up will still be a problem, just want some info.......thanks, encore rookie

[Dave in WV]

The Rainguard works. I have it on my binoculars and I've played around with it testing how well it works. I have intentionally breathed on the lenses and while they fogged, they cleared quickly. Another option is to use Butler Creek lens covers. ( the solid black ones, not see through) Keep them closed and use binoculars as you should be any way to look around and observe. Open the covers only when you are ready to shoot and they will be clear of fogging. I went out Sat. morning and it rained here in southern WV. My scope lenses stayed clear all morning. (I poped them open when I quit for the day).   I had my binoculars and the lenses stayed cleared of fog too.

[Zachary]

Zach, I know your a big fan of the 4200 but in all fairness, i know your from florida...LOL...

I may live in Florida, but I don't hunt here. :wink:

Actually, you can live in the hot desert of Arizona and still test the rainguard.  In fact, I think it was GB that once did a test on them.  If I remember correctly, he put it in the refrigerator, took it out, and it didn't fog up.  Actually, even if it wasn't GB, I have heard of several people doing this test.  Trust me, rainguard works.

Zachary

[cap'n bubbleoff]

External fogging has been an ongoing problem here in the coastal rainforest of south central Alaska. I've recently acquired a Elite 3200 but haven't hunted with it in inclement weather as yet so I can't give an educated opinion. I do know that the glass is more fog resistant than my plastic lens eyeglasses. On those we've experminted w/ Rain-X and Joy soap, among other things. What works as good as anything for me on plastic lenses (and windows ect.) is Pledge furniture polish. Polishes clear, repels water and fills minor scratches too.
A note on flip-up caps and other scope covers when hunting wet and cold weather is to make sure an open 'em up and dry everything out when you get back to shelter or you can have moisture condense on lens under the caps from tempeture changes. So far I prefer see-thru flip-ups so I can check my sight picture from time to time w/o opening caps in the rain.
My .02 cents worth plus change :wink:

[Robert]

Didn't get much snow, but from intense rain to freezing, it was about as foul as it could get, in and out of my rig.  I could hardly see out my windows some of the time, because I kept getting into  my rig soaking wet.  On the worse day, it beaded up on the outside, but it wiped off easily and no inteior fogging.

[woodseye]

External fogging due to weather conditions or temp changes are a fact of life with all scopes and at the present time only the Elites with rainguard seem to offer any actual improvement.

I took my scopes out when it was below zero here last winter and went from 75 degrees to minus 20 and although none fogged on the inside(when that happens you got a real problem and need to send it back to factory,its degassed) the rainguard equipped 4200 Elite was the only one I couldn't fog with my breath to the point of not being able to see thru them at all. Yes the rainguard works with fogging and with water in hard rain conditions,I only hope the rest of the scope makers get their own versions out in use without running afoul of Bushnells patents.

On the scope covers I use an anti fogging solution like Birchwood Caseys or Pearle Visions products on both sides to fight the tendency of the scope covers to fog when carrying. I use the see-thrus to be able to keep check on this as well as be able to shoot at a quickly seen deer where the extra time to flip the cap and maybe find its fogged isn't an option if I want to take a shot while hes still in my neck of the woods. The Butler Creek models work well and protect the lens coatings from wear and damage when hunting the thick stuff.

I've had very good results from the Birchwood Casey anti fogging spray on eye glasses and scope covers while a couple clean cotton balls in a shirt pocket work great on the scope lenses when they fog or get too wet to use. Keeping your gun at the same temp as outside (for me an unheated garage) also helps right at the start on cold mornings.

     woods

[Naphtali]

The ingredient that retards fogging is glycerine. If you can find  glycerine soap, you will achieve fog retarding at minimum cost. it also works on windshields and side windows of your car. Places that sell to traditionalists -- health food stores, Amish, etc. have this soap.

New, improved concoctions may do a better job at higher price. Dunno.