oeh if the truth be known, the entire Monarch line (binocs, scopes) is perhaps the most value on the market. (Did I just say that, I who preaches the gospel according too Conquest? ) I have a 16 year old 4x12x40 Monarch that still peforms like new and has been atop a Ruger 77 7mag since day one. I likewise stuck a 3x9x40 Buckmasters atop an ol '06 earlier this season simply because I wont use it but maybe once every couple of years. Each season we have a few ProStaffs and even a fewer Buckmasters come back into the store with broken reticles. NEVER have we had a Monarch returned, unless it was for customer fault repair. They simply are crafted with optics and quality control that rivals anything else out there.

Likewise for the Monarch ATB binoculars. The 10x42 (or is it 40? hell I cant remember) are an awesome pair of binoculars and rival ANYTHING in their size range up too about the $700 price range. They likewise are tough as nails.

One thing about quality optics, I have seen them from Europe, from America and from Japan. But I have NEVER seen truly superior optics come from anywhere in the orient other than Japan. That concerns me for Leupold as they are using Phillipene glass. The Monarch series components come solely from Japanese stock. Not like the ProStaff and Buckmasters (Phillipene and China) and thats where I think you see some quality control and durability issues.

As with anything else in life, you get what you pay for. BUT with some things (which I SOLIDLY place the Monarch series on that list) you get much more than you paid for!
RA