Hello guys, I am looking for a pair of binoculars - Specifically 10x42's.

I found a great deal on Nikon Monarch 3's as well as a good deal on Sig Zulu5 HDs.

Anyone ever handled both of these and have a comparison?


Alternatively does anyone have a suggestion for a 10x42 binocular that won't break the bank?

Thanks!

What's you max price you want to spend? I think they get better by increments of around $200 all the way up to $1k and then after that it takes about $500 to get up a level and so forth.

$150
$350
$550
$750, and
$1000

Around those price points seems to be where the quality changes. Less difference between them on the upper end of that scale.

I have the Monarch 7 10x42s and have been pleased for the $350 or so I spent.

I have used the Sig Zulu5. Decent glass for the money.

UncleHuck, have you compared them with any other comparably priced models?

There is about $50 difference between the Zulu 5's and Monarch 3's I am being offered. Really trying to decide if its worth the $50 extra, or if there are some other models I should consider.


Goatkiller I am looking for sure in the sub $500 range, and preferably the sub $300 range.

Thanks guys!

Vortex vipers are probably the best cheap binoculars you can buy.

Talk to Doug at Cameralandny

x2. They usually have some really good deals going.

I'm betting that Sig don't make any of their optics and some other, reputable company rebrands for them. Might get the same thing in the original brand for less than the Sig logo.

For what it's worth, I bought a pair of original Nikon Monarch 10x42 when I was in 9th grade. I worked all summer to buy them, I think the price tag was $345.00 at Buck 'n Bass in Memphis, TN (closed now). That was in 1998. The attachment for the neck strap broke in 2016 after A LOT of hard use. They replaced them, for free, with Monarch 5's. I'm usually a Leupold man as far as rifle scopes go, but my binos are Nikons!

Sub $200 vortex diamondback
$350 range Nikon Monarch 7’s

I've been pleased with my vortex diamond backs

Vortex Viper HDs

The Zulu5 compared very favorably to the Vortex that I had at the time. Sorry, don't remember which model, but I think they were a little more expensive than the Zulu5.

I have heard industry rumors that Vortex makes the Sig units, but I have not been able to confirm that.

As far as I know,Vortex doesn't make anything. They spec out designs.

Going to be hard to beat the Nikon Monarch 7's if you can swing a little extra coin. You are talking about something that you will use for a very long time if you purchase a good pair up front.

Burris Signature HD are good

Maven C.1 is probably the best for around $350. There are going to be a lot of the birding crowd that would put those up with anything under $600-700.

If you want to learn about binos check out all the bird watching sites in my opinion they tend to know 100x more about this than hunters. All the hunting crowd does is usually immediately start throwing out Vortex models because that's what is cheap and in the hunting stores next to the rifle scopes.

There are tons of companies make binoculars and many brands you've probably never heard of are well respected in particular those made in Japan which can be nearly as good as any of the European stuff in my opinion only at a lower price point.

I bought a pair of the vortex diamondbacks to replace a set of monarchs that had to be sent back for a warranty repair. I’ve been very pleased with them so far. Nikon replaced my set with a brand new pair of monarch 5s that I’ll probably never use.