Rifle Scopes Hunting Binos

[oubeta]

I'm looking to upgrade my current binos with some better glass.
My budget is about $1800 or so.
I've searched and seems like most of the topics are somewhat dated.
Looks like I may be able to find some used Swaro's in this price range.
What models should i look at?
My buddy tells me the Swarovision is a must have. He said it's like night and day difference.
I'm looking for some pretty high magnification as we will be spotting grizzly bears from miles away. Looked at the Vortex's and they were 'just OK' IMO.
Any suggestions would be really helpful.

Thanks

 

[ggmanning]

Re: Hunting Binos

I opted to buy a set of Leica Geovids and replaced my old binos and my rangefinder. Very good glass and the benefit of a ranger too......not that you would want a combo but it made sense to me. They are in the 1500 range slightly used and there is a pair for sale in the adds. I have used some Swarovskis a lot and they are excellent as well but the Leica stuff compares very well.

 

[Whoshotya]

Re: Hunting Binos

Here ya go...
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2517515&gonew=1#UNREAD

 

[Opticsspecialist]

Re: Hunting Binos

i've been running swarovski El's 10x42's the past two seasons and i can't think of a better binocular.i've tested leica, zeiss, kowa, and many others, and i use the swarovski's. i might give the 10x50's a try this season, but i really like my 10x42. the 10x42 slc hd's are pretty nice too, people say they are a little brighter than the el's and the el's just have a better picture, but personally i don't see an optical difference. I also like the idea of range finding binoculars, but they tend to get a little heavy, and i've gotten good at ranging with the reticles i tend to hunt with. give me a call, i bet we can get you into something

 

[264win]

Re: Hunting Binos

I would only look at leica for that much $. To my eyes their binos are visibly better than any others i have tried .
2nd the geovids if they fit your needs .

 

[oubeta]

Re: Hunting Binos

Really looking for 10x as we as we are judging trophy bears from a long ways off.
I hate to hike miles over mountains for a dinky little grizzly bear.
Really wanting some power.
I have a good range finder, but not opposed to having one built in at all.

 

[ggmanning]

Re: Hunting Binos

Swaro el's are 27.5 oz and the Leica Geovids are 33.3 oz. So the weight difference is minimal and you can drop the RF from your pack. The Swaros are very nice though as a stand alone bino.

 

[scotharr]

Re: Hunting Binos

Do you have a spotting scope? That's the best solution for things really far away. If you're open to spending less money than you have budgeted (sacrilege I know ), then I"d suggest a Nikon Monarch 8x42($240) combined with a Kowa TSN-601 with 32X wide-angle eyepiece($650ish). Both of these are lightweight and have excellent glass. I think the binos come in around 23oz and the spotter is around 2.5lbs. High-end binos are really nice, but it won't make the difference between success and failure and they definitely won't replace a good spotting scope.

 

[nfoley]

Re: Hunting Binos

I have used binoculars a LOT for hunting over the last 15-20 yrs and have had a chance to compare Zeiss, Swarovski, Leica as well as Vortex, Leupold, Aus Jenas, and Docter Optic. I currently use my 10x42 leica geovids the most as they have the rangefinder in them and find 10x pretty much optimal for just about everything. I have used Zeiss and Swarovski 15x60s a lot and really like them. However I have found with the 10x Leicas I can use them without a tripod pretty well, and appreciate the weight on the longer hikes. Between the Swarovski, Leica and Zeiss it is hard to pick the 'best' pair. For my eyes I prefer the Leica. Swarovski has the edge on warranty in my opinion. Had a pair of old 10x50 porro prisms that I dropped right before a hunt years ago and they sent me a loaner pair overnight so I could go out of state on a mule deer hunt. When I got back they had repaired my binos and had a box for me to return the loaners!
In my opinion you should be looking hard at those three brands (Swarovski, Leica, and Zeiss) and pick the pair you like most. Find a good optics store or friends that have some and spend some time looking through them at different times of the day if you can. Honestly don't think you can make a bad decision between those three. And you can get tripod mounts for any of them (including the Leica Geovids which are not threaded). Good luck!

 

[oubeta]

Re: Hunting Binos

WTF is teh above post?

What power range do you start needing a tripod?
Are all the Swaro's with the range finders built in monoculars?
We will be spending 5+ hours a day behind the class so monoculars are out for me.
We used to get 'coon eyes' when I was guiding from the black wearing off on our eyes. The master guide we were under always knew who was working hard and we never could figure out how. He would look to see who's eyes were black

I would like a pair with the range finder built in, but it's not a must have as I have a great range finder.

 

[nfoley]

Re: Hunting Binos

You don't 'need' a tripod for any binocular. Personally if I am going to be glassing for more than a few minutes at a time I always use a tripod.
I live and hunt in western US - coues whitetail, mule deer, black bear, antelope and elk. If you have not tried using binoculars on a tripod I strongly suggest you give it a try - even 10x. I have used 8x on a tripod. You will pick up more game and stay behind the binos longer. You will be able to sit down comfortably for hours with no stain on your shoulders and much less fatigue at the end of the day. That being said if all you are looking for are grizzlies in fairly open country (even at distance) you may not need it. But you'll likely have a tripod anyway if you are using a spotting scope. If you are spending 5+ hours a day behind glass you will definitely appreciate the tripod! On Coues deer hunts out here we not uncommonly spend 8 hours a day glassing, looking for a buck we want.
And to date Swarovski does not offer a rangefinding binocular. Leica has the only really good binocular with built in rangefinder. They run about 2300-2500 new (all have the HD lens now). You can find used non-HD leica geovids for around 1500. I own the non-HD and love them.

 

[oubeta]

Re: Hunting Binos

Thanks for all the help guys.
Makes me wonder if I even need my Vectronix range finder.