The design is exceptionally rugged, both inside and out. The soft, polyurethane armored shell is pleasant to touch and gives a non-slip grip. Completely waterproof and nitrogen filled, the binoculars will withstand immersion in water and won't fog up internally in humid weather. The lens protection system is the best-integrated design I have seen. The rain guards sleekly match the shape of the eyepieces and snug down neatly.
Small lens covers slip inside the barrels to protect the objective lenses.
These attach cleverly so that they pop off instantly but don't get lost. The system is so well thought out these binoculars do not need or even come with a case. To underscore Swarovski's confidence in their design's ruggedness, they introduced a lifetime warranty program in 1995 that will fix anything that ever happens to them. It's limited to the original owner but other than that seems to cover everything except loss or theft. Their only drawback is that they weigh 33 oz., which may be too heavy for some people.