What To Look For In Buying Binoculars

[ArmyGrunt]

I was just skimming a website at the bino selection. A great many brands, various numbers associated with each maker's models.

What should i look for in buying this tool? I know some brands, though demanding a higher price, provide much better quality.

Is Zeiss really that much better than some others? Leica? Nikon?
It could be unsaid that the cheaper priced stuff won't provide such good clarity.

How much money should one consider spending for quality that will stand the test of time?

 

[CAustin]

ArmyGrunt buy one pair that will last your life time! And they do not have to be the most expensive. Try a few out.....put them up to your eyes and just look. You no doubt did this in the military and I suspect you will no what you like when you see them.

I'm wearing some very nice glass in the picture above about seven times the cost of the ones you can barely see on my son. I'll be taking the ones my son has on this next hunt. They don't weigh as much as the the 50 mm big green ones and they work just fine for my old eyes.
Zeiss is indeed great glass. But nothing wrong with any of the others you mentioned. The $375 Leupold ones I have work well and they are compact.
Plenty of people swear by particular brands and they have experiences to back them up in what they think. I lugged those big green things around chasing an elephant......will not make that mistake again.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

I am certainly familiar with how weight affects a long day traveling on those LPC's! (Light personnel carriers: boots)

I also have an inexpensive spotting scope that is terrible at sunset, so yes, I know what you're talking about.

Would there be any justification in buying a model from a renowned brand that is higher priced? $2200 vs $400 for the same maker?

 

[Lrntolive]

I was just skimming a website at the bino selection. A great many brands, various numbers associated with each maker's models.

What should i look for in buying this tool? I know some brands, though demanding a higher price, provide much better quality.

Is Zeiss really that much better than some others? Leica? Nikon?
It could be unsaid that the cheaper priced stuff won't provide such good clarity.

How much money should one consider spending for quality that will stand the test of time?

I've found asking the optics counter at a good hunting shop if you can take a few pairs outside during dusk or dawn will provide enough comparison for you to decide.

Most of the hunting I've done in the US typically happens at dusk or dawn, so optics that work best in low light is what I look for.

That said, I've had a pair of Nixon monarchs I've used for years that are as good or better than new models.

You have to find the ones that work best for your eyes.

 

[CAustin]

If it is worth it to you then yes. But the older we get our eyes take in less light and thus in some instances fine optics do more than you are capable of actually seeing. A good Nikon, Bushnell or Leupold pair around $400 will serve you well in the field I'm sure.
Now if you know someone that can get his hands on say surplus military binocs.............go for it.
I actually have a pair of WW II binocs that were taken from a German solider as he was being put in a prison camp. My Aunt was a nurse and a certain major USA wanted to impress her....if you know what I mean. I have them now and they are 70 years old and work just fine. The leather around the tubes is shot but the glass is great. Mass produced for the war but quality glass non the less. See what I mean about lasting a lifetime. But I bet they are in par with about a $400 pair today.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

I couldn't bring myself to ever pay $2k for something like that. I enjoy having nice things, but having nice experiences is far better.
Plus, a huge premium for binos would cut into what I'll need to save for a hunt next year. I've got myself drooling over a hippo/hyena trip with Marius Goosen, but I'm trying to figure out how to shove enough money back!

I found a few pairs of Zeiss Terra models for $350 and less. The bigger priced one had MSRP close to $500

Another thought, would a monocular be just as useful, or would that probably cause eye fatigue faster?

 

[Royal27]

Zeiss is indeed great glass. But nothing wrong with any of the others you mentioned. The $375 Leupold ones I have work well and they are compact.

Charlie makes a good point here. And so much depends on how and where will you use them. I have 2 sets how.

1. Leopold Mojaves that I paid about $350 for -8x and I use them when I know I will be in thick stuff most of the time
2. Zeiss Conquest - 10x and better at distance.

Both have good glass, with Zeiss getting the nod as you might expect, but not by a lot. Try a bunch yourself and read the reviews. You'll find what works.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

Thanks for the input. My local Gander Mountain is going under, as most probably are. I'm going to swing by there after class and see if I can't find a really nice pair at a steal of a deal.

Marius said both animals are probably best as might hunts, so I don't know that this would be a needed investment for this trip. I think what I have at home are Nikon, and should be sufficient, but if my daughter goes I'll be sure she has something as well

 

[Bullthrower338]

Army Grunt,
Binoculars and Spotting scopes are definitely one place where you get what you pay for! I went a lot of years and spent a lot of money buying cheap binos. I didn't believe that there was that big of a difference between a $400 pair and a $1200 pair. I got enlightened when I moved to New Mexico and started hunting with guys from AZ and NM, they all seemed to have high end glass and I soon realized what a huge difference there was between my Pentax and their Swarovski, Leica, Docter and Zeiss glass. They could glass all day, I was constantly taking breaks to rest my eyes. They were picking animals up that I couldn't at distances that blew my mind. The next season I had a pair of 10x42 SLC Swarovskis set up with a tripod. I started seeing what they were seeing! They taught me a hell of a lot about glassing, using grids and proper search patterns. I had a set of 15x56 SLC's the next season and a Swaro Spotter. I finally understood what they said was true about an hour behind good glass will save you a day of walking.
My 10x42's finally got moisture in them on a float hunt in AK in 2015(bought in 1998). I sent them in for repair and they came back completely refurbished in new condition at no charge. Customer service at its best.
There is some very good glass on the market at a lot lower price point. Leupold, Nikon, Vortex to name a few. I think you need to do as Charlie says and try them out. Optics stores like The Outdoorsmans in Phoenix, AZ will let you really compare between brands. You must get out of the store to really tell what's good and what's better. The earlier and the later the better. Look into brush, under trees, this is where the nut cutting happens, many brands will fade away when low light conditions arise. The good ones will surprise the most optimistic person on the hill. Another thing that plays in a decision is use. Are you going to use them on a whitetail hunt in a blind or a couple times a year? Are you going to spend days on end glassing a single mountain side for a Coues Deer? If you use them a lot it is easier to justify the large expense. If they will only be used occasionally maybe a good pair of mid priced binos will serve your purpose and spend the difference on other kit.
Sorry for the long winded response.
Cheers,
Cody

 

[Ridgewalker]

CAustin has given you good info. Lrntoliv's suggestion of comparing brands at a store is also a very good suggestion.
I used a Bushnell Custom Compact 7x30 for probably 30 years while bow hunting. Never needed more.
I took a pair of Nikon 8x40s to Kodiak on a brown bear hunt. The guide was constantly seeing bears that I could barely make out. He used Leupold 10x40s. Next trip I had a pair of top-of-the-line Swarovski in 10x40s. They were vastly better to look over two miles distant early and late. As CAustin said, they were very heavy! Now I mostly use a small Nikon Monarch 7 in 8x32...light, great optics, and perfect for bushveld where shots are rarely over 200 yards.
Each has its purpose. The 10x40 is a great truck bino while hunting antelope, or mule deer in the vast open spaces of Colorado and Wyoming, but terrible in dark timber or tight bushveldt. The 8x32 works great in the dark timber and tight bushveld.
So, IMO (quantifying.. in RSA I'll take my 8x32. In Namibia, probably my 10x40. Either after discussing with my PH.

Best of luck with your decision!

 

[ArmyGrunt]

Excellent points, Cody. And funny you mentioned the coues deer, as I had briefly discussed those earlier today!
You said you bought the Swarovski, and tried a few other brands. What was your runner up? And why did you pick what you did?

 

[Royal27]

Excellent points, Cody. And funny you mentioned the coues deer, as I had briefly discussed those earlier today!
You said you bought the Swarovski, and tried a few other brands. What was your runner up? And why did you pick what you did?

Swavorski came with a free beer koozie. Cody was sold.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

Hahahahahahahahahaha

 

[Bullthrower338]

Excellent points, Cody. And funny you mentioned the coues deer, as I had briefly discussed those earlier today!
You said you bought the Swarovski, and tried a few other brands. What was your runner up? And why did you pick what you did?

I picked the 10x42's because I spent a lot of time behind my friends glasses and loved them. The 15x56's were bought mainly because I don't like sitting behind a spotting scope all day and mainly use them for more indepth investigation of an animal after I have located them with the 15's. I can't say that I have noticed much difference between the high end binos. I was on a bear hunt in north west montana once where we had Swarovski, Zeiss and Leica Spotters all set up next to each other. We set the power to the same 20x setting and took turns looking at the same object. We all agreed that the Leica was the best of the three in that situation, but definitely didn't make me or the owner of the zeiss run out and buy a Leica. I owned a pair of very nice Zeiss binos. I gave them to my brother on an elk hunt and he couldn't be happier with them. It took a while for him to convince his wife that I really gave them to him and he didn't buy them! Lol
I mainly own Swarovski because of the service that you get from them, that's one of my main concerns when I spend money.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

Thanks for the input

 

[Bullthrower338]

It was a hat Royal, I don't give a beer long enough to warm up! I'm a professional dammit!lol

 

[ArmyGrunt]

I'll take a look at what I have when I get home from work in the morning. And have a shot at the Gander as I said earlier. The sale I found on that website is on for another 30- some hours

 

[Lrntolive]

Thanks for the input. My local Gander Mountain is going under, as most probably are. I'm going to swing by there after class and see if I can't find a really nice pair at a steal of a deal.

Marius said both animals are probably best as might hunts, so I don't know that this would be a needed investment for this trip. I think what I have at home are Nikon, and should be sufficient, but if my daughter goes I'll be sure she has something as well

Yep, Gander Mountain declared bankruptcy. I think they are going the way of sports authority.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

The story I heard was they tried to chase Bass Pro Shops and do a boat catalog, etc, and it flopped. Too bad, because that's a great store in my area

 

[BRICKBURN]

Funny Charlie about aging and your eyes.
If you don't have the light available for our older eyes you sure as hell won't see anything.
Light transmission out of a great set of lenses works for me. The more, the merrier I am: Scope, Binos, rifle scope.

If you can get a place to compare them side by side, no marketing bs, and compare the units in conditions you will use them. If you can't get outside, do it in a very dim closet.
Don't look at them before you use them. Have them handed to you blind.
Which ones do you see best out of and then: Buy them.