Bino glass

[Firehawk54]

I have Vortex Talon HD 8x42 and a Leica Duovid 8-12x42. I am really impressed with the Talons and would recommend them. Good size and weight with nice glass. Mine are going on about 5 years of heavy use by either me or one of my kiddos.

I really love my Leicas and will never get rid of them. But....they are heavy. About 3# if I recall correctly. That said, they are terrific to look through. I spent a lot of time behind them over the past couple of weeks picking apart country, looking for parts and pieces and clear lanes for a shot. They are really good. I bought them used for about 20% of what I should have. Figured if I didn't like them, I could sell them for a profit. I'm afraid someone will need to pry them from dead cold hands when needed.

Enjoy!

 

[dcopas78]

I have a pair of Vortex Viper HD 10X50 that I really like. I believe I gave $650 for them. I believe the 10X42 retail around $600. I would recommend them. The lifetime warranty is great as well.

 

[hank4elk]

I'd take Schmalts up on his offer and see what your eyes say.

I just went thru an upgrade delema too.
I have Steiner 8x30's and Alpen Apex 10x50's, but wanted a bit more low light clarity at distance for were I live .
Couldn't find a deal on Zeiss I wanted,Leupold doesn't make GR binos anymore, and a deal on Swaros is unheard of...and I'm not getting another job.....

I went with Alpen Tetons 15x50's ED/HD glass $500
Extremely happy with them.

 

[WRO]

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts on particular brands/models. I still need to educate myself on ED glass vs. this or that glass, it all seems like Greek to me. In the end I understand that you get what you pay for in general. I can appreciate those that say, just spend the wad and get what you want. That is my exact theory on my fishing boat electronics which get used MANY times a year and can honestly be credited with finding fish often when other lower end electronics can not give the details needed. I can only guess that good glass will do the same for finding game in some situations. The difference for me is I only get to spend about 2 weeks a year glassing for game out west. The rest is close quarters hunting here in Iowa, where a pair of Tasco can do the trick most of the time. Schmalts, I will send you a PM, very kind offer.
ps. This year I will be glassing for mule deer with my daughter in western SD. Definitely my toughest glassing task to date. Finding bedded bucks in some very broken country will be challenging. I was able to find some on a recent scouting trip so I'm excited to find a shooter for her and get after it. Most of my past glassing has been in WY for antelope and they stick out like chit on a white horse most of the time.

Great glass is like great electronics, except the glass will last a lifetime.

Great glass comes from Europe, with the exception of Kowa. I haven't seen a piece of Asian glass that is worth a shit. Go used, shop the forums, and you'll get your glass for a good price.

 

[Gut Shot]

Look into the Leica Trinovid.

When it comes to spending money on glass I look at things like a rifle and scope. It can easily cost $800-1000. I have a bino with me every time I'm hunting and I spend hours looking through them. I use the rifle for a couple of minutes per hunt maybe. Why shouldn't I spend as much on the bino that I use all the time as I spend on the rifle that I use briefly to end my hunt.

 

[LopeHunter]

Go to a store that has several you can look at. Some stores will let you take a pair or two at a time out of the store. Might have to leave your driver's license.

I have looked through a lot of binos and spotters. On a clear, cool day when is not the first half hour or last half hour of light then a lot of glass will get the job done if comparing the same power vs same power.

I always was smug how little I paid for my binos. Could not comprehend spending more on binos than a used shotgun. I lived in the Midwest then. I moved out west a few decades ago and was suddenly hunting big country rather than patchwork farm fields of the Midwest. Having your buddy say, "Hey, nice 5x5 bull at the edge of the spruce" yet for another 10 minutes all you can see is dark blobs will be when the nicer glass gets your attention. Looking through his binos in weak light was like having night vision compared to my binos.

There are hunts where I rarely see a shooter other than the first bit of morning and the last bit of evening. Good glass might double the animals you see in the weak light.

My budget was very good binos, nice spotter and nice scope. I figured I use my binos more than my spotter and the spotter more than my scope. The spotter saves me using boot leather if can judge the critter better from a distance and decide is not worth a stalk. Nothing wrong with buying used glass if is not scratched nor has leaky seals. Might snag a demo unit after the SHOT show that is almost mint.

I have been on a few coues deer hunts now and that is the one hunt were I use the spotter more than binos.

 

[putm2sleep]

Schmalts wins! Can't beat that!
I have some vortex Binos and like em.
I like the buy once cry once
Stuff ain't getting cheaper.

 

[Kiwi]

Like others have done, I got myself a pair of Leica Geovids. Not cheap but every time I use them I'm pleased with the purchase.

 

[windymtnman]

Check out a pair of Steiner brand 8 x30 binoculars. They are high quality, lightweight, clear optics, individual diopters that stay in focus, and gather good light. I think they sell for $225.00 ballpark figure?
Here's the best part. They have a lifetime warranty! I bought my pair in 1980, and they began to look like it. Last year, they started giving me a double image. I sent them in to the repair facility in Greeley, Colorado. When they came back, I'm not even sure they are my old pair, as everything looked as new. Seriously! Their was NO repair bill.

 

[danr55]

Try looking here for used glasses.. http://www.samplelist.com/ They are an extension of SWFA. I've bought Leica Ultravids on there and saved $1200 over the new unit price. Buy the best you can afford and save to move up. The Sample List will take back on trade the glasses you buy from them when you are ready to move up.

 

[Brandenbowhunter]

I upgraded to the Zeiss conquest after much comparing. I wanted the Victory, but that was not in the cards. I am very happy, you will see a huge difference between $200 and $600. Like others said.

 

[Muskeez]

Yes, I bought the Theron Questa from Schmalts / Predator Optics, for only $425 after $75 rebate, and I am very impressed ! I love them in the Iowa treestands and they will get a thorough workout this weekend in western SD looking for mule deer. I didn't know what I had to gain until I did, now I don't like to grab the old ones.

 

[02bfishn]

Some excellent recommendations here.

Well satisfied with Vortex Viper 10x42's and numerous scopes here. While the warranty is awesome (the coverage if I do something really stupid, or for the next guy if I ever sell is great), truly good products never require you to use the warranty. Knock on wood, but have never had to make use of the warranty yet. So, yeah, I'm a satisfied Vortex believer.