Binoculars vs spotting scope...where to spend the most?

[Jo83ben]

Ok so I know this has been debated before. I’m in the market for a spotting scope, and understand that you get what you pay for. I currently have a new pair of vortex diamondback 10x42 binoculars.

Question is...should I spend more on a spotter (like a razor?) or should I get a cheaper spotter like the diamondback (or even cheaper) and spend the 1000+ on a better pair of binoculars? I would love to have a swaro spotter sure, but the reality is I’ll be using the binos far more often hunting in Oregon, and the spotter will most likely be used for conformation of what I’m looking at.

So does that logic add up? Good binos = less glassing fatigue and spotter is for rare use?

 

[HighDesertSage]

I use my 15x binos on a tripod more than my spotter. Spotter is great for a closer look, but causes alot of eye strain for me on extended glassing sessions.

 

[WalkingBird]

I'd say spend more on the binos, the spotter only comes out when I wanna get a better look at something I found already, the binos are the real workhorse item IMO

 

[cahunter805]

Agree with above!! Spend the money on great binos! Sell the diamond backs and use the money toward your spotter or better binos. Buy the best glass you can.

 

[406LIFE]

Binos for sure.

 

[Huntkook]

You'll definitely spend more time behind the binos. I leave my spotter and use my 16x binos.

 

[Bluejeep]

Get the best glass you can.

Binos first
Spotter second

 

[MN Public Hunter]

Good lord man.....just read all the other threads if you know there are others FYI - forget the spotter and just get upgraded binos.

 

[Camdu7]

Upgrade the binos. You will be amazed on what you can see with good binos on a tripod. I use my spotter way less than I thought I would.

 

[std7mag]

Hunting on the east coast (central Pennsylvania) we use bino way more than a spotter!
That said, my budget still is limited. Hence i try to get best bang for the buck.
I don't need/ can't afford $800 glass.
Hence while i don't have quite the clarity as some, i get what works for me.

 

[Mica Man]

Binos!

 

[Doublegunner]

I think better binos will pay you more dividends than better spotting scope. Get the best you can afford. I have 10x50 leica ultravids and those binos have put me on deer or elk when lesser binos wouldn't have. I do have a kowa 88mm prominar spotter but it really only gets used occassionally. I would also spend the money for a tripod set up for your binos. Worth the money and weight.

 

[PrairieHunter]

8x or 10x binos, buy the best you can afford. Spotter is only after you have alpha glass in the 8x-10x range.

Better to have one ferarri than a garage full of ford, chevy, honda, kia, subaru, etc...

I say this as someone who screwed around with cheap spotters and mid range binos for many years. Nothing but a waste of time and money. I've used my spotter for about half an hour so far this season and won't even take it on my deer hunts coming up.

 

[PrairieHunter]

Hunting on the east coast (central Pennsylvania) we use bino way more than a spotter!
That said, my budget still is limited. Hence i try to get best bang for the buck.
I don't need/ can't afford $800 glass.
Hence while i don't have quite the clarity as some, i get what works for me.

There are a lot of good binos in various price ranges out there. The key is not getting ripped off buying on brand alone as most binos at the store are near 50% store markup. I like Cabelas but don't feel the need to support them with hundreds of dollars in profits on my next bino purchase.

Right now for under $200 you can get Bushnell legend M binos which get great reviews.

For a little more you can get a Maven C series which are also great glass for a few hundred bucks.

Look to birders and photographers for solid reviews on glass, hunters are uneducated when it comes to optics and normally recommend brands based on personal ownership. If a discussion about binoculars does not involve FOV, edge distortion, CA, eye relief, color warmness, etc it's not a real discussion. Hunters will primarily tell you to buy 3 brands, there are dozens of brands to consider. Most hunters have no idea the pentax, fujinon, takahashi, minox, steiner, etc even exist, let alone make world class optics and would be shocked to see what photographers pay for optics in those brands, much more in some cases than even swaro scopes and binos.

 

[mtmuley]

I took my 10x42 binos and a 65mm spotter on a recent elk hunt. What I can tell you is that spotter saved me miles of needless walking. Taking both again on round two of the hunt. mtmuley

 

[CForest]

Like many others i upgraded my binos first, and would do that again in a heartbeat. With that said every time I look through my cheap (vortex viper) spotter I hate it more and more. To the point I don't even bother taking it out of the truck anymore. To do it over again, I would rather not even have the spotter I own. I would go without until I could afford a good one....

 

[Doublegunner]

There are a lot of good binos in various price ranges out there. The key is not getting ripped off buying on brand alone as most binos at the store are near 50% store markup. I like Cabelas but don't feel the need to support them with hundreds of dollars in profits on my next bino purchase.

Right now for under $200 you can get Bushnell legend M binos which get great reviews.

For a little more you can get a Maven C series which are also great glass for a few hundred bucks.

Look to birders and photographers for solid reviews on glass, hunters are uneducated when it comes to optics and normally recommend brands based on personal ownership. If a discussion about binoculars does not involve FOV, edge distortion, CA, eye relief, color warmness, etc it's not a real discussion. Hunters will primarily tell you to buy 3 brands, there are dozens of brands to consider. Most hunters have no idea the pentax, fujinon, takahashi, minox, steiner, etc even exist, let alone make world class optics and would be shocked to see what photographers pay for optics in those brands, much more in some cases than even swaro scopes and binos.

I agree that birders probably know more than anyone about good optics. Before I bought my kowa spotter I did a lot of research on birding websites.

 

[BearFoot]

I can tell you that spotter saved me miles of needless walking.

Agree with mtmuley. I don't mind walking but, It depends on the country you intend to hunt, buy the best glass you can. I currently use 10x50 leica ultravids, and verify with swaro.

 

[Arch Stanton]

I'm probably just repeating everyone else on here, but a good pair of 10X binos (Leica, Swaro, Zeiss) are way better than any mid-range spotter. You will see more deer with the better glass and the wider field of view at distances up to 2-3 miles. I didn't believe it until I tried a pair of Leica Ultravids a while back. I think Leica/Swaro/Zeiss are all great, you need to pick the one that fits your eyes best. Swaros look "yellow 70's-ish" to my eyes. Zeiss looks too "blue". Pick the one that fits your eyes best. Put them on a tri-pod. Save up 2-3 years for a nice spotter. A friend of mine even uses 8X euro glass because he can use them better for elk and close up deer scenarios but the glass is so good you can see far out too.