The goal? Protect the lenses.
Extra benefits? Easy to use, affordable, and long-lasting.
If you’re here, I don’t need to give you the spiel on how important caps are to save your glass. You’ve either learned the hard way or are smart enough to know that caps are a worthy investment for scope longevity.
As a result, I have compiled a few of the best scope caps available from optics manufacturers to those whose only purpose is to make quality ones.
Let’s scope out the top-rated caps worthy of investment!
Why Trust Us?
After hundreds of hours of hand-testing scopes in the field and at the range, and thousands more hours researching and writing about them, we feel we earn the title of experts when it comes to optics!
We purchase as many scope accessories for our tests as possible, and run them through their paces to make sure they will perform at the range and in the field.
Our combined decades of experience from shooting in the rain, dust, and mud, transporting rifle mounted scopes, and scouting wild terrain with a rifle in a sling has been integral in putting together this round-up of the best scope caps that actually work.
Best Scope Caps in 2024
1. Leupold Alumina Flip-Back Lens Cover Kit – Best Overall
There’s a lot to like about the Leupold Alumina Flip-Back lens caps. My favorite thing about them is that this purchase comes as a set – caps for both the eyepiece and objective lenses.
Pros:
- Flip-back caps
- Magnetic closure
- Aluminum
- Low-profile
- Lifetime warranty
Cons:
- Price
Though the Alumina caps are undoubtedly one of the best scope caps in the market, I think we can all agree that they’re overpriced. At almost $200 retail cost, these should be made of gold. Alas, they are made from aluminum, excuse me, 6061-T6 aircraft grade aluminum. In short, they’ll hold up and last a long time, so you won’t have to replace them a year down the road.
The Alumina caps have a neodymium magnetic closure design to keep them secure during transport and storage. To keep out moisture, dust, and dirt, the caps themselves have three O-ring seals – I really like that.
The caps flip all the way back for a completely flat profile… well, they’ll flip back to about a 45° position and then you manually press the cap back to a flat 90° position. To install them, they’re a screw-in type, so there’s no fear of too tight or too loose fits as can be the case with rubber caps.
The flip button makes it fast and easy to use the scope. Though they’re very expensive caps, this is a combo purchase. For the features and quality, I recommend them especially since they’re also backed by a lifetime warranty.
2. Zeiss Flip-Up Fold-Flat Pro Lens Caps – Best Multi-Purpose Caps
The Zeiss Pro lens caps are new and designed for the Conquest V4, V6, and V8 riflescopes as well as the LRP S3 and S5 scopes. These are expensive caps given that the eyepiece and objective lens caps are purchased separately, but for its various advantages, it could be worth it.
Pros:
- Flip-up caps
- Dual clamping arms
- Left/right flip points
- Spare battery holder
- L wrench holder
Cons:
- Price
There’s a lot going on with the Zeiss flip-up fold-flat pro lens caps – that’s a mouthful! They can flip to a 45° position for observing through the scope, but you can set it so that it completely flips back to a 90° position. The caps won’t obstruct any part of your shooting experience when using or not using the scope.
The spare battery holder in the objective lens cap is a great idea. Keeping it on the scope is convenient, but you’d still need a tool to get the battery compartment open and then secured again with an illuminated scope… so keep that tool nearby too!
Back to the caps… I like the dual fasten points. They’re the clamping arms that keep the caps secured to the scope. Tensioning these clamping arms makes me think it’ll hold better than rubber flip-up caps over time. There’s even a spot to keep the L wrench on the cap.
Disregarding all the extra features for now and looking to its primary function, to protect the lenses, I think the dual clamping arms provide a secure fit while the snap-to closure will ensure that rain, dirt, snow, and mud stay where it’s supposed to – off the lenses. Costly? Yes. Worth it? It appears so.
3. Vortex Defender Flip Caps – Most Highly-Rated
The Defender Flip Caps are the only style of scope lens caps that Vortex has. I believe these are the same ones that came with the tried and tested Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x FFP LPVO.
Pros:
- Rubber
- Flip-up caps
- Various sizes
- 45 & 90° positions
- Made in USA
Cons:
- Slightly loose fit
Though I wouldn’t say they’re indestructible as claimed, they are durable. They don’t move during recoil – even on a bolt action hunting rifle. Many have said that they fit really snug to the scope in a way that it looks small for the tube. However, with the caps that came with the Strike Eagle, it’s the opposite. They are a little easy to come off when flipping them up.
The stainless-steel spring pin can be adjusted so that the caps can be positioned to flip up at the 45° (default) position or 90° position (all the way back). That’s a convenient feature to fit your personal preference.
Apparently, the Vortex Defender scopes are all made in the USA right there in their facility in Wisconsin.
I like the snapping sound when they close, and most of all, I loved the fact that they were included with the purchase of a Strike Eagle scope.
Like most other scope caps, they are sold individually, so one for each end of the scope – a standard for the caps market. So, don’t forget to buy two: one objective cap and one eyepiece cap!
4. Monstrum Rubberized Flip-Up Caps – Best Cheap Caps
The Monstrum flip-up caps are one of the most popular scope lens covers to date. They’re made of rubber, flip-up in design, and very affordable. It’s also a best seller product that is chosen by consumers more-so than any other scope caps in the market!
Pros:
- Price
- Various sizes
- Rubber & polymer
- Spring-loaded flip-up
- Flexible rubber collar
Cons:
- One piece
This specific purchase does not come as a kit, so you must buy two caps: one for the eyepiece and one for the objective. This is standard for caps, so it’s not a rip-off. It also allows you to correctly purchase the right size cap for each end of the scope. With its low price point, it’s definitely a cost-effective way to go.
Made from rubber and polymer, the cap has a flexible collar that provides a tight fit to the scope. As an added benefit of the chosen materials, it’s not going to harm the scope’s finish.
If you prefer flip-up caps and want to stay under a tight budget, these are a must-have. The Monstrum caps can stay on the scope during use and storage! Double duty, value, and protection – what more can you ask for from scope caps?
5. Butler Creek Blizzard Clear Scope Cover – Best See-Through Lens Caps
There are plenty of awesome scope caps in Butler Creek’s arsenal. They can be considered the go-to manufacturer for aftermarket caps for your riflescope. While I could choose any one of their popular flip-up caps, I opted for a see-through type, the Blizzard Clear Scope Cover.
Pros:
- Price
- See-through
- Weather-resistant
- Ambidextrous design
- Quiet
Cons:
- Closure issues
Probably the primary complaint about the Blizzard caps is that if you don’t push it all the way in so that the cap engages the lip, there will be a lot of unintentional flipping. This would be frustrating if it’s an issue with your caps, so that should be something to consider.
But these have a primary advantage over most conventional flip caps – they’re see-through. Not only do the lenses stay protected in bad weather or around dirt and dust, but if you forget to flip the caps, no problem. You still have access to the sight picture and can shoot with the caps engaged.
There are two small points on the cap that allow for both left or right hand shooters to conveniently open it quickly. The hinge mechanism is quiet, so flipping them open won’t give your position away.
Complete with an O-ring seal for air and watertight protection, the Blizzard scope cover will do its primary job, protect the lenses, and still keep you in the hunt when speed matters.
6. Butler Creek Bikini Scope Cover – Best Bikini Caps
Bikini scope covers are really intended for lens protection when the scope isn’t in use. Think either when it’s in storage or when it’s mounted on a rifle during transport or field use when it’s not shouldered. If you’re going to do bikini caps, then consider a Butler Creek upgrade.
Pros:
- One-piece
- Quick-removal design
- Pliable rubber form
- Dust and moisture-proof
- Fits up to 62mm objectives
Cons:
- Obstructs FOV
What do you expect? Bikini caps are not designed to be on the scope during use. You must remove them before you can use the scope. This can be frustrating for moments when you least expect your prey to stroll within range. However, Butler Creek knows how fast paced things can get in the hunt. That’s why the eyepiece cover has an extended tab to quickly grab it and remove the entire cover off the scope “with a flick of the wrist.”
I’d be worried about losing these in the field in the heat of the moment but that’s more of a personal problem. They’re compact in size and can be stowed away in your hunting pack, vest, jacket pocket, etc.
What’s great about this bikini cover is that it’s really a one-size fit. Its universal design allows it to fit to scopes with objectives up to 62 mm. This could be an issue for an LPVO scope, but I’d think installing the bikini cover ‘backwards’ will help. It does eliminate the quick-removal feature since the tab will be at the front of the scope, so if this isn’t a big deal, it’ll work for the LPV where the ocular bell is larger than the objective bell.
For the money, they’re one of the cheapest types of scope caps around. Leave it to Butler Creek to add upgrades to what is essentially a basic lens cover design. This is one of the better one-piece caps I’d recommend.
FAQ's
In general, riflescope caps and covers vary widely in price. They can be as affordable as under $10 for simple and basic flip-up types to almost $200 for caps with extra features for improved usability and quality.
Typically, the cheaper caps are made of rubber and flexibly fit to a scope’s ocular and objective bells. More expensive caps will have brand-specific design features like screw-in, flip-buttons, aluminum construction etc.
The most popular is the flip-up type. With a spring-loaded mechanism, the cap flips back to about 45° after some sort of pressure is applied to release the cap from a closed position. There are also one-piece bikini and see-through caps, caps with magnetic closures, and caps that are screwed in.
Purchasing the correct size scope caps is essential. You will need the size of the ocular (eyepiece) bell and the objective bell. The sizes will be a hair larger than the commonly advertised size of the lenses. For example, a 40mm objective lens may have a 41.8mm objective bell.
Check the manufacturer specs for the right size of the ocular and objective bells as this is the measurement you need. You can also measure it yourself from the outside of the bells to get this measurement.
On average, the best scope cap brands include Butler Creek, Leupold, Vortex, and Monstrum. These are some of the most popular scope cap brands that are widely recognized and trusted for quality and performance.
Scope caps and scope covers are usually used interchangeably to describe a lens protective system. However, lens protective systems that only cover the eyepiece and objective lenses are generally regarded as caps. Scope covers are designed to shield the entire scope.
Scope Caps: A Must-Have Riflescope Accessory
Scope caps are a must-have accessory. Though they vary in cost, design, features, and quality, their one job is to protect the lenses. They can be as simple as rubber bikini caps or as feature-packed as flip-up, magnetic, screw-in ones. Protect the glass and you lengthen the scope's effective life.
Riflescope caps are underrated and should be a priority if you value your new scope. It’s not going to stay shiny and spotless forever, so caps will go a long way in protecting it.
Further Reading
