RE: binos
I have a pair of Wind River (Leupold) Cascade 10x42's. I love them!! I will, however, be getting a Swarovski Bino/spotting scope combo if I ever get the money. For the money of the Wind Rivers, it is hard to beat. Another to look at for good binos would be Brunton, and Nikon. They are priced a little bit less than the Wind Rivers.