New to Binos

I would like to get a pair of binoculars. What are some specifications to look for? What magnification range is generally accepted as a necessity? What would you recommend as a good mid range pair?

The Cabela's Intensity HD get great reviews at $199 - MASH

If your budget can go up, there are certainly better options.

10X is pretty standard magnfication

I've been extremely impressed with my vortex diamondback binos. Paid 189 on amazon. Nothing else in that price range even compared to them when I looked through all of them at bass pro.

I have some Leupold 10x. Glass is good but they are a little bulky. Im probably gonna upgrade the glass and go down a size.

Why do you need two binoculars?

Ditto. I love mine

vortex.

Vortex Vipers, they are crystal clear. I can't even stand to look through my Leupold's anymore.

If you wanna only make a one time purchase and not worry abt upgrading for a long time go ahead with Zeiss victory, Swarovski el, or Leica ultravids, this way you will never have to wonder if there is any better out there cause they don’t exist.

I prefer 10x42. If I was only bowhunting or in thicker woods exclusively, then I would go with 8x42. Vortex are hard to beat for value. They have a top notch lifetime warranty. Diamondbacks are good, Vipers are better, Razors are excellent.

I always like to go to BP and Cabelas websites to read the reviews even though I might not by from them.

I have two binoculars. One is a Zeiss conquest 8x30 that I use for woods hunting. I really prefer the smaller sizes of the 30 or 32 mm compared to 42 mm when I'm in a treestand in the woods. For hunting fields or clearcuts, I have Zeiss Victory 10x42 binos. Bigger and heavier, but they do offer greater clarity, magnification and FOV for hunting open spaces.

I have some leupold bino's that I really like 10x42mm pro guide HD I think, caught them on sale for about $350.

10x42 is the size you want. Brand is just your preference. We all have varying opinions, but I'd spend in the $150 to $200 range, anything other than that and you're just showing off
Buy yourself one of the little chest harnesses, absolutely.

I have this exact setup. The 8X30s I use in the woods and hook them to the binocular harness built into my safety vest. For green fields and power lines, I use the 10X42s.

Buy the best you can afford. For entry level I would go with the Vortex or Nikon Monarch. If you're only go to buy one set, I would go with 8X42s if you hunt mainly in the woods. I find the 8X much easier to pull up and get on a deer quickly than the 10X.

I second this

It's actually silly to recommend a binocular to you without knowing how they will be used. What type hunting will you be doing and how far will you be glassing?
Just remember that the more the magnification, the less field of view you will have at short distance.

Well it sounds like you could have a pair for glassing ag fields etc. and a separate pair for scouting and hunting?

Ideally I would like a pair that could perform moderately at both. Maybe 500-1000 yards for glassing and maybe 200 yards max for scouting and hunting. Not sure if that sounds realistic since I haven't incorporated binoculars yet.

Every time this topic comes up I always think the same thing....Y'all some fancy, wealthy sonofaguns!

Feels like Thurston Howell, III is up in here recommending binos.

10x42 are the workhorse binocular size. I got a pair of Bushnell I bought secondhand from a friend for $100. They’re great. I have some 8x30 Nikons for walking around. My compacts are really a disadvantage late, late when it’s getting dark.

wider field of view for deep woods. classic 7x35 that can focus pretty close. i've had a moderately priced pair of nikon action binos in 7x35 for 15 years. never have fogged. decently bright with an exit pupil of 5. focus is still as smooth as brand new. eye cups are getting a little flea bitten. exit pupil (divide little number into big number; answer is exit pupil; human eye can take in light up to 7; anything bigger is a waste) 7x42 would be even better with an exit pupil of 6. now, for vast game plots and cutovers up to the edge of dark, it's a whole 'nother thing. costs a whole lot of money to get an exit pupil close to 7 with, say, 10 power. then there's the weight factor that goes with more power and brightness ...

Actually, no one has recommended one of the big 3 I don't think. Swaro, Leica, zeiss
That's what I use and if someone tries to say lesser binos are the same, they're kidding themselves. I'd say how often you use them, distance you glass, and how critical dusk/dawn vision is should dictate what you use.
On a side note, comparing binos in the store will trick your eyes...

Oh, if buying from the big 3, look for demo deals online

You can add Meopta to the list of really good ones.

If you are really happy with an inexpensive set, never look through a really good set. You will never be happy with the cheap ones again.

I believe you can buy the meostar binos at Europtic for under $1000

Friend of mine once commented on his Swarvoskis: “I tell you what. That’s optical orgasm right there.”

I meant cheap binoculars in general. The Meopta brand is sometimes very reasonable, but they are a quality product.

I was hesitant buying mine just because of price but, I've spotted elk/deer ears, faces, and partial antlers from several hundred yards away.

The seller for me was elk hunting. A pair of SLCs, pair of Cabelas euros, a pair of Nikons. SLC guy says theres a 3x3 facing us in the reprod (approx. 250yds. My buddy and I with the Nikons and euros called BS... We looked through the SLCs and boom, theres a 3x3 elk staring at us. I was sold, my friend and I both own Swaros now.

If not spending big money, find a LEO friend or veteran and have them order a pair of Vortex with the pro deal.

I'm just puttin' it out there. In Alabama, deer hunting, there is zero justifiable difference between an EQUALLY SIZED pair of $1,000 binos and $250 binos. There is, however, a justifiable difference between the $250 and the $75 pair. If you can't see every deer you'll ever try to look at with some 10x42 Nikon ProStaffs (or equivalent Vortex), your problem isn't the binos, and/or you've found that 1 / 1bazillion circumstance. Like I said, after that, you're just having a goober-shakin contest.

I heard JohnnyLoco was your man if you needed a judge for a “goober shakin’ contest.”

Were not talking about $1000 binos. Swarovski SLC and EL binos cost a lot more than that...

That, and you may not be able to justify it but, with my Swaros and you with a $250-500 set of binos, I'll be seeing deer while you're not. It's a fact. I have Leupold, Nikon, and Bushnell binos, I orederd a set of Vortex HDs for my sons friend. Middle of the day pretty comparable, dusk and dawn no contest. The high dollar binos will out perform the others. You're only kidding yourself if you think they're the same.

I shot a buck last season while one guy was waiting to be picked up, and another was walking to the road to be picked up. They both quit because they couldn't see their field.
I was still in the blind looking at deer.

When a legal buck came out. I made a hole in him. At that point, I was grateful for the Swarovski SLC binoculars. Your mileage may vary.

I looked through my zeiss terra ed this afternoon. Haven’t had them in the woods yet but was impressed with what I saw.

Anyone else have these?

I'm looking for some also. I can't justify spending what a pair of Swarovskis cost. Is there something mid-range - $500 or so that is good?

nikon action extreme's have treated me well for years

Meopta, Leica, and Cabelas (made by Meopta), and Kowa all have some models in that range. I have had Vortex in that range that I also liked.

I would also add Nikon Monarch 7 in the $500 range.

Google Bird Watching Internet Sites and read up on their recommendations for mid priced binoculars. That is your best source of information. When it comes to optics deer hunters are about your worst source of information because we tend to gravitate towards what is in a sporting goods store not a camera store. So you are going to get a bunch of the standard 30% Vortex is awesome and another 30% Leupold recommendations. On the high end you are going to hear Swaro. On the birding sites you are going to also hear Swaro but there are a LOT of good binoculars that cost less and you'll get to read all about them.

Vortex Viper HD 10x42's are $500 and excellent

I agree with this. Birders are absolutely particular with their optics. A lot can be gleaned from them.

While the birding crowd might prefer to sip their Starbucks coffee as they gaze upon an early morning Ivory-Billed Peckerwood in their $500 Arcteryx Jacket. That ain't much different than the Kuiu crowd.

However....They know their glass. That is for sure.

You can’t go wrong with the Vortex Diamondbacks in a 10x42!! Wait til they’re on sale around the holidays and you can get a pair for around $150. I’ve done it 3 times (for myself and for gifts)

Nikon had a pair that were 180 marked down to 150 at Cabela’s so I went to get those but somehow walked out with the vortex crossfires. I am very satisfied. Couldn’t tell much difference so I went to no fault warranty that vortex offers

id rather have 8x42 IMO I prefer a wider field of view to the little bit of extra magnification ive had a pIr of $200 leupolds for over 5 years I cant complain about them I could never justify spending $2-3k on binoculars we aint glassing elk at 2000 yards we just need to be able to spot movement at the clearcut edge 150 yards away

Every single time! Seems like half these folks got gear piled up that cost as much as my house.

I got the Vortex Crossfires from Midway about 6 months ago for $149 delivered. Fogproof, unconditional warranty, a lot of bang for the money.

So very simply...buy the best you can afford. There are some good ones including vortex and Nikon that are reasonable in price that function well.

Anyone who says that Swarovski or Leica are not better than the rest either don’t own a pair or just can’t afford it. There is a huge difference.

One warning is that Zeis Terra has major QC problems so it is a crap shoot on whether or not you get a good one.

I wear Kuiu, also Sitka and First Lite. Im norhing like a birder... Having quality gear that serves its purpose is just smart...

Its got nothing to do with being rich. I have a side job that supports my outdoor habit. I have Swaros, as well as top of the line gear. I don't blow my money on anything but hunting stuff lol. My hunting buddies pretty much the same. It Only makes sense to buy top notch. I've wasted so much money over the years, i refuse to do it anymore. Save up and get the best. That way ya don't have 4 other pair of binos in a closet like i do.

Very dumb post there.

Whatever, my Swaros will find a deer at 200yds, Dawn/dusk when the $250 pair of nikons still see dark... In Alaska and here again in Oregon, we laid out multiple pair of binos and compared on more than one occasion. The big 3 wins every time. Swaros, Leica, Zeiss.
When I had a guy look at a bear in a thicket and point it out, I looked through my Nikons, nothing. Called BS and took his binos. Big ass brown bear staring right at us... There's a difference. His glass by the way were SLCs

No doubt. My SLC 10x50's are my go to's. People who say different like iklillbux just don't know the difference.

I got 10x42 SLC. We have compared to 10x42ELs multiple times and really can't tell a $500 difference. The field flatteners or whatever are recognizable on the outer edges but, that's all.

I'm ready to try out these Leica 10x42 geovid rangefinding binos this season too.

If you aint looking thru $2500 binos, shooting a $4000 rifle/scope combo, wearing $1200 in sitka gear, driving a $20,000 SxS to your shooting house and paying $12,000 to hunt high fence with a guide you aint hunting might as well just stay home you're wasting your time.

Lots of unhelpful posts here....once again, lots of functional Binos in the$500 range. Nothing wrong with that. But please don’t try to argue that they are like what Kodiak06 calls the big 3. My boys use my old Pentax, Nikon, and Leopoldo Binos. When they make their own money they can decide whether to upgrade. I agree that I would rather have one set of $2000 binos than a closet full of midrange binos. That goes for rangefinders and scopes too.
Buy the best you can afford and don’t look back.

True... One thing people should know is you can look at optics planet and other stores alike and purchase demos. My SLCs are demos, not a scratch on them when i purchased them. They also have demos from other manufacturers. It's honestly the easiest way to upgrade.

No one's said that. The Only thing said is comparing mid priced glass to top of the line glass and saying there's no difference is incorrect.

Out west I could see a need for binoculars but never in my 30 years on this earth have i ever needed a pair of binoculars while hunting.

Hunting down there I've found several deer bedded in clearcut I couldn't see with my eyes. With that said, I've hunted without binos more than i have with down south. Here, if I forget my binos, I'll only hunt timber. I think that's happened once in the last 8yrs.

Wait until your eyes go in the crapper like mine and you will appreciate the value of a good binocular when hunting the woods in Alabama. When I'm sitting on a big field, they are a must have as I can barely see a deer at 300 yards in daylight, not to mention when the sun is setting.

Well I guess if you're a brown it's down hunter then no you don't need binos down here

Are you serious or just trying to get a reaction??? Either you don't hunt cutover or you are missing a lot of deer. My son, who has the best vision of anyone I know (20/10), who can spot a bedded deer in a thicket, always has a pair of binos with him while hunting. I guess if you are in the "if it's brown, it's down" club, then they may lose a little important, but to judge a deer at distance or in low light conditions, they are vitally important.

If you gotta look through binos to tell if a buck is a "shooter" it probably aint

Has nothing to do with that. But it is nice to spot a shooter standing off in the woods and be ready when he hits the opening.

Not to mention that at last light on a greenfield a good pair of binoculars always outperform a scope at identifying a deer that just stepped into the field. Seeing a body decent to make a shot and knowing exactly what type of rack, or saying for sure that’s a doe and not a spike, are two different things

Doesn't matter tho cause the tasco scope toting $40 brunton bino club is still gonna be the first one back to camp complaining they just couldn't tell he was big enough with their 2.5 yr old 8 on the back of the 4 wheeler

I feel like walking back to the truck when I forget my binos. I use them all the time, bow or gun hunting. I think binos are a great tool.

I can’t imagine hunting without binos. If I happen to forget them, I’d go back to truck or camp and get them. Binos make a significant difference in spotting deer

Cmon man. My wife bought me that Nice scope for Xmas....and I got a great deal on those Binos.

And honestly..he really did look a lot bigger in the fading light.......

Once you get a good pair of Binos you will use them a LOT more than you ever did a cheap pair. I use my Binos while hunting more than anything else I take with me. Don't skimp if you can afford it. I would spend 2x or 3x the money on some Binos than a scope for the distances we typically shoot here in Alabama.

After looking around, here is one thing I have found to be fairly consistent on recommendations, FWIW, that in many binoculars, 8 X 42 maybe better for you than 10 X 42. This is because of the "exit pupil" which allows more light to reach the eye. Google it and you can read what I am talking about. And of course, quality does matter, but you have to fit your budget. I'm going to buy the best I can with the money I have. If they aren't $2000 Swarvorskis, then so be it. It's not going to ruin my hunting. I'm going to enjoy it no matter what.

That's good thinking. I was pushing 50 before getting my Swaros… I do wish I'd did it 20yrs ago when they were $800 lol

Don't hunt cutover and don't hunt fields. The stuff I normally hunt is so thick that if you're fumbling with binoculars then he is already gone

Once you get some Swaros or Leica, you look forward to using them! When I was young I didn’t use binos when hunting because mine were Tasco crap! My scope was much better. So I really didn’t see all the fuss about it until I had a friend let me use his Pentax binos. Then I realized I was missing something

Carson makes some decent glass in the $200-400 range. That brand is very popular with the bird watchers and has a fantastic warranty. I’m on my second pair, as the first pair broke where the harness connects. Sent them in and they sent me a new pair all inside of 7 days.

I also have a set of midrange Sigs in 10x42. They are maybe a tad better than the Carson but a little lighter.

Swarovski is on my list and I will eventually end up with a pair. They are worth the cost if glass a good bit.

I think Cabela’s is going to have a pretty good Black Friday sale on Vortex Diamondbacks, probably about $100 off the normal price (at least they have the past 2 years). Qtys are limited and they go pretty fast, but keep an eye out for that if you are interested.

I'll second this.

You'd be amazed how well you can see into thick stuff with binos. You might ought to open your mind then open your eyes. I'd hunt without a gun before I hunted without binos

I purchased a pair of Vortex Diamondback 10x42’s yesterday to use for strictly bowhunting. They rival my Kahles 10x42’s. They’re bright and extremely clear.

I’ve been looking at this one for a while, I like the single tube over the double. Has anyone used it or one similar?

That's fine to check something out real quick but, there's no way I'd try to actually spend time glassing with that.

Field of view has to be less than binos

That’s all I’m wanting them for it’s thick where I’m hunting so I’m not looking at anything over 100-150 yards

Waaay less and the light transmission will be terrible. Only good for quick viewing in good light at close to moderate distances.

Probably? I try to remove the “probably’s” when I can. Your definition of a shooter and mine are probably 2 different things. I had a really nice 9 pt, on several occasions last year at 125 yards. Through the naked eye, my mind said shooter. He was with a doe the first time I saw him. After looking through my binos, I judged him to be 3 1/2, so he got a pass. I ended up seeing him several more times. I saw 5 or 6 nice racked bucks that got a pass because after looking at them, I didn’t think they were old enough.

Your comment sounds like you do not appreciate or use good binoculars. It’s the equivalent of taking dieting advice from a fat person

That was just a little jab at all y'all trophy hunters, I shoot what I want to shoot. I do use binos, best I can afford and they are glued to my head 1/2 the time I am in the stand and on the way to the stand. The sad thing is I've seen most of the bucks on camera and know exactly what it is as soon as I see him binos or not. So it's a nice surprise when a new bruiser shows up during the rut.