Binoculars

J

jh205

Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Messages
553
Any of you guys regularly use binoculars in the wilderness? If so, what type are you using?
 
Using Vortex Optics binos right now. I have some Swaros and IOR Valdada glass too. The Swaros beat them all, but the Valdada and Vortex are very close for the price. The IOR Valdada's are very heavy though; made for hard military use, so I don't carry them very often. The Swarovski's I don't carry to much because of their expense and I don't want to damage or loose them. For the price, Vortex are hard to beat IMO and they have a lifetime, no fault, unconditional, transferrable warranty. It is Chinese glass, but it is BAK-4 with different levels of coatings and they have good QC.
 
Steiner Predators are good glass. I have quite a bit of time behind these. If you look around you canfind them at fair price.

Paul
 
I've been very pleased with the Leupold Yosemite 6x30mm (Porro Prism binocs) for woods use of late. Really like them for the $100 price tag. My better binocs are Nikon Monarch 8x42 which I like a lot. They are heavier, but work better in lower light than the Leupolds. I still have not graduated to the $500+ binocular level yet.
 
Just got a pair of Bushnell Trophy Series 10x42 for my tree stand. Very good clearity and light. I think I paid 120 for them on ebay New. So far I'm pleased with them.
 
I regularly use my Nikon Superior E porros, but about $600 and not waterproof. There are lots of good binos out there now, first figure out what you want them for birding, hunting, etc and what you can spend, and then check out Eagle Optics, good to deal with and you will learn alot.
 
Thanks for the answers so far. I'm specifically looking at Bushnell binoculars, and was wondering whether there is a significant practical difference between binocs that are fully multi-coated and those that are just multi-coated.

Cheers.
 
London Drugs, a canadian co., has bushnell excursion 10x 42 on at 229.99. These are fully multicoated,which transmit more light, which allows you to see more and better detail,especially in low light. The major difference between what you got and the excursion is the phase correcting on the excursion. I can't remember why this is a good thing ,I just remember that it is. Phase correcting used to be found only on thousand dollar per pair binos,but it is more common now
 
Steiner - excellent optics, very tough!

Word of advise: Buy small if possible, or even try for a nice monocular.
 
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One pair or the other go out with me every time I wander into the bush. My beater pair are cheapo 10x25 waterproof Bushnells, great value for $50, but they don't compare optically to my good pair which are Leica Ultravids 10x42, a hefty investment at ~$2000, but in my opinion well worth it (I use my binoculars a lot). I've also got a pair of compact 8x23 Nikon's, but the've given me nothing but trouble.
 
Oh, by the way,I use my binos every day and the two pairs I use the most are Bausch & Lomb, now Bushnell. One is the 10x42 elite and the other is 7x26 customs. Both transmit awesome amount of light. I can pick out more detail with my tens than I can with spotting scopes at 20x. The sevens travel in my pocket every where I go ,in case I need them,the tens come out when I know I'll need them.
 
Oh great McKrob,knife porn and bino porn on the same page,now I'll never get away from this forum.
 
I use an old 1950's era pair of Bausch & Lomb Zephyr 7 X 35. I have not as yet seen any reason to buy new ones.
 
Don't spend your money on $40-$50 Bushnell binoculars. I have several pairs. Raise your $$ sights just a bit and you'll be okay.
 
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