Sporting events can sometimes be rather disappointing when you are so far away from the action that you just can't see what is going on. sports Compact  binoculars are the ideal solution to a difficult situation, never again will you miss the most important event of the day, just slip a pair of sports compact binoculars in your pocket and whip them out just when you need them. No hassle, nothing to carry around and no real extra weight.

sports Compact  binoculars come in all sorts of shapes and sizes with quality brands such as Pentax, Bushnell and Nikon starting at around £50. Options include waterproof sports binoculars (ideal for marine use and all weather conditions), ultra compact models, ultra lightweight, extra wide (Bushnell), close focus, foldable and zoom binoculars.

Olympus make quite a few good little sports optics including the RC I ultra sports compact binoculars which are credit card size, when folded (only 9x6.5cm), the smallest binoculars in their class and are available in 8x and 10x magnification with multi-coated lenses. These binoculars are ideal for travel, theatre, concerts and sporting events.

If you are looking for the lightest possible pair of compact sports binoculars you might want to consider the Olympus DPC I series which are feather light at just 170g (the lightest in their class) or if you want stylish the Olympus PC I make excellent sports binoculars and come in a wide range of magnifications up to 12x or 10-30x zoom.

Nikon manufacture some excellent sports compact binoculars including the Sportstar EX series which are foldable, waterproof and lightweight with multi-coated lenses and a close focus distance of 2.5mtrs. Other Nikon options include the Nikon Travelite V series which are rubber armoured and come in up to 12x magnification plus 8-24x zoom and the Travelite EX series which a waterproof, with long eyerelief and of high eyepoint design making them suitable for spectacle wearers.

Celestron make sports compact  binoculars small enough to fit into a purse (the Celestron Upclose series) which come with a lifetime warranty and a price tag of less than £50 and the Bushnell Xtra-Wide binoculars (both compact and mid-size) offer an amazingly wide field of view, twice that of normal binoculars, making them great for spectator sports.

Pentax specialise in sports compact  binoculars with numerous options including the DCF MC II which come with high performance optics, high resolution phase-coated roof prisms and multi-coated lenses, also the central fast focusing Pentax UCF R series and the UCF Zoom II series which make excellent sports binoculars.

The Olympus WP I sport compact  binoculars are built for extreme conditions, waterproof, nitrogen filled and sealed with fully multi-coated lenses, high quality Bak-4 prisms and another waterproof option is the Pentax UCF WP 8-16x21 with features such as a sophisticated internal focusing system (which contributes to the lightweight a compact size of the binoculars), high refraction Bak-4 prisms and multi-coated lenses.

Effectively the choice is enormous with so many options that it is often hard to choose. As with any optics the quality of sports compact  binoculars is in the lenses although lens quality does have to be balanced with other personal essential features such as weight, size and zoom capabilities. Hopefully I've left you with enough options for you to make a choice so you have absolutely no excuse for going empty handed to that next all important sporting event.

Ask any father what he wants for Father's Day, and the answer will be "Not another tie or golf club". It's easier to buy gifts for moms, considering there are so many options available for women. But when it comes to buying Father's Day gifts for dads, it's easy to run out of ideas. What will dads like to get on Father's Day?

Well, it depends. Does your dad like to read? Or is he one of those types who can spend hours with maps? Here are some ideas for great customized Father's Day gifts sure to please your dad, depending on if he is a(n):

1. Environmentalist Dad Belkin conserve : Here is a gift idea for dads trying to make all those subtle changes to our lives that conserve energy. By now, everyone has heard that a lot of energy is wasted on all those devices that sit drinking up juice while in "stand-by" mode. This power strip allows you to really turn off six of its eight outlets using a tiny remote control (you can glue it to the wall - I think it's mostly there to save you the energy of bending down to the wall outlet). Two plugs are left unswitched so you can keep the DVR or VCR (does anyone have those now?) on while you're out or away.

2. Boy Scout Dad Swiss Tech 6-in-1 Key Multi-Tool : We love the Swiss Tech key tool. It folds into a key-like object that fits unobtrusively on a key ring. It doesn't take any space, looks just like a key, and yet has so many features that any boy scout, pre-adolescent or middle-aged will be pleased. In a small space, you have a Phillips and regular screwdriver, a bottle opener, a knife, and a file. Sure, you wouldn't want to use these tools to renovate your kitchen, but like any pocket knife, all that stuff comes in handy often enough to be glad you've got it. My wife and I both have one and never travel without it. In polished stainless steel. A bit pricey at $19.99, but worth every penny.

3. Book Lover Dad Daddy's Little Girl: Stories of the Special Bond Between Fathers and Daughters by Gregory E. Lang If you have a daughter, it's hard not to get a little emotional reading this collection of anecdotes compiled by Gregory Lang (author of more pithy books like "Why a daughter Needs a Dad: 100 reasons"). This is not a "deep" book, but it does get at a lot of important truths about the importance of a father to little (and big) girls. Sometimes, that's also what dads need to give an extra push to their efforts. We all need to know that all those hours pushing swings and replacing toy batteries are the foundation of an enduring relationship that doesn't end suddenly at adolescence. There has been plenty of research that shows this to be true, but Mr. Lang, in this compilation of his own and others' stories relates how this plays out in different ways. For the dad of a young girl, it also gives a not-always-comfortable (read morbid) look into the future when kids are grown up and dad is looking at what he's leaving behind as a legacy rather than what he is building in the here and now.

4. Cartophile Dad Hometown Map Jigsaw Puzzle Centered On Your Home : From the New York Times store, this unique, made-to-order jigsaw puzzle features a map that centers on your home. The map, an extract from the renowned U.S. Geological Survey, has fascinating details and provides names of main roads, contour lines, transport infrastructure, water features, vegetation, and shows notable buildings/structures. Personalized for $44.95.

5. Gamer Dad Wii from Nintendo : Permission to buy a video game console. It now seems universally permissible to add a Wii to the family entertainment options. Either dad already has one or he's waiting for you to say it's okay to let one in the house. Now with the addition of Wii Fit, even moms can rationalize getting in a round of Mario Tennis before dinner. Unfortunately, if you don't have a strategy, it's still impossible to walk into a store and buy one of these. You'll either have to scope out deliveries at your local electronics store or plan to pay $100 over the MSRP to buy one online. We have found no other real options.

6. Traveling Dad "Bushnell Powerview 12x25 Compact Folding Roof Prism Binocular (Black)" (Bushnell) : With slightly more magnification (12X versus the usual 10X) in a compact package, these are good portable binoculars for travel dads and sporting events. At around $20, this is a great little binocular.

7. Beer Lover Dad Krups BeerTender : For the beer lover, the Krups BeerTender, a countertop "kegerator" for the 5 liter minikegs of Heineken beer is just perfect to give you the perfect pour every time. The tap keeps the beer at 39 degrees Fahrenheit. Some models come with a 30-days freshness countdown counter. Attention: meant only to be used with Heineken mini-kegs.

8. Photographer Dad Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5K 9MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Time to get a new family digital camera. We've had great luck with our little Panasonic Lumix D9 with its Leica lens. Now Panasonic has a new model that shoots at 9MP (far more than mortals actually need), but also sports HD output. The optical stabilization is top notch and it has a 10X zoom. Only $350.

Father's Day is not just about burnt toast, breakfast in bed, or that brand new tie. It's a day for children to express their love and gratitude for the unsung hero in their lives.