Finnstick

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Finnstick is the name given by birdwatchers to a stick used to support binoculars. The other end of the stick is steadily attached to the binoculars while the other end rests against the belly (some say, the bigger the better).

Finnstick helps to keep the binoculars steady, especially when they are used for a prolonged time. In addition to keeping the image steady (allowing finer details of the object to be discerned), the use of the stick reduces muscle strain thus enabling longer viewing with less sore muscles afterwards. Some birdwatchers feel that the use of a finnstick does not markedly improve the viewer's ability to resolve detail, but rather improves viewing comfort and prevents premature fatigue.

The finnstick is especially useful when watching migration (e.g. seabirds, raptors) when the horizon may be scanned literally for hours to find migrant birds.

As the name implies the stick was invented by the Finns but is now also used in other countries, mainly in Europe. The use of the finnstick has spread surprisingly slowly considering the its benefits. Alternative strategies for steadying the binoculars include supporting the arms against the body.

Some birdwatchers has extended the idea by using a telescope type of stick either as a Finnstick or a monopod depending on the situation (this is, however, rare or unexisting in Finland).

[edit] How to get one

It's possible to craft your own Finnstick from a piece of wood (an old hockey stick used to be popular raw material). Now it's more common to use e.g. the leg of an old tripod as the basis for the stick. The upper end of the stick needs to be adjusted to each binocular model.

In the cold Finnish climate it's common to cover the Finnstick made of metal with an insulator to keep the hands warmer.

Finnstick are also commercially available and some binocular manufacturers provide an attachment for a Finnstick (or a monopod) as an accessory.