Small bino decision??

[Gary Sewell]

Bushnell Elite Custom Compacts: I had a pair in the 70's 6x25, used them for years until I dropped them on concrete. Got a pair of Steiner 6x30, loved them for years. My son got a set of the elites. I used them once, sold my $400.00 steniers and bought the elites. My son found them online for 211.00.

[Mr.Magoo]

I've heard good things about the Eagle Optics binos.  I have a set of Nikon Monarchs (8x42) and a set of compact Minolta (8x22).  The compacts are easy to carry, but once the light starts to dim, they're pretty useless.

[AkDan]

I looked through a pair of compact leica's and man alive they are awesome!  It'll be my next and last set of binos.  I'm currently running a pair of swaro 8x30 slc.  They are nice but a bit bulky for a compact consideration.  

I have some steiner predators, definatly not the pair I thought they were when I ordered, oops.  They are a nice glass however the eye pieces broke almost immediatly.  They were replaced with a refurbished pair almost immediatly.  Have never used them since after purchasing my swaro's.

[JSimon]

I really like my Leopold Yosemite 6x30's as well Can't beat the price.

[Tom Leemans]

I'll second Eagle Optics

[Talondale]

Trust me, if you want low level visibility (like when the bucks are normally moving) you want something where the first number divided into the second number is = or >4.  On all those you listed they will do great in full light but low light, when I need mine most, they are likely to be worse then your naked eye.  I'm getting a second set of bino's this year for that very reason.  6x30 is a 5 (30/6=5) and that's much better in terms of delivering light to your eyes.  There are other factors that affect this as well but as a general rule it works.

[Ratatat]

Well thanks for all the advice/input guys!!  I tried a pair of the 8x22 steiner predators and realized that I needed a bino with better low light capability.  I ordered a pair of vortex raptor 6.5x32, so we'll see.  Thanks again.

[toddster]

I went through this few years back.  I bought a pair of Nikon, then 3 months later, seen Vortex and was blown away, so good and smaller had to buy it, for 100??  and lifetime warranty well worth it to me. love them