Quality Binoculars
 

I need some feedback. I'm looking at Steiner Merlins or Predators, both seem to be good quality. Does anyone have any advice on binoculars.

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

Yeah, spend as much as you can possibly afford. It seems in the optics world the more expensive they are the better quality they are.

Steiner's are decent quality from what I can tell. I feel that they are a little overpriced for the quality you recieve. I've looked through several binos that equal the quality of Steiner for less money. Check into Leupold Wind rivers, to my eyes they are better than steiner's for less money.

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

You'll find that most decent quality bino's are basically clear and your eyes kinda self adjust. The way to seperate them is to look through one, then the other, in lower light conditions.Light gathering capabilities aregenerally obvious. Same with scopes. For clarity, compare by reading writing at a distance and it should be obvious. Then there is waranty and reliability. I started a 10 day moose hunt with a pair of expensive bino's that fogged on the inside the first day....sucked, and the guy I bought them from was too far away to punch. I do like the Leupold and Zeiss. Optimum on your eye light retention should be the power goes into the objective 5 times..... like 8x40, and with better optics, you can fudge on this some. The big thing now is to have bino's that include a rangefinder and I think Leupold is the most reasonable...have friends that use them hard and like them. I spent the big bucks on the Leica Geovids, but was a tax write off for being a Professional Guide and they also offer Guides a discount.

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

Best advice.....don't look through a pair that you can't afford!!!
Because they will ruin you and you will find a way to afford them. Then your wife finds out that you spent more on them than you did her for Christmas and you get.......sorry. Got sidetracked!

I thought my nikon monarchs were as good as a man could possibly ever need and used them for years without remorse. Buddy of mine bought a pair of Swarovski's. That is the basis of my opening remark...beware when/if someone says "here, look through these and tell me what you think?" Next thing you know....you are looking at your old ones like an ugly girlfriend....that is about to be replaced!

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

I asked about binocks on here last summer for a friend who wanted the best. He took the advice and bought swarovski's at $1700 He brought them up from florida and it took me weeks to get over the crush I had on them .Like red said my leupolds and nikons are like a girl I never want to be seen with.I like to play hold'em 3 days a week [$5 and $10 buyins]last year I bought 17 dimonds for the wife with the winnings,this year I told her I was buying a new scope with my winnings .I didn't tell her it cost $2,000 ,after looking though it ,my leupolds scopesare looking like that chick we mentioned earlier.


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RE: Quality Binoculars
 

Im a firm believer in good optics, esp bino's. I absolutely love my Leica's. I will not go back to a avg glass now after being spoiled. Swarovski are just as good.

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

Opinions are like [the openings to rectal cavities]: everybody's got one, but the one that matters most is yours!

Find a place with the most pairs available in one place, & look through 'em all, outside if you can. Then pick the best one you can afford. You can shop online, & I highly recommend doing so. But you should notchoose a pair of binoculars online: you've got to let your own eyes choose for you! Once you've decided which pair you want, check out Camerlandny, SWFA, Natchezss, OpticsPlanet, Bear Basin,et al., to find the best deal.

I'd highly recommend going with better glass versus higher magnification. Make sure the eyecups work for you, especially if you're an eyeglass wearer. Spend as much time as you can looking through them, to see if any of them make your eyes tired.

Make sure the weight matches with your kind of hunting: lots of hiking doesn't jive well with ultra heavy binocs. Make sure the quality matches your hunting: tree stands in a whitetail forest won't demand the same level of glass as would glassing the canyons out west.

I'd also considerone of those elastic harness "bras": in addition to making you look incredibly sexy, they hold the binocs right where you need 'em, & they take the strain off your neck.

FWIW, I when I was choosing binocs for my 1st elk hunt out West, I went the the Zeiss 8x42 FL's. They were stupid-expensive, but I got a SHOT-show demo pair for about 1/3 off. I knew I'd be looking through the binocs all day, and through the scope for but a few seconds. I'm very pleased with my choice.

If you'd like more opinions, tell us a little more 'bout how you'll be using 'em.

FC

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

steiners I've looked through never really liked, not sure about the other brand, I bought some Pentax dcf sp 10x43 a few years back, everyone ive ever heard who has used them or looked throught hem love em, me included! fo rthe money $500 or so you can't beat them. Even every review online etc...ive seen nothing but 4 stars, ie 4 of 4 etc....

I think you can't touch their quality in anothe rbrand less you look at $1000+ brands.

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

I agree they aren't to shabby in their class. However I think the Minox HG's are actually better and in the same price range asthe SP's. Wasn'tto long ago you mentioned eye strain with your SP's;) Now best under a G?:eek: I owned two pair of SP's;the 8's were good but the 10's not so much. Personally I'd spend my money elsewhere now..just me though.

I agree with Folically Challenged, you need to try/compare them to find what is the best for your eyes and budget. I also a agree that unless your willing to pay the price don't look! It's how i ended up buying Swarovski EL's[:o]. I am really glad I bought them, however the visa statement hurt. It hurt even more when the wife found out how much I spent and then she got her shopping trip on the same visa number:(.

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

Like what was posted before, spend as much as you can. I own a pair of Steiner Military Marine and I love them, there are better quality binos out there, but I didn't have the extra cash and sometimes you can't argue with a sale..

But if I had all the cash in the world, I'd pick up the new Leica Geovid BFR binos with range finder..

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

When I bought my glasses I drove the guys at the stores crazy looking at the different models over and over during the course of 4 months.It still hurts to think of the price but The Swarovski ELs were worth it. I was also quite impressed by the Leica Ultravid but the warranty (10yrs) eliminated them.

I consider the Meoptas I looked at the best under $1K I don't remember the exact models but one of them was under the Cabelas brand.

In short we are still eating canned pintos, well canned pintos and venison but I just came in fron shed hunting and I am still very happy with the performance of my choice. Do your homework and think of the glasses as a lifetime tool unlike the disposable junk we usually stuff our packs with every season.

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

What every you do keep in mind inflation.
I have been wanting to buy a pair of zeis conquests which cost 480. at cabellaas for the past 2 years. They just jumped up 70 bucks to 550. As long as the dollar keeps dropping better buy now.

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

I'm in the Nikon mode. Everything I buy is Nikon. I feel prices are fair, optics are great, and you can get some good deals on them offa eBay.
Good luck.

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

I bought a pair of swarovskies from myfriend 10 years ago , i abused them until the left eye wouldntwork, sent them back to factory they gave me brand new ones , i dont think you will find that in cheeper ones. so if you spend the money your set for life.

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

Years ago I was looking at the Steiner binos, a good friend had a bad experience with there quality. He said it took months to get them back after he sent them in for repair. He also said the quality just was not there to justify the price. Hewas with me at the local shop & flat out would not let me buy a pair. He told me he wouldknock me to the ground & take them away from me, if I even got close to the cash register with them.
Ibought a pair of Pentex that year.Three years later I upgraded to Swarovski & never looked back.

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

Quality begins with the Pentax dcf sp 10x43, They're amazing for $500 ish, though now I want some swaro's, I looked seriously at the nikon.......forget their name, the popular ones for $300 and for that money i figured they would have been much nicer, if considering those I'd save my money and just get something for $100 or so. otherwise spend the extra money and get what you want/pay for.

RE: Quality Binoculars
 

Ditto what everybody has said about looking through binos in person before you buy. And notice that quite a few people posting here decided to upgrade later. I bought a pair of Swarovskis (7X30) about 20 years ago on a closeout sale for $400. That was a lot of money for me back then but when spread over 20 years it comes out to about $20 a year and the binos are as good as ever. Quality costs money up front but it lasts and then pays for itself, again and again.