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As far as FFQ goes I look at things like if the eye-cups have sufficient detents to keep them locked in place, if there's any play in the focus knob, the quality and fit of the lens covers, etc. In most all regards I have found the BX-4 McKinley HD to meet or surpass what I would consider acceptable and serviceable.
The eye-cups offer two detents, but they're not solid detents in that with a minimal amount of pressure the eye-cups will collapse downward. In normal use it should be a problem, but it was worth noting as the detents on my reference binocular are much more positive and solid.
When it comes to play in the focus knob I could find no discernible play whatsoever. The movement is very positive and precise as it should be without being overly stiff. The ribs of the knob provide adequate traction even when wearing gloves, but it's not so abrasive that it becomes painful after prolonged continual use with bare hands.
The lens covers are excellent in that they fit nice and tight and are made of a very durable rubber material. The ocular lens covers are of a one-piece design for both barrels and joined by a short accordion section of rubber, and features a loop to gun the neck strap through so it doesn't get lost. The objective lens caps are of a flip-off design that use an integrated band to retain the caps to the binocular and the cap for each barrel is a separate unit.
The exterior surface of the barrels are covered in a rubbery material with a very nice texture to it that provides exceptional grip. The texture is very subdued so it doesn't snag or catch on anything, yet still offers great traction in the hands. There is also a thumb groove on the bottom of each barrel to further enhance one's grip and improve comfort.
Ergonomics & Packaging
I will say that from the minute I pulled the BX-4 McKinley HD 10x42 binocular out of the box it felt somewhat heavy to me. It wasn't that it was objectionably heavy, but rather that it was noticeably heavier than the binocular that I have been using for the past several years. For comparison, my reference binocular weighs in at 24.6 ounces and is significantly more compact in physical size. While only a 4.4 ounce difference, it's a very noticeable 4.4 ounces.
As usual Leupold has outdone themselves with the packaging for the BX-4 McKinley HD line of products. Included with the binocular is an exceptionally nice ballistic nylon protective case with it's own carry strap, a padded neck strap for the binocular, a detailed instruction manual, a lens cleaning cloth, and last but not least the ambiguous warranty card.
Summary
All in all I am very impressed with the BX-4 McKinley HD 10x42 binocular. While the difference in optical quality between my current 10x42 binocular and the McKinley HD isn't monumental, the difference is fairly obvious in several areas. The size of the sweet spot alone is enough to secure a win in the optical performance category for the McKinley HD.
While optical performance is extremely important, the more my interest in back country hiking and backpacking has grown the more I find size and weight to be of significant importance. This is where the McKinley HD fell a little short of my current binocular as it's several ounces heavier and a bit bulkier. In certain circumstances every inch and ounce can make a difference, and in such circumstances I'd be willing to give up the little bit of additional optical performance the McKinley offers for the weight savings of my current binocular.
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