# Optics in a vehicle



## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

I always like to have binoculars in the car/truck just in case I want to look at something while I travel rural roads. But I always run into a problem: how to keep them from getting too hot in the vehicle when I'm in a store or anywhere else I don't want to pack them into. Any suggestions? Also, how hot is too hot?


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I keep mine either under or behind the seats out of direct sunlight. 

You will know when it is too hot for them when the lens cracks. Been there done that and that is one reason that I don't leave them in the truck any more. If I plan on going somewhere that I know that there will be something that I want to look at I put them in.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Keep mine in their case in the pouch behind the seat, never had a problem.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Dunkem said:


> Keep mine in their case in the pouch behind the seat, never had a problem.


Same here.


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## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

Dunkem said:


> Keep mine in their case in the pouch behind the seat, never had a problem.


Me too.


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## Paladin (Jun 29, 2013)

I've also never had an issue with storing a pair under the seat, even with cheapie Tasco's and Bushnell's...


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

To follow up on my previous post, I had one pair that had a heat fracture of the lens from being stored in the truck. After that I'll bring them into the house when I am done using them unless I am hunting and then they will stay in the truck behind the seat out of direct light.


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## Paladin (Jun 29, 2013)

Critter said:


> To follow up on my previous post, I had one pair that had a heat fracture of the lens from being stored in the truck. After that I'll bring them into the house when I am done using them unless I am hunting and then they will stay in the truck behind the seat out of direct light.


Were the one's that cracked in direct sunlight? If you don't mind my asking, what brand were they?

I have heard that with some older optics that heat can cause leaking of the inert gasses from inside the tube. I agree that taking them out of the vehicle is probably a good policy, if not from a damage aspect, but a theft aspect as well.

I did a tour in Iraq and a tour in Afghanistan and we regularly pad-locked the doors on our Humvees with the high-dollar items such as NVGs, range-finders and binoculars inside while we went to chow, etc., and I know temps in those up-armored Humvees would get pretty ridiculous considering ambient air-temp was regularly 130*+ . We fortunately never had an issue there either, but the optics we had were mil-grade (Leica, Steiner, Trijicon and Elcan).


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

They were a pair of Bushnells that had the lens crack and no there were not in direct sunlight but on the floor of my truck. I didn't really know what happened to them until a few years ago when I had the same thing happen to a pair of glasses that had polycargonate lens in them. They were kept in the jocky box of the truck during the day until I needed a pair of clear lens at night.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Me 3.
I have a blanket in the back seat that I keep them under.
Have never had a problem with my binos.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

Mine stay in my truck 24/7 unless I have them out using them, never had an issue with heat damage.

Truthfully, if a pair can't take a little heat in your vehicle, they probably aren't very tough to begin with and aren't gonna serve you that well for hunting.


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## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

Mojo1 said:


> Mine stay in my truck 24/7 unless I have them out using them, never had an issue with heat damage.
> 
> Truthfully, if a pair can't take a little heat in your vehicle, they probably aren't very tough to begin with and aren't gonna serve you that well for hunting.


Hey Mojo1 where you been? I haven't seen any of your posts for a LONG time-)O(-


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## reb8600 (Sep 8, 2007)

Dunkem said:


> Keep mine in their case in the pouch behind the seat, never had a problem.


Been doing the same thing for years in a couple different vehicles and never had any problems.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

It only takes once for something to happen and then it is once too often. 

As I said I had heat cracked lens happen on a pair of binoculars and a pair of glasses that were not in direct sunlight.


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