Best bino under $700

[Red_7.08]

I have some old original Vortex Diamondback 10x42 binos. Looking to upgrade. Need to stay under $700. My list so far is…

Vortex Viper HD 10x42
Leupold BX-4 10x42
Nikon Monarch 7 10x42

Open to other options. What’s best bang for my buck…

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I'm shopping roughly the same zone for a good spare/older kid (like teenager) set. The Nikon M7 and Kowa BDII are at the top of my list of new options. You can sometimes find used Zeiss Victory FL T (non-LotuTec) for $700 or less, which I know first hand destroy the Viper HD and likely beat the others handily. Used Cabela's Euro HD 8x42 and 10x42 are a good option as well.
Purely my opinion but in sub-alpha glass I am keen on a little lower power (6x/7x/8x), just seems to mute the optical deficiencies a bit. Going up from Diamondbacks it may not matter to you.

 

[Henry22]

I was looking for a set in your price range this summer. I ended up with the Leupold BX-4 10x42 for $425 after reading a bunch of different reviews and threads here. I’ve never looked through high end glass but I have no complaints with them. They work well in low light, focus knob is smooth, and they feel well in your hands. My last set was a Carson 3D series and the Leupold are much clearer and durable in my opinion.

 

[VOLhunter]

For about $750 you can often pick up a new demo set of Zeiss Conquest HDs from Eurooptic. They are excellent glass and definitely worth the $50 increase of your price point.

 

[Hammsolo]

I have some old original Vortex Diamondback 10x42 binos. Looking to upgrade. Need to stay under $700. My list so far is…

Vortex Viper HD 10x42
Leupold BX-4 10x42
Nikon Monarch 7 10x42

Open to other options. What’s best bang for my buck…

This is hilarious. I’m in the same boat. I’m pondering saving up for a year to get a range finding bino the way things are going.

 

[EYJONAS!]

I'm putting a vote in for Theron Questa HD for 400 bucks or even less that's gotta be some of the best bang for your buck out there. The clarity is unreal.

I'm not a glass expert but I can tell you what they blew away anything else I was looking through this year.

I bought them for a lighter weight bino and wider field of view. They've been my go to this fall so far. I've got other top of the line brands as well, but have been loving these since I got em.

 

[midwesthunter]

If you do a google search for refurbished vortex razor, you can find some 10x42's for $725

 

[300stw]

tract toric 10x. ive owned a bunch of brands,,, and used a bunch ,

 

[renagde]

Midway USA had a fire sale on the Sig Zulu 9 11x45 binos a few months ago. I picked up a pair for $550. Not sure that you can find that deal again but you might be able to find a used pair that someone bought for cheap and is now selling. Or you might be able to find them on sale over black friday or something.

So far I've been impressed with the light gathering ability of them and the optical clarity.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Midway USA had a fire sale on the Sig Zulu 9 11x45 binos a few months ago. I picked up a pair for $550. Not sure that you can find that deal again but you might be able to find a used pair that someone bought for cheap and is now selling. Or you might be able to find them on sale over black friday or something.

So far I've been impressed with the light gathering ability of them and the optical clarity.

Those were a steal, I was thinking about the 9x's and waited too long.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

For REI members, 20% coupon starts tomorrow and they carry the Nikon M7. Makes it $400 unless optics are excluded.

 

[eoperator]

Used maven's

 

[PorterHouse]

To my eyes, Leupold BX-4 is better glass than Vortex Vipers. Haven’t spent time looking through any of the Monarch 7s so no comment there.

@schmalts will get you way below $700 for the Leupolds if you go that route (assuming he has any in stock).

 

[morgaj1]

To my eyes, Leupold BX-4 is better glass than Vortex Vipers. Haven’t spent time looking through any of the Monarch 7s so no comment there.

@schmalts will get you way below $700 for the Leupolds if you go that route (assuming he has any in stock).

^^^This. If you decide to step up to $800 or so, used Meopta Meostars/Cabela's Instinct Euro or demo Zeiss Conquest HD's would be the way to go.

 

[Cheesehead]

I would look at Rokslide’s optics classifieds right now 2 and 5 pages in) for cabelas euro hd (Meopta). There are 10s for $625 and 12s for $725. That is a lot of value for the money

 

[renagde]

Cabelas has the Instinct Euro HD (I believe still the same as the Meopta Meostar) in both 8x32 and 10x32 on sale for $499.

 

[Red_7.08]

Cabelas has the Instinct Euro HD (I believe still the same as the Meopta Meostar) in both 8x32 and 10x32 on sale for $499.

Might be a dumb question but how do you find out information like that? That the Instinct Euro is the same as the Meostar.

 

[renagde]

I know on the older ones it used to say right on the box Meoptar Meostar B1 and underneath that the Cabelas model name. I don't know for sure about the newer version, the Euro HD, but from what the internet tells me they might still be the same. (don't always trust the internet)

 

[JAG]

See @schmalts for the 10x42 Meopta MeoPro Airs. Just a smidge past your price, but the FOV is great at 360'.

Meopta Sports Optics - European premium optics

www.meoptasportsoptics.com

 

[noharleyyet]

My son has exceptional eyesight. He borrowed my Theron Questas last weekend and was blown away…