What Binoculars To Buy???
Whitetail Deer
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Would like to buy a decent pair of Binoculars. I don't have 1000 dollars to spend. What would you recommend in the 300-400 dollar range? I'm considering the Leopold BX2 or the BX3. I did see they come with a lifetime warranty. Are they Ok for the money?
I have Vortex Diamondback 10x42's and love em. Should be able to pick up a pair for $225-$250. If you spend a little more you can get the Vortex Viper HD's for around $500 and they are really nice. Also, Vortex has a lifetime warranty
Recent article in Western Hunter Mag on this exact topic- Binos in the $1000 range.
1000 bucks is out of my budget. Was looking at 10x50 Leupolds. What do you get for 1000 bucks anyway?
deerslayer37: what are you using the binos for? Do you know what power and objective you're looking for?
They are indeed "ok for the money" if that's what you are looking for.
If you cannot go with the top three- Swarovski, Leica, or Zeiss, look at Minox, Maven Optics.
Buy nice, or buy twice....
I bought my wife a pair of Vortex Diamondback 12x50s. They were a bit too shaky for my taste, unless you had a rest. We took them back and exchanged them for the 10x42 Diamondbacks. For the money, they are excellent glass, plus the lifetime warranty is a big selling point IMO.
Look on eBay they have good used upper end glass so if you buy them you can send them to the manufacturer for cleaning and or repairs and the cost is very reasonable
I think you can get good binocs in your price no problemo.
In my opinion the top end binoculars are overpriced. The difference in performance/price is hard to justify to many. I own Zeiss & Leica but sometimes I wonder why. Some of those $500 bins are very nice.
Cabelas has the Leupold Mojave BX-3 PRO GUIDE HD model 8x42 on sale right now for $249...they are usually $550...that is a great deal for an awesome pair of binoculars
I have a pair of Leupold BX-3 10x42 that are fine for the money. Got a deal on a "new" pair from an online pawn shop and used them last season for open country and the AZ desert.
Last month I aquired a pair of 10x42 Styrka S7, which I think retail around the $600 range, but you can probably find them for a little less online. Honestly, side-by-side with the Swaros and Zeiss I don't see any discernable difference in clarity (including edge) and low-light performance. Definitely a step-up from the BX-3. Styrka is a fairly new company started by some guys from a different high-end company, offer a lifetime warranty with no questions asked.
I just bought a pair of 10x50 diamondbacks and I love them!! If you are active military or law enforcement/first responder/retired military check out govx.com, I got my diamondbacks for 200(including shipping)
Can't go wrong with Zeiss. PM sent.
It all depends what you'll be doing with your binos. If you are only sitting in a tree stand archery hunting for whitetails I believe high end binos would be a waste of money. I have a pair of Maven B1 10x42, Styrka S7 8x 30, Leupold Bx3 8x42, and I've had Vortex Diamondback and Razor 10x42. If I were you in your price range I'd buy the Styrka S5 10x42's off of Amazon for $300. If you don't go with Styrka I'd go with the BX3's. I think the last ones I'd buy would be Vortex. I think the business plan for Vortex is to spend a ton of money on pro staffs and sponsorship's to try to grow a cult following. It's working but their products just don't measure up in my opinion.
Butternut, my hunting partner's Zeiss fogged on day 2 of our first caribou hunt, and were worthless the rest of the trip. When he got home he called them. They wouldn't honor the warranty, told him Zeiss binocs aren't moisture-proof. My Steiners that cost half the price performed like champs in the rain and moisture.
Last season I purchased the Nikon Prostaff 7S 10x42's. They are crisp, clear and bright. I have been nothing but pleased with how they have performed. If you are looking to save some money and get some great glass at the same time, I would strongly recommend them. You can pick them up for around $200.
I really did not feel that the upper end glass was necessary or worth the money, until I was on a sheep hunt in 1998 with my dad and just before dark, I was ready to call it due to darkness and not being able to see anything, then he handed me his Swarovski's and I could see sheep moving through the timber across the canon and I could not even see the trees well with my cheaper glasses.
Yeah, if your glassing during the day or with optimal conditions you probably could not tell much of a difference. But first and last light- if you need to see, or if you do a lot of glassing it is money well spent.
It's heavy, but the Spotter is also worth it's price!
If you're talking binocular for whitetail/tree stand hunting then it would be worth your time to check out reviews of the Sightron Blue Sky II 8x32. Best optical bang for the buck. In addition to the Sightron, I own Swarovski and Leupold but carry the Sightron to the treestand every time. Sure, the Swaros are a better for long glassing sessions out west but they aren't 10x better!
Jaq that would not be good. I had Steiners before my Zeiss. So far so good.
Do yourself a favor... try out the brand new Burris Signature HD binos. Less than 400.00 (SWFA FOR ONE). I purchased a set of the Leupold BX3 Pro Guides. They were nice. The Burris Signature HDs blow them out of the water! Less expensive too. They also seem better built, easier to focus, better in high sunlight. Comlarable to much more expensive brands. I have had a LOT of binos in my 46 years of hunting and can say I am very satisfied with the Burris binos... actually more than satisfied. Can't see myself purchasing anythi g else now. Very impressive glass with a forever warranty. You can thank me later :-)
I have been using the Leupold Pro Guides for a year. Good for the money.
http://m.cameralandny.com/demos.html
Check em out
Lou has it for me. Look at a bunch of different Steiners and find a set you like. Excellent glass and you can get a very nice pair for under $500. Mine have never failed and even in low light they are as good as any of the so called e-lite binos. Shawn
I own three pairs of Steiners and they are all great for the money. But I'm really impressed with the Styrkas.
Optics are like any other technology. There arent any secrets anymore and engineers go from one company's processes to another. Like with fly rods, today's $500 optics can be as good as the $1000 ones from a few years ago. Of course, optics snobs will never acknowledge that because they want to believe they are getting better results from the big money they paid a few years ago.
For that money, take look at the Nikon Monarch's. I've had a pair of 10x42's for years. They've held up well considering the abuse I've put them through. Good optics for the price. The best selling point for the Nikons has been the service. I've broken the lens covers off twice and busted one of the rear eye pieces. Nikon sent two pairs of lens covers, repaired the rear eye piece free of charge and paid for all shipping.
Zeiss warranty has been excellent for me [as was Swaro and Leica]......that story just doesn't sound right that they wouldn't warranty.
I've had my 25 yr old 15x60s in a couple times...once from a horse wreck and they fixed them free no questions asked. Buying binos; I would spend more money up front if you are a serious hunter...but the best I've personally seen in the price range you are talking about is the Nikon Monarch 5 and 7.
Super happy with my monarch 7s I have looked thru their high end binos in the field and think my 7s are almost comparable
Beendare, if I hadn't been at his house when he called Zeiss (as soon as we returned from the hunt) I would have doubts too. But the person on the other end told him they aren't guaranteed waterproof, offered him a modest trade-in value toward a new pair.
OTOH, I bought a pair of Steiners at a yard sale for $30 that had a problem with a focus knob. I sent them in to Steiner, told them the truth about how I acquired them and asked how much it would cost to repair. A week later a brand new pair arrived on my doorstep, no questions asked.
Thanks for all the great replies. I plan on using the binos for a 2018 rifle hunt in New Foundland for moose. For a rifle whitetail hunt in Missouri and an elk hunt in Colorado. Also to have around home and deer camp to glass open fields for deer. I'm looking for something versatile, well made with a lifetime warranty. So many choices to choose from.
I've owned luepold scopes and binos there warranty is second to none. I had a pair of binos for almost 30 years. Sent them back to get the one of the eye cups fixed. They called me and said they no longer make parts for them. Gave me a choice between 3 different new pair. They were delivered 2 days later!
My recommendation for a $400 pair would be the Nikon Monarch 7s. I own a pair and compared them to the Vortex Viper HD and thought the Nikon's were as good or better. Those 2 were very close but the Nikon was less expensive so I went with them. Since then I purchased a pair of Swaro SLC but still use the Nikons. Yeah the Swaro are better but I don't think you will miss any game with the Nikons that you will see with the Swaro.
I'm very happy with my Zen-Ray ED3 10x43. They got really good reviews with birders. Lesser known company, but their optics seem to outperform their price point.
If anything ever happens to my Zeiss, I'm going with Nikon Monarchs. They're by far the most popular glass of serious birders in Kansas. They spend more time with glass to their eyes, looking for more intricate detail that about any kind of big game hunting. Great buy.
Just remember the Leupold Mojave BX-3 Pro GUide HD and the Leupold Mojave BX-3 are 2 TOTALLY different binoculars. My stable includes a set of Brunton Eterna 8x45, Eterna 11x45, Nikon Monarch 7 10X42 and Leupold Pro Guide HD 12X50. The Leupolds are my favorite for all of our competitive archery shoots, followed by the monarch 7. For your uses I would suggest 8X42 or 10X42 size. If you decide that 8X42 is enough you would be hard pressed to beat the deal going on at Cabelas for the Leupolds
I have some high dollar glass, swaro and ziess they are nice but got my fiancee a pair of nikon and they are good glass don't over look them
Bought a pair of 8x42 Vortex Diamondbacks about 10 years ago for just under $300. Recently the eye relief mechanism on the left side became stuck and wouldn't rotate in and out so I sent them in to have them repaired. When the box arrived back home there was a brand new pair of binocs with a note saying unable to fix but enjoy your new set of Diamondbacks. Damn right I will! Vortex for life member here.
Love my '17 Swaro SLC 10x42. I tree stand hunt for whitetails as well as out West, and I get just as much use out of them here in IA as I did in MT.
I went from a hand me down pair of binos, to spending 250->500->1k and finally bit the bullet on the Swarovski's....could have saved myself $1750 plus multiple headaches if I would have just bought quality the first time.
Good luck with your choice, my dad has terrible eyesight, but he just bought some new Leupold's from Scheels for $350 and he seems to like them.
I have a pair of nikon monarch 5 compared ti the monarch 7 and bought the 5. They are crystal clear and crisp and work great. They are 8x42 and have a great field of view
I would recommend the Leupold Mojave BX-3 Pro GUide HD or the Sightron SII Blue Sky.
Steiner or Nikon. I've owned both, and now own Zeiss, WAAAAY better, though both are good.
You say you can't do the $1k. But think of your other equipment. How much do you have in your bow, arrows, tree stands etc. I would suggest that you save for awhile and get something really good. In the long run you would be pleased. Bu if you don't have the time to wait, Nikon or Steiner will do you nicely.
TMBB
Best bang for the buck is the Vortex Talons. A set of 10x40s would be perfect for sitting in a treestand and some hunting out west. They have the VIP Warranty and you cant beat the price or customer service. Check them out.