#4 Optics Tip: I’m All Fogged Up!

There is nothing more frustrating than getting out of your vehicle in this heat and humidity, lifting up your bins to look at a colorful oriole, and finding that your bins are fogged up! This occurs when moving between an air-conditioned enclosure and the humid outdoors.


To reduce or even eliminate the amount of fogging, I have found it helpful to wrap towels or clothes around optical equipment, or bury them deep inside a travel bag when traveling - and keep them in their case. Essentially this keeps the optics warm, so they are less “shocked” when encountering hot, humid weather. Carefully dab a soft chamois cloth on the glass to wick up condensation.

photo © adrian binns