Best binoculars for the $$$$
 

What would be good binoculars in the price range of $100-$300? They would be used to carry in my blind bag for duck hunting and my backpack for deer hunting.

i just got some steiners for 199, the army type, and i really like them.

i got some 10X red head...so far so good, year number 3.

i got some 10X42 red head...so far so good, year number 3.

The Vortex Diamond backs are good as are the Nikon Monarchs. Both are about the same price.

I love my Steiner 8X30 Predator Pro binoculars. If you shop around, you can get them for $190-225. They are focused from 20 yards to infinity.

Vortex diamondback series. i bought the 8x42 diamondbacks for $200.00 shipped to my door. best optic buy i have ever made and a warranty as good as any on the market..

Vortex Diamondbacks are as good as they get at that price range in my opinion. Great products, super customer service and a warranty that is unbeatable to boot!!!

Who carries the Vortex Diamond? I checked out the Nikon Monarch over the weekend at Gander Mtn and I really liked them, but I would also like to see the vortex.

I've got a collection for various use I've assembled over the years, a 9x Steiner Bighorn for non-long range gun hunting, a 15x Zeiss Conquest for the long range stuff, and Zeiss and Optolyth compacts I wear in a shirt pocket during bow and turkey season. What do I use the most of those? The Bighorns.

Were I to buy a single pair tomorrow for all purpose use it'd for sure be the 10x Nikon Monarch. Awfully good stuff for the money, tough as nails and a warranty you'll probably never need.

:party0005:
HL

"Were I to buy a single pair tomorrow for all purpose use it'd for sure be the 10x Nikon Monarch. Awfully good stuff for the money, tough as nails and a warranty you'll probably never need." SS


+1

my nikon monarch atb have been fantastic. think i paid 299 for them few years ago

I'm looking into the Nikon Monarch myself and found them at a really great price. It's refurbished but if you don't mind that then it's a good deal. Check it out HERE.

leupold cascades 10 by 42s are awesome. Getting another pair this week and giving my other pair to my dad. Great warranty, awesome clarity and around $300

I do know that Bass Pro carries them and so do some of the gun shops.

I got a pair of Zeiss from my Dad, and my BIL bought a pair of Nikon Carrylites a few years ago for about $129.. One day we were sitting in the blind together and I was amazed how clear those Nikon's were.. There was a little difference the glass, but not enough to justify the price difference.

I use Nikon Monarch (10x42) and am happy with them. Watch Gander, they go on sale once in a while. I picked mine up for about $175 a year ago. You can save $20 if you don't have to have the camo version. In my opinion, small items like bino's don't need camo, as they are just a small hunk of green or black that isn't going to show up against the camo of your jacket anyway.

Zen Ray ED

Don't have the Monarchs but would buy one, things are nice.

I'd look hard at Vortex and Nikon for your price point.
I will admit to leaning slightly towards the Vortex line. Heck, I'm getting a Vortex over a Leupod scope because they impressed me so much.

Biker

Under $300 I would suggest the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD. ED glass objectives, fully multicoated lenses and phasecoated prisms plus they have Bushnell's rainguard coating on the exterior lenses. Regular price is around $225 on the net plus Bushnell currently has a $50 mail-in rebate.

Basspro has a pair of 10x42 on sale this week for 49.99. I bought this same pair back in August and they are waterproof. I used them yesterday in the woods and I got to say I am really impressed with them. Very crisp and clear optics

Basspro has a pair of 10x42 on sale this week for 49.99. I bought this same pair back in August and they are waterproof. I used them yesterday in the woods and I got to say I am really impressed with them. Very crisp and clear optics. Regular price is supposedly 149.99

I ordered a set of 8x42 Nikon Trailblazer ATB's on sale for $119.99 at Cabela's. I should get them today or tomorrow, so I'll report back after I get a little field time in with them. Pretty excited to try them out!

I looked through a set of 10x42 Nikon Trailblazers ($150) and 10x25 Nikon Compacts ($70) at Walmart and really liked how the Trailblazer performed compared to the compacts. I think the 8x42's will perform nice in low light situations in the woods compared to the 10x25's. I guess any binocs can look pretty good in a lit up store! lol

I recently tried the Nikon Monarchs, and Alpen Optics Wings 10x42, and the Alpen definitely had superior contrast and brightness to the Nikons, which were the same size.

I'll throw another punch for the Diamondbacks, hard to beat for the price. I have the 10x42's.

8X42 vortex diamond backs

IMHO, the Zen-Ray VISTA is the best binoculars under $200. people have reported that it has the same optics as Vortex Diamondback

http://www.zen-ray.com/shop/binocula...vista8x42.html

Nikon Monarchs all the way. I bought a pair of Trailblazers the year before last, should have kept the box and tossed the binos. Trailblazers were bad in low light, edge to edge clarity, poorly designed eye cups......... This year I bought 8x42 Monarchs and am quite happy. Very good in low light, clarity and are very light. Money well spent,

The Vortex Diamond is good enough. My husband uses it for several years and seems to be glad enough!

I have a pair of nikon,dont know what their called but they have a lifetime warranty and their amazing.They also travel good in back packs.But they are about 500 dollars but then again theres thati lifetime warranty.

I bought a pair of Nikon Monarchs, so far their great.

Canon 8x25 Refirbed with image stabilizer and they're greatness

_________________________
"I have busted more hippies' noses than all the narcs in the free world." - Ted Nugent
Chuck Dee - AKA Chris

I just bought a pair of Vortex diamondbacks and compared them with the Nikon monarch 5 and the both looked the same with a small edge in clarity to the vortex diamonds(at least in the store).