I believe the BEST answer to your question is more about the SIZE instead of the brand. All of them make excellent products in that price range. Is there a difference in $300 and $1,500 binos? I'm sure there is, but I can't tell in real-world hunting situations in Alabama. I "think" 99.999% of us would agree that 10x42 is the best all around size, especially if you wear the little shoulder/chest harness. So I'd find all the 10x42's in the $300 arena and then see if I could scour the interwebs for a special sale (opticsplanet.com) (eBay)
If you can buy a Nikon, Leupold, Vortex (and similar names) for $300, you'll be 101% happy.
If you can't tell the difference between $300 binos and Swarovski EL binos, you haven't used them in 'real world's hunt I ng situations. The difference in clarity and edge to edge sharpness is startling.
We're talking $300 binos, not Swarovski EL's. The only thing I've ever noticed about idiotically priced "elite name" optics is how much the fellas who have them want to tell you about them. I used to hunt with a man who had a 56mm Steiner (I think that's what it was), for the rest of my life I'll remember that he paid $1,650 for it. "I could sit on the powerline at 8:00 tonight and see deer!!!" Great!...except we're not going to be doing that in a real-world hunting scenario. Was it extremely nice?....oh heck yes. Was it $1,200 better than my 50mm Monarch??...dear Lord no. THAT'S my point. And believe me, I am that guy who is in the tree 45 mins before it even remotely starts getting daylight, and I'm always the last one back after dark. Not ONCE have my optics been insufficient. I'm not in a goober shaking contest about my optics.
