Brunton
 

What's with Brunton, they've been showing up on camofire a lot lately. Priced like quality optics, but I really haven't heard much about them over the years. What would they be comparable to: Tasco, Burris, Nikon or Vortex, better??

I have a set of Brunton 8x42 Binocs that are pretty good. Would not consider my Bruntons very high end, but a step above Tasco.

Similar to Nikon, Bushell, their quality covers a pretty wide range depending on the model line.

From what I've read, Brunton has been around for a while, mainly known for their compasses and GPSes.

Looking at their binocular lines, it looks like they source their manufacturing from the same overseas suppliers as Vortex and Zen-Ray. So my first assumption is that they are mostly imported, mid-range quality, and probably a decent value. Their higher end lines are a little pricey, but at that point you usually get what you pay for.

I've been seeing this more and more lately. The big names in optics are becoming less and less relevant as more companies are offering a good product, good warranties, and competitive prices. Six months ago nobody knew who Bresser was, now we're having trouble keeping the Everest binoculars in stock because they're so popular.

I'll check out more on Brunton and see if I can find out more details.

I have a cheapie Brunton spotter I use at the range only. It's ok but nothing to write home about.

Thanks all.
"The big names in optics are becoming less and less relevant as more companies are offering a good product, good warranties, and competitive prices. Six months ago nobody knew who Bresser was, now we're having trouble keeping the Everest binoculars in stock because they're so popular."
That's an interesting observation. Hopefully the competition leads to falling prices -- the Bruntons I've seen were in the Vortex HD to Razor price range. Makes it hard on the consumer to keep up though, and I'm sure some unscrupulous companies would not be above taking advantage of the confusion.

Lifetime warranty from a company with a proven track record.

Buy it once !!!

No doubt. I've really been trying to cut through a lot of the noise in the optics market in the last few months - not just to be better informed, but to be able to pass good info on to customers and members here. I've managed to uncover a lot of companies flying under the radar. Bresser stands out because we took a chance with them and they have started building a following.

I spoke to somebody at Brunton about their optics, and we may be getting some units in for evaluation. Just looking at the designs of some of their binocular lines, I can see definite similarities with Vortex. I think (don't quote me on this) that they do source their product from the same manufacturers as Vortex and Zen-Ray. That's not a bad thing - both of those companies offer great product that's made overseas, and Zen-Ray has made a lot of people in the birdwatching community very happy. Those guys can be hard to please, but that's because they know more about optics than most people, myself included! Some of the bino threads on birdforum make my head hurt.

I look at it this way: If you are going to buy a pair of binoculars that is made in the same factory with the same glass and a comparable warranty, do you want to pay double the price for the name that's on the box? A lot of guys do, and that's why the alpha-glass manufacturers still thriving. Others are looking for a deal and there's lots to choose from. I certainly don't need to be able to count the feathers on a bird or the hairs on a whitetail at 200 yards - a clear image and good warranty goes a long way for me personally.

As far as falling prices, we're definitely seeing that. Two or three years ago you just didn't see ED glass in binoculars under $500 or so. Now you can get quality ED optics at half that price with good warranties. And every company I've partnered with in the last several months has a good track record of customer service as well, which is a big consideration. Celestron, Bresser, Minox, they've all been excellent companies to work with and my customers have had nothing but good things to say.

I'd love to see all this stuff made in the USA, but this is a reality of an interconnected world and free trade.

I think bird watchers are so knowledgeable about optics because that's pretty much their only piece of equipment besides maybe a camera and tripod. You can't be that specialized if you have to be knowledgeable about guns, bows, boots, packs, treestands/blinds, calls, etc.
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"If you are going to buy a pair of binoculars that is made in the same factory with the same glass and a comparable warranty, do you want to pay double the price for the name that's on the box?"
No, but, you say "comparable warranty" -- can an upstart really have a comparable warranty to an established company with the resources to stand behind their product and the likelihood that they'll be around to back it up? Probably not worth double, but it's worth something.

Absolutely. One thing you get from those upstarts that you may not get from big companies is personalized support. Even as a dealer, it can be difficult at times to get through to somebody at some of the larger companies and have an issue taken care of quickly. Not naming any names, but the corporate structure can be very frustrating.

The companies in the US that are considered upstarts, like Bresser, Minox, Vixen, etc., are really just US divisions of parent companies that have been around for a while. Bresser, for example, has one distributor in the US. But they've been operating in Germany since 1957. Minox has been making cameras since the '40s. Vixen started in 1954, but was only known as Vixen as early as 1970. So I wouldn't say they're fledgling upstarts, rather they are just new to us.

Don't get me wrong, there's definitely some companies out there that scream "STAY AWAY!" :happy0157: