Review: Hawke Frontier ED X Compact Binoculars

New for 2025, these pocket size 25mm binoculars are an addition to the ever-popular Frontier ED X series. The 8x42 counterpart has achieved great acclaim, so I'm going to see whether the new 8x25 and 10x25 binoculars can live up to the success of their bigger siblings.

Compact binoculars aren't my personal choice; as a user of 8x42 binoculars, I often struggle with the smaller format due to the reduced light gathering ability and often narrow field of view. However, if you've read my review of the Swarovski CL Pocket binoculars, these limitations can be negated for a price. The Frontier ED X compact binoculars retail for under £300 (as of September 2025), so although not a cheap pocket binocular, they're well under half the price of the Swarovski CLs. Therefore the question is whether these new Hawke binoculars can also overcome these perceived issues.

First and foremost, the field of view. The 8x25 have a quoted 8° (421ft @1000yds / 140m @1000m) FOV, which is almost unheard of for a pocket binocular. This gives an incredible 64° apparent field of view, meaning when looking through these binoculars, the circular image you see is very large, as opposed to tunnel-like vision. The 10x25 achieve an even wider 66° apparent field of view thanks to their 6.6° (347ft @1000yds / 116m @1000m) FOV. These figures would be impressive for full-size binoculars, let alone a pair small enough to fit into a trouser pocket. I have no technical way to verify the quoted figures, but side by side with other models of a similar specification, they appear to be true. The downfall of a wide field of view can often be a drop-off in quality at the edges, but these little binoculars don't suffer immensely in this regard. They're clearly not fitted with field flattening lenses, but the image remains sharp for approximately 75% of the view, dropping off slightly but not significantly in the outer 25%. 

The light gathering of a binocular depends primarily on three factors: objective lens diameter, magnification, and lens coatings. Naturally, a 25mm diameter won't allow in as much light as a 42mm diameter, that much is obvious. To overcome this, the lens coatings become incredibly important. Hawke don't provide a light transmission percentage, but it's a typically British autumn day outside - overcast, wet and windy - a challenge for any 25mm binocular. I have a cheaper 8x42 with me to compare and I honestly can't perceive any difference between the 8x25 and the 8x42 in these conditions. The Frontier ED X have dielectric mirror coatings, and no doubt high light transmission coatings on the lenses too, which are almost certainly not features of the cheaper pair. The 10x magnification model struggle a little bit in this regard (the exit pupil is narrower at 2.5mm vs 3.125mm on the 8x25) but it's still a surprisingly bright image none-the-less. I won't claim they'll be as good at dawn or dusk when the light drops further, but if they are comparable in conditions as grim as today, I'd expect they're going to be more than adequate for most people in most scenarios. 

Clarity and colour are also excellent. Looking out to the ripening holly berries, the colour is vibrant yet neutral, and the sharpness is superb, comfortably outperforming the cheaper 8x42 in this comparison. Phase corrected prisms and extra-low dispersion glass are doing much of the leg work here. 'PC' coatings and 'ED' glass aren't present on all roof-prism binoculars, and they go a long way to improving the resolution of the image. As well as being brighter, the 8x25 also appear slightly sharper compared to the 10x25. The old adage 'less is more' rings true; even at a greater distance, I can see clearer with 8x magnification rather than 10x. Looking at the chimney on the nearby farm house, the ED elements have nearly eliminated chromatic aberrations, with a barely perceivable amount of colour fringing remaining if you strain to look for it.

Close focus is quoted as 2 metres for both the 8x and 10x25, but with the test units I could achieve 1.5m with the 8x25 and 1m with the 10x25. This will almost certainly vary from sample to sample. 

Like their bigger siblings, the Frontier ED X compact binoculars have a magnesium alloy chassis. The barrels are protected with a slightly textured rubber armouring, while the hinge and strap lugs are left exposed as bare metal. This bare surface is prone to scratches, so bear this in mind. The hinges themselves are just the right level of stiffness, so they're easy enough to adjust for your interpupillary distance yet firm enough to remain in place once set. The twist-up eyecups lock in 3 positions - down, halfway or fully extended, offering 16mm of maximum eye relief. I believe the rubber coated eye-cup mechanisms are plastic, but they lock into each position very assuredly. The focus wheel feels smooth in both directions, and turns clockwise from infinity to close focus, requiring just under 1.5 turns for the whole focus spectrum. It can be easy to over or undershoot the focus as it requires just a tiny adjustment to move from 20 metres to 100 metres away or vice versa. The dioptre is positioned in the standard place under the right eyecup and is smooth to adjust but reassuringly firm. As expected, these bninoculars are nitrogen gas purged and o-ring sealed, meaning they are waterproof and fog proof. Furthermore, the exterior lens elements are protected with water repellent coatings, a nice bonus.

The double-hinge allows these binoculars to fold down to just 68mm wide, and they stand at 110mm high, meaning they truly are pocket size. At just 310g, they're very lightweight too. The IPD can be adjusted from 35-73mm, so it should suit anyone and everyone. With the IPD set at around 65mm and the eyecups fully extended, they worked for perfectly for me as a non-glasses wearer. My right index finger falls naturally in place on the focus wheel in use, and typically with any small pair of binoculars such as these I have to wrap my left hand over my right to keep a firm grip, but I found no issues keeping a steady image with both the 8x or the 10x. 

Upon opening the box you'll find a hard case (with its own strap), which is arguably oversized for a compact binocular. I'd imagine part of the reason for the large case is the full size neoprene padded neck strap you get. Once you've fitted the neck strap, suddenly these pocket binoculars become not so pocket-able. Fortunately, a basic strap isn't going to be the most expensive thing to purchase, but it'd be the first thing I'd look to change. Perhaps a smaller case and strap is something Hawke will consider if other users feel the same as me. Fortunately, you do get a lightweight drawstring bag, as well as a rainguard and tethered objective lens covers, so you could just pop the binoculars into this bag to protect the body from scratches in your backpack, handbag or pocket. An instruction manual and cleaning cloth are also included. Like all modern Hawke binoculars, they are covered by Hawke's 'No-Fault Lifetime Warranty', so should you have any issues arrive with the optics or body (excluding cosmetic damage), regardless of whether that damaged has been caused accidentally by you, they will be repaired or replaced under guarantee. 

Scores:

Optical quality: 9/10
Build quality: 9/10 
Comfort: 9/10 
Accessories: 8/10 
Value for Money: 9/10

Star Rating:

Conclusion:

It's hard to pick any great faults with these binoculars. The fine focus is a tad fiddly, and the supplied case and strap, although quality, don't suit a pair of pocket binoculars in my opinion. However, the issues I normally encounter with compact binoculars are not present with these Frontier ED X 8x25 or 10x25. Their wide field of view, brightness and high resolution is something to be greatly admired for such a small pair of bins, and although they don't quite reach the spectacular heights of the Swarovski CL Pocket binoculars overall, they are perhaps a more compelling choice for most people thanks to the sub £300 price and Hawke's generous no-fault warranty.

In this review:

Hawke Frontier ED X 8x25	Hawke Frontier ED X 10x25