High End Binos

[PlanoDano]

I like really nice glass but find diminishing returns on the upper end. They make a lot of the same arguments that are made with Hi-end audio. "These are less fatiguing when you look through or listen to for hours". That said I pick my price point and buy the best at that particular price point. But, the same can be said for shotguns you actually use.

If you go glass spend some time on the birders forum. They are a little more critical.

[ColinR]

I've had a pair of Leica Ultravid 10x42 for quite some time.
I started to look at the Swarovski range. Bought a pair around Christmas. By far the best purchase I have made in a long time. Talk about happy and wish I would have done it long ago.

Treat yourself to them.

Do these have a built in ballistic calculator?

I have the Leica Geovid HD-B and love how I can enter the ballistics of my rifle and the binos will provide real time actual shoot to distances. No other binoculars had anything close at the time. Curious if Swarovski finally stepped up to the plate.

[Raypo]

It is tough to justify, until you do. Once you buy them, you wont regret it. It isn’t just seeing better, with more detail, and glassing right through glared up mountain sides. It is also so much easier on the eyes. No more glass head. I send my 10x42 EL’s to Swavorski every year for a fresh up, and they never charge me a penny and come back brand new.

[sideways]

Found these in the road today


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[GARY]

So I've had it in my mind that my next big hunting purchase is going to be some nice binos. In particular, the swaro SLCs 10x42 are the front runners. Now that the time has come, I'm having a hard time pulling the trigger on that much $ for binos. With a little over 2k in my play budget, I could get a nice over/under that I've always wanted, which seems crazy that they are close to the same price.

With plans to hunt the high country I know I need a good bino. Those who have dished out the money for high end binos, convince me it is indeed worth the money!

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I pulled the trigger at a season in Alberta in 2010. Game changer for hunting out west if you are serious and don't want waste hours stalking an animal that doesn't meet your desires later. I have had ZERO regrets with the purchase. Saying all of this, no big difference in glass for hunting Texas imho

[M16]

Found these in the road today


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Can’t blame the owner for tossing them out the window. Still not right to litter.








JK! Nice find!

[powderburner]

2 years ago I bought a pair of Zeiss Victory HT 10X54 By far the best purchase I have ever done for hunting.

I will make you want to buy better scopes

[Tbar]

Leica Ultravid 10x42 HD

[raider19]

Buy some Meoptas (great glass and are not far off from Swaro) and still have a little money to put towards a shotgun. Meopta makes really good glass

[WyoBull]

I have a pair of the Swarovski 10x42’s that I have used for years. Fantastic glass!

Several years ago my wife surprised me with a pair of Leica Geovid 10x42 HD B Range Finding binoculars. I have not picked up the Swaro’s since but my wife uses them. If my Swaro’s were also range finders I am sure I would be just as happy as I would put each brand on an equal plane.

My opinion is your glass, be it bino’s, spotting scope, or rifle scope is your most important tool in your bag. With good glass, you can look through it all day and not get eye strain etc.. Additionally, you will have them for a lifetime.


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[Landrover]

I had no issues with my multiple Vortex bino's. But when i got my Swaro's 18 months ago..........it was almost magical. Best glass i have ever owned and DON'T plan on buying any others.
I also wanted a Fausti over and under .28 gauge! I put that off until 6 months ago and hopefully it will be shipped before Christmas. But the SWARO's were a instant gain as the shotgun will be for "looking at" mostly.

[76aggie]

I have 8X42 EL's with rangefinder. I really hated to spend the money on them but I was hunting with my Bushnell 8X42 and was hunting with a guy in New Mexico several years ago that had the Swaros. He was counting points on Bulls on the next mountain and I could barely even make out the Bulls. That made a true believer out of me.

Not trying to talk you into anything. You decide what is best for you. My son has a pair of 8X42 Vortecs with rangefinder. He bought used on Ebay. He took them with us to AK last fall and he swears the Vortec's are just as good as my Swaros. I disagree but they are his binos. Good luck with whatever your choose.

[solocam_aggie]

This has been a great thread. Reassured me that I was making the right choice, and resulted in a great pair of gently used 10x42 ELs! Thanks Jake!

[Dale Moser]

10X42 ELs...it stung a little at 1st, but I should never need to buy another pair of binos.


Majority of what I use my binos for now is judging critters for others, namely my wife and son, and antelope in NM. I'd like a new rifle or two, but I don't shoot half the ones I own, and many times don't take one to the blind for me. So I bought the most useful tool for my new job..."guiding".

[lawbu]

Swarovski has also just come out with the NL Pure binos. They are supposedly noticeably better than the EL's and give you a much bigger field of vision. I haven't looked through them yet, but the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.