Complete Leupold Loadout or save up for Swarovski?

[roberte65]

Hey all, wanted to know what yall think about working to complete a set of leupold optics (in the bx4/ bx5 line) or saving up for a single set of swaro ELs or SLCs.

Currently use the bx4 10x42s and rx1600 for my whitetail and hog hunting in the southeast, but i plan to venture out west more and more in the coming years.

For the price of upgrading my main binos to Swarovski, i could theoretically add a bx4 65mm spotter and the bx5 15x56 binos and have most hunting scenarios covered.

Assuming ill be doing various types of hunting out west, is a complete set of decent optics better than one set of alpha level 10x42s?

 

[ntodwild]

No brainer....Use your money for other items. Your optics are just fine for hunting the west. You don't need 2000.00 optics to hunt the west. Heck you don't even need 150.00 optics to hunt the west.

My.02

 

[golfer]

I’d save for the Swarovskis. I’m biased and have their spotter and binos. I do think that you’ll have to research some as I want to say they discontinued the SLC line.

 

[nrpate05]

It sounds like you want to buy something, which I support. Having said that, it sounds like you may or may not have hunted out west before. I'd go with what you have and then figure out what you need down the line. A solid pair of 10x42's (which you have) will do just fine for the vast majority of western hunting. I would look into a tripod too. It can really help 'extend' their range and just makes glassing easier in general.

 

[Finnman]

No brainer....Use your money for other items. Your optics are just fine for hunting the west. You don't need 2000.00 optics to hunt the west. Heck you don't even need 150.00 optics to hunt the west.

My.02

X ten. Use your money on tags, trips, etc.

 

[noharleyyet]

Swaro binos....second guessing over.

 

[roberte65]

It sounds like you want to buy something, which I support. Having said that, it sounds like you may or may not have hunted out west before. I'd go with what you have and then figure out what you need down the line. A solid pair of 10x42's (which you have) will do just fine for the vast majority of western hunting. I would look into a tripod too. It can really help 'extend' their range and just makes glassing easier in general.

Yep, tripod is a must. Not necessarily looking to part with cash, but i can definitely find a use case for a set of 15x or a small spotter (range use, checking out deer and hogs in the agg fields, general observation off the back porch etc..), on the same accord, my 10x are on my chest pretty much all the time in the field.

 

[MTLabrador]

No brainer....Use your money for other items. Your optics are just fine for hunting the west. You don't need 2000.00 optics to hunt the west. Heck you don't even need 150.00 optics to hunt the west.

My.02

You don’t, but great optics sure increase your quality of life. Especially when you use them year round.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I acknowledge that not all western hunting is glassing intensive and certainly alpha glass is not necessary to have great hunts.

That said, until you stare through mediocre binos all day long trying to pick the glint of an antler from behind a shrub a half mile away, it's really hard to appreciate how beneficial top glass is. I'd probably trade the option of having a spotter at all for upgrading from B- glass to A+ glass and a tripod, and save up for a decent spotter as you go. Just one way to skin the cat.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Tripod doesn't have to be crazy high end either; I just bought a used Slik Sprint Pro III EZ off of B&H photo for my kids to use, $79 well spent for a known decent rig.

 

[brymoore]

If you don’t live in the West, I’d consider a lesser bread and potentially renting Alpha for the West hunts.

If you live in the West, save up for Alpha.

 

[wytex]

Look into some Mavens.
Used sub par binos for years then took the plunge, no way I would go back. You never know what you're missing till you have good glass.
You don't need $2,000 binos but I sure would get a nice pair. The quality of glass makes a huge difference.

 

[Fire_9]

I’d steer clear of the bx5 15x56’s. I was not impressed with these at all

 

[roberte65]

I’d steer clear of the bx5 15x56’s. I was not impressed with these at all

just across the board? or optical quality

 

[deer_shooter]

Save for the Swaro's, you'll be glad you did. Great glass is great everywhere, not just out west, you can still use them on this side of the the Mississippi too. If you are not opposed to a used pair, I just checked Ebay and there are a couple EL 10x42's for around $1100

 

[belshawelk]

Leupold. There is not a place out west that your BX4 10 x42 wont work. They will let you see anything you need to see at any distance unless you shoot a 6.5 Creed. Then of course you'll need to see further.

 

[Fire_9]

just across the board? or optical quality

Clarity is all I can speak to. It took 2 seconds next to a set of meoptas to make my decision

 

[brocksw]

Hey all, wanted to know what yall think about working to complete a set of leupold optics (in the bx4/ bx5 line) or saving up for a single set of swaro ELs or SLCs.

Currently use the bx4 10x42s and rx1600 for my whitetail and hog hunting in the southeast, but i plan to venture out west more and more in the coming years.

For the price of upgrading my main binos to Swarovski, i could theoretically add a bx4 65mm spotter and the bx5 15x56 binos and have most hunting scenarios covered.

Assuming ill be doing various types of hunting out west, is a complete set of decent optics better than one set of alpha level 10x42s?

Cost to benefit analysis on your part. If you can save for swaros rather quickly and it won't come at the cost of giving up too many tags or opportunities. Save for the swaros.

If it will take you a long time to save that money or it will cost you 2 or 3 seasons worth of tags and opportunities...then it's not worth it.

Life is short....let more hunting be the tie breaker.


I used to sell and have owned a lot of sport optics and one thing I've learned is that they have a disproportionate improvement in performance per dollar spent. In other words, swaros might be 2 or 3 times the price but they are not 2 or 3 times better. HOWEVER, the improvement that they do give you can be HUGE even if it's only a 10% improvement in performance over something half the price.

It will likely never be the difference between finding critters and not finding critters. It will be the difference between judging back forks in the first minute of light or not. The difference between spotting an ear twitch or not. The difference between being comfortable glassing for a little while longer or having eye strain and spending less time in the glass. The difference between seeing antler tips in the sage or not.

 

[Trial153]

Now is a great time to be picking up a used pair of ELs or SLCs because a lot of us have ordered NLs and are upgrading.

Personally before I even think about a spotter or high mag binos, I would make sure I had very good 8 or 10x and a quality tripod with mounting system.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I know there are horror stories, but I’ve had good luck with used Swaro and Zeiss warranty service. I hesitate a little more on Leica due to real and/or perceived warranty challenges with it’s second hand optics.