Zeiss Terra ED

Zeiss Terra ED 8x25 is a an excellent bino and would get my vote. It's quite sharp and very good abberation control.

I would probably lean towards a set of Zeiss Terra 10x42 personally, they'll come in at close to the same price point and that Schott ED glass is definitely better than the BAK4 glass IMO. That said, I did like the weight distribution and the armor on it. If I could snag them for super cheap I would probably pick up a pair for my kid to mess around with.

Zeiss Terra ED 8x25 ($350) is also excellent optically but made in China now (used to be made in Japan!). If you want European made and waterproof you’re looking at upper tier pocket binoculars like Leica Ultravid 8x20 or 10x25, zeiss victory pocket, or Swarovski cl pocket, all $700+ new. I have owned several copies of the Leica Trinovid compacts, highly recommended, metal-bodied with great build quality.

There are some I picked up for under $250 I love, like the Zeiss Terra ED 8x25 (the new price has since gone up). And a $500 Leupold that was pretty sharp but I never liked for some reason and sold. Being able to try a pair first, or at least buy from a place with a generous return policy, can make a big difference. Generally speaking however, I think you get what you pay for.