Binoculars help and opinions

[TxAg]

Originally posted by TxAg:
I have the Leupold Cascades in 8x42 in matte black. I became a Leupold fan when I rifle hunted growing up....kinda like being a Chevy fan...just always had them while growing up.

I have been impressed with my Leupolds. I beat them up and nothing bad has happened. They're not too heavy and crystal clear...great in low light.

I did as mentioned above...went to Cabela's and held up a bunch of binos. Kinda hard to tell in the store with all the artificial light, but you'll get a general idea of what you like. Good luck!

Ok, I lied.  I have the 10x not the 8's  I realized that when I got in the truck this morning.

[PaddyMac]

I agree with the purpose comments. Here in the West, good glass is a must. Some thoughts (pardon the windiness)

Also as said above, objective lens diameter determines brightness. Here's why: In low light conditions the human pupil can get up to 7 mm in diameter. It averages around 4 - 4.5 mm. The combination of magnification and objective lens diameter determines "exit pupil" size of the binoculars. That's the pipe the light goes through. The bigger the brighter.  Exit pupil is objective lens dia. divided by magnification. In 8x42  binocs: 42mm ÷ 8 = 5.25 mm exit pupil. Pretty bright. 8 x 24 = 3 mm exit pupil. Not so bright.

Lens coatings can help, too, but you really want that exit pupil to be over 4 mm. The problem is that objective diameter also determines overall size and weight. So it's a tradeoff. Seeing that way-off butt-scratcher tine at dawn is worth something.

I would trade quality for magnification and even brightness any day of the week. I learned that on an elk hunt in Colorado. A doctor had a pair of compact 8x42 Zeiss binoculars and he let me look through them and I was astonished at how much better and more comfortable they were than my 10 x 42 Bushnells. Money buys you superior lens quality and perfect tube alignment (the buggaboo of cheap binoculars). When you glass for hours at a time, cheap binocs aren't worth the headache, literally.

I bought a pair of well used 8x42 Leica binoculars from a friend a couple of years ago and I love them except they are heavy. I am looking now for a used pair of compacts.

There was a post last month mentioning Swifts as a lot of bang for the buck. They're popular with birders. I'd love to find a used pair at an estate sale or something.

[rluttrell]

You guys are incredible, I was almost not going to post just for the fact of what you guys are saying has been great and I don’t want to stop anyone else from writhing so please don’t.
I live in So Cal and will hunt around here and Washington State. My family lives up there and invites me every year. This will be the year I go and want to be prepared as much as I can.
Thank you all again

[screamin]

A few yrs back I decided to upgrade from a pair of 10x42 Nikon Monarchs. I had always considered these to be pretty good glass for the money spent. I weeded through what was available by weight and then had cameralandny send me some pentax dcf eds, bushnell elites, vortex vipers and at that time the highest grade minox.... all were 10x42. After they all arrived I set them up side by side on a solid platform and went from glass to glass the last half hour of sunlight until dark. In my eyes, everyones eyes are different, the pentax dcf eds stole the show. I bought em and sent the rest back. All these glasses blew away the Monarchs.

Its been a few yrs since then and I decided to try out some 8x42's, so 2 yrs or so ago I picked up a pair of dcf eds in 8x42. I have since sold the 10x42. There is no way I would ever go back to a 10 power glass and I spend a lot of time behind my glasses here in Nevada. The 8's are so much easier to hold steady it is actually easier to see and make out with better definition whatever you're looking at than the 10's. IMO 10's should be put on a tripod and if you're going to do that you might as well buy 15's or 12's.

Last yr I picked up a set of Minox with German glass in an 8x32 at half price from cameraland. This pair of glasses is real real close to my ed's at dusk and their lighter in weight, which was the main reason I bought them. They will be my primary glass this yr.

All these glasses are under a thousand bucks and would last a person a lifetime. There's no reason to just buy a pair of glasses for 3 or 4 yrs imo. Save some money and get some quality glass around a thousand bucks and you'll use them forever. I'm not sure double that amount of money for zeiss, swaro or leica is worth it for the small gain at dusk you'll get. But then thats for you to decide.

[Gary Logsdon]

Byron Ferguson is sending me a pair of Vortex (one of his sponsors) 10X32s tomorrow.  He gave me a smaller pair a few years ago and I was very impressed with the lens clarity and how well the eye relief worked for me (I wear trifocals). Unfortunately, my wife latched onto the first pair for her bird watching, which explains why I need another set of binos:^) From my experiences so far, Vortex makes a good bino for the money. Since most of my hunting is east of the Mississippi, and I use binos sparingly, I can get by without laying out big bucks for high-end glass with near perfect alignment.  I'll let you know how the new set strikes me.

[Looper]

The binos I use the most are a Leupold Yosemite 6x30.  They have an incredible field of view and are as bright a pair as I have ever used.  They're less than $100, too.  I also have an 8x30 pair, but the 6x30 are much easier on my eyes and I can pick up game much quicker with them.

Of course, where I hunt I don't need to see 1000 yards. In the woods, I'd rather have the field of view.

[Mojostick]

Looper,

That's why I really like my Leupold 6x32 Katmai's. But like you, I'm not "glassing" per se, instead I'm only using them once I see a deer coming my way and at relatively close ranges. My main purpose is I typically try to look for 2.5 year old bucks and older and I try to identify button bucks when possible, and pass them, if I'm going to fill an antlerless tag.

But a guy sitting on a mountain side glassing for long periods at long ranges has completely different needs.

[Stumpkiller]

Where are you going to be hunting?  If I were glassing for mule deer over a large open span I'd want a much different binocular than scoping for a glimpse of a part of a deer in thick cover.  

I have three binoculars I use a lot - a pair of Nikon 7 x 50 Marine, a Baush & Lomb 8 x 36 and a Bushnell 8 x 26 Waterproof.

I'd never carry the Nikons hunting - too large & heavy.  The B&L would be better for longer range, still a bit bulky for chest carry with my shooting style.  They sit beside the back door for birdwatching & varmint spotting.  The cheap little Bushnells I carry all the time and love them.  Very small, surprisingly good optics for $80 (I think they're still under $100) and the eye relief is an amazing 15mm, which is a Godsend for glasses wearers like me.  I have had them absolutely soaked and they are watertight and do not fog.  They weigh 14 oz and I have a little shock-cord I run behind my back to hold them to my chest and it helps me steady them one-handed.

[celticfisherman]

Bruntons

I'd never buy less than 10x42's and I hunt the majority of the time in GA. But the 10 always gives you lots of detail and in the right binocs they aren't any heavier than 8's.

Bruntons have been my choice for about 10 years now and love them. They are more than Leupold's or Nikons but less than Swaro's and Zeiss. Side by side with more expensive ones last year in Nebraska they performed better.

Get a good harness and micro cloths and take good care of them. They'll last a while...

[Stoutstuff]

I have Leupold RB800C. 8x32 with a rangefinder built in. Nice to look and only have to press a button and know the range without a lot of movement.

[Looper]

Originally posted by Mojostick:
Looper,

That's why I really like my Leupold 6x32 Katmai's. But like you, I'm not "glassing" per se, instead I'm only using them once I see a deer coming my way and at relatively close ranges. My main purpose is I typically try to look for 2.5 year old bucks and older and I try to identify button bucks when possible, and pass them, if I'm going to fill an antlerless tag.

But a guy sitting on a mountain side glassing for long periods at long ranges has completely different needs.

You're exactly right.  I've spent a lot of time behind a spotting scope and very nice set of Swarovski 10x42s while mountain goat, moose, and blacktail hunting in Alaska.  My hunting buddy had a pair of 10x42 Nikons and the difference between them and the Swarovskis were dramatic.  We'd swap off every now and then, mostly when whoever was using the Nikons got a headache.

[J. Holden]

I have a pair of Nikon's that my parents got for me back in '94.  I bought some Bass Pro ones a few years ago.  The Nikon's are 7x35, the BP were 10x42.  I can say that although the Nikon's might not have had the same magnification, they give me a crisper picture for sure.  I would suggest buying #1 what you can afford, #2 get the best glass possible (i.e. Nikon, Swarovski and the like).  Even though the magnification is less I feel the picture was clearer and I saw more game.  As far as camo vs. black, my Nikon's are black and I don't think it really makes a difference.  They have no special coating or anything like that.  Oh, and get something waterproof.  I don't like to hunt in the rain but you never know when you'll get caught.  Good luck with your purchase.

-Jeremy  

[Day Dreamer]

I had a pair of 10x42's, I never used them, they were a little too shaky for me (drove me nuts) so I sold them. I then picked up some 7x42's and I love them. I really got to know the 7's when I went mushroom hunting. I said to myself "I'll let my binos do the work", and boy did they, I was amazed. In the latest issue of TBM, Dennis Kamstra is quoted as saying "for the record anything over 8 power is too much for a bow hunter, I prefer 6 or 7x42's". Now in a past issue he is qouted as saying he purchased some new 8x30's, I wonder if he felt he made a mistake in the 8's. Do your research and get the best glass you can afford.

[Don Stokes]

I have no problem using 10's, maybe because I had to give up caffeine a couple of years ago.    

[Sixby]

Vortex all the way here. I spent a lot of time checking every major brand and except for Swaros at ten times the price they were by far the sharpest and clearest image for me. I finaled it down after several hours to three binoculars in the price range from 300 to 500 and the Vortexs won out. They are an American company , made in USA and unconditional warranty . Just impossible to beat them IMHO.

God bless you, Steve

[Daz]

While Vortex is an American company, and they do warranty repairs and some R&D in the U.S., the binos are actually made overseas (China mostly).

They are the same family involved with Eagle Optics. Welcome to the global economy.

[sagebrush]

I have several pair of binoculars. I first bought 8x30's because they were recommended. They are great for sitting on the ridge and glassing. But for actual in the forest hunting, I carry 8x20s. They are almost as bright as the others and they fit in my shirt pocket. I always have them. The others usually get left behind. Gary

[MTArrowLauncher]

While I am patriotic and like to buy American, the term made in the USA is so vague and misguided, it should say assembled in the USA with foreign parts which is how most of them are unfourtunatly. Vortex, no matter where they are made are affordable, quality binos with great optics and an unbeatable warrenty. That's why I choose them.

Just my $.02, YMMV

[Autumnarcher]

Bino's, like any good tool- You get what you pay for- is right onthe money.

I have some Nikon 10x42's  I use for deer hunting. They work fine for that, and I like em just fine for what I use them for. I have used them glassing out west, and they really don't cut it. They're better than nothing, and what I could afford at the time.

I've since bought a pair of used Kahles 10x42's, which were made by Swaro. Good glasses, and I'll see how I like em out west this year.

All that said,my #1 priority purchase next year will be a pair of Swaro's.There are none better.
I'll let my son use the Nikons, then he can carry the tylenol for the headache that comes from staring through a pair "affordable" glasses for a few hours.

[Don Stokes]

For eastern woods hunting, I like the Nikon 10x42's. Good low light clarity, and I don't stare through them for hours. I also have some smaller Nikon 8's, but I always seem to carry the 10's. They're affordable, and good enough for my eyes. They may not be the best available, but they're much, much better than the cheapos.