A "decent scope" is all you need. But for ALOT of continued, hours each day of use, you'll get "your $$$$ worth" by getting the better stuff. My everyday/usual/ in the woods binocs here at home are 9x40 Bighorns (Steiner). But in 2004 I went on a mulie/lope hunt in Buffalo, WY. I had been wanting a high powered pair of nocs already for long range deerhunting & summer scouting, the hunt just gave me more excuse. I went with the 15x45 Conquest (Zeiss) and after a week of hours on end of use in WY, was I ever glad I had bought a good pair. The cheap stuff all works well at the sales counter, but hours & days on end of use out in the field will "tell the tale". No eye strain or headaches with the Zeiss! & 15 is not really that hard to hold still.