I own a number of Leupolds and the VarX-II 2x7 has been my problem child. It will not hold zero at all. Been back to Leupold 4 times and each time they replace the friction adjustments. When shooting the 308, I can actually see the adjustments move. I was at the point where I looked at other brands for the first time in my life. Are all Leupold that bad, no way but this one is a dog and their customer service isn't really making it right.

You are also correct about the Nikon. They are far superior in clarity and light gathering. Not entirely sure about their durability but they sure are a heck of a lot nice to hunt with in the late evening.