Kruger Optical (1 Viewer)

Steve C · Jul 11, 2009

I actually got this from another poster here the other day. I figured he would have posted it by now. This is a new outfit I had never heard of before and know nothing about beyond the web page information.

http://www.krugeroptical.com/ko_info_story.asp

FrankD · Jul 11, 2009

I seem to remember reading about this somewhere else just recently but did not have the time to research it further. Very interesting!

Kevin Purcell · Jul 11, 2009

That was me

I just sent the notes to Steve and Frank as they just didn't get me excited enough to post here.

FWIW my email had a some more info that I might as well post ...

I stumbled upon these a while back but never did post to BF ...

http://www.krugeroptical.com/ko_info_story.asp

They're in Sisters, OR (central Oregon), work closely with Columbia in Portland, OR (an investor or just partner?), have logistics in CA and their sales office is in Overland Park, KS (home of Bushnell!). That's where the VP of Sales and Marketing is. He worked for Columbia and is ex-Bushnell.

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/tow_release.php?ID=128073

I suspect this was their initial business ... designing and "making" bespoke optical components.

http://www.krugeroptical.com/pro.asp

They make own brand bins Columbia (the OR sports outfitter company). Curiously all 10x ED roofs (even 10x32!). And 80mm and 60mm ED spotters.

http://www.krugeroptical.com/malheur.htm

Seattle Times "reviewed" the bins on February 19, 2009 (they review bins ... who knew!). The reviewer is a freelancer.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2008757902_nwwgettingingear19.html

Of course, these binoculars will not match the quality of ultra-premium binoculars from Leica and Swarovski in terms of clarity, light transmission, etc., but we found them to be far superior to most other midrange optics from the likes of Bushnell, Pentax and Carson.

The Malheur 10x32 binocular retails for $219 while the 10x42 version runs $284.

Click to expand...

He fails to mention the FOV is 5.5 degrees on the 10x32 and 5.0 degrees on the 10x42 ... that's just not enough.

The scopes remind me of some other Chinese ED scopes I've seen recently.

OpticsPlanet represent them online

http://www.opticsplanet.net/kruger-optical-brand.html

They have a pretty wide range of standard Chinese OEMed products

http://www.krugeroptical.com/birding.asp

Actually there are a couple of interesting bins here but some of them I just find a bit odd.

They have an open-bridge (using a different enclosure to the usual Chinese EDs, I think) but most of that range uses BK7 roof prisms (which they consider a feature ... it's not a typo is it).

But it turns out that the top of the range does use BAK4 prisms and is FMC (the others aren't). Rather narrow FOV on the 8x (7° ... typo?) but a good one on the 10x (6.5°). Not ED.

http://www.krugeroptical.com/ww_roof.asp

There is one "very open" bridge, the Caldera, (like the new Leupold bins we talked about some time back). Not ED but claims of being "color corrected APO".

http://www.krugeroptical.com/caldera.asp

They have a couple of interesting porros but they're only multi-coated (the zoom porros are FMC ... WTF!).

http://www.krugeroptical.com/ww_porro.asp

They have everything in their two PDF catalogs: one for Kruger Optical the other for Columbia Sports Optics.

http://www.krugeroptical.com/docs/catalog_09_KO.pdf
http://www.krugeroptical.com/docs/catalog_09_CS_optics.pdf

I think the Columbia Malheur 60mm and 80mm ED spotters are potentially the most interesting optics here.

http://www.krugeroptical.com/malheur_spotters.asp

BTW, they're named for Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Princeton, Oregon

http://www.fws.gov/malheur/

I think they're the first optics I've seen named after a NWR (good for both hunters and birders!).

rivergazer · Jul 11, 2009

OK, wow, that was a handful!! Not sure I digested it all but do I take it that we don't all have to run and cancel our Zen ED2 pre-orders?

marty

FrankD · Jul 12, 2009

I just sent the notes to Steve and Frank as they just didn't get me excited enough to post here.

For something that did not get you excited enough you certainly had a lot to comment on.

I would hate see something you actually were very excited about.

I have to say that I do agree with you. It seems that many of the typical "higher quality" characteristics are not found in all the bins despite the fact that most other companies now have them at every price point.

RG,

No, I do not think there is any concern over that particular issue.

The question in my mind is which of the bins is the most interesting and "worthy" of a review. Thoughts?

Steve C · Jul 12, 2009

There are two binoculars there that interest me. One is the Kruger Caldera. It seems to have most high end features except for it appears to have silver enhanced prisms. The advertise APO objectives and have a 438' fov in the 8x42. They have the curious high placed narrow single hinge of the Leupold Northfork. Optics Planet has them for something under $500.

The next one is the Columbia Malheur. FLuorite objective in a less than $300 price range. Optics Planet has these too. Malheur, as Kevin pointed out is the name of a National Wildlife Refuge (one birding destination every serious western US birder needs to see). It is also the name of a river and the name of an Oregon county larger than most New England States. It is largely remote, distant, unpopulated, huge, and quiet.

The quality of the image of the silver enhanced prisms of some recent Chinese binoculars may well not bode against either of these. Are they worth it? Who knows, but those do interest me.

Kevin Purcell · Jul 12, 2009

FrankD said:
For something that did not get you excited enough you certainly had a lot to comment on.

I would hate see something you actually were very excited about.

Well, Steve made me do it ... after all I'd already typed up that stuff!

FrankD said:
The question in my mind is which of the bins is the most interesting and "worthy" of a review. Thoughts?

I think the Caldera might be interesting. I still can't believe that enclosure can stand up to abuse ... it may well do but "it just don't seem right".

I don't think you need to cancel those ZR orders ... the ZR ED that most interest us don't really have a match here.

I think the Malheur bins are serious miss.

Of course, I'd love to try out the Malheur spotters. I wonder how they compare with the Bushnell ED spotters in the same sort of price class.

FrankD · Jul 13, 2009

I agree on the two bins mentioned. An order to Optics Planet may be in order.

Steve C · Jul 13, 2009

Kevin Purcell said:
Well, Steve made me do it ... after all I'd already typed up that stuff!

I think the Malheur bins are serious miss.

Kevin, I had to make you do it. You admitted you might not post it.

I agree there is the potential for a miss on the part of the Malheur. But on the other hand, there might be a diamond in the rough if a couple of details were attended properly. So they are in my "interesting" list untill I get my hands on them , or not.

The whole bunch may or may not be a miss, but I suspect there is some potentially good stuff in there.

FrankD · Jul 13, 2009

So, where do you expect them to be coming from? The usual Bosma route...hmm, a comparison between the Bosma bins and the Kruger choices may be in order.

Steve C · Jul 13, 2009

They say in their website that their optical factories are in Shanghai. Seems like Bosma is elsewhere. There is also talk on the website of their "Crafted in the USA" label, that the binoculars are assembled here in the US. There is the claim they design the binoculars here as well. I guess that "designed" statement has been bumped around here often enough.

Kevin Purcell · Jul 13, 2009

I doubt that Steve ... "crafted" is one of those words that means whatever you want it to mean. If they were Made or Assembled in the USA they would use those words. If they don't ... they aren't.

They're probably from a variety of Chinese OEMs.

MacGee · Jul 13, 2009

Malheur may be the name of a National Wildlife Reserve, but still, I don't think it's a good idea to name binoculars 'Bad Luck'.

Michael

Steve C · Jul 13, 2009

MacGee said:
Malheur may be the name of a National Wildlife Reserve, but still, I don't think it's a good idea to name binoculars 'Bad Luck'.

Michael

Good point. There has been some historical evidence of bad luck in that large, dry, desolate area. French trappers first named it and westward settlers confirmed it.

FrankD · Jul 13, 2009

Good point. I had no idea that is what the name meant.

I do like the use of the creative word "crafted". It would be interesting to see exactly what is done where. Though if the quality control level is good then I am not sure that it would matter much.

Did you get curious enough to drop them an email yet Steve?

You always do.

Steve C · Jul 13, 2009

Frank,

I will indeed contact them. Hey, at worst all they can say is no thanks.

Which is entirely understandable since they don't know me at all. I'll refer them to this link, which may kill the deal, who knows.

I don't mind giving Optics Planet the card info and order, but unless I have a good idea I'm ordering something I will likely want to keep, I really do not like to order, use up their time, and send it back for a refund and use up more of their time etc.

If Kruger wants the card number with the idea that I will likely send it back, knowing that up front, then it becomes a different matter.

I wish I had known about them earlier. They do stock binoculars in Sisters. So I was within 20 miles of them last week.

FrankD · Jul 14, 2009

Cool.

Let us know if you hear anything back. I would be interested in hearing more about them. The way I look at...what do they have to lose? If you get them and post something positive then it will most certainly turn a few people's heads towards them. Heck, I am sure this post is already one of the first few returns on google when you type Kruger into the search engine.

Steve C · Jul 14, 2009

Well, I just got of the phone with a VP at Kruger. I asked about Crafted in the USA. He said they have moved into a brand new facility, 70,000 sq, ft in Sisters. They employ six optical engineers there and that is where they assemble the binoculars. They say the the engineers do all the design work in Sisters and ship the parts specifications to their Chinese factories.

I said, It sounds like Leupold in their Gold Ring Series. They said yes it does. He and both the founders worked for Leupold for ten years or so. There is no Leupold connection aside from several peoples past work history there.

I would like to have continued this further, but I had a fellow come into the office I had to talk to.

The short of it is that I will have a Caldera and a Malheur in my hands in a month. The Caldera is that length of time away. Their last prototypes were not up to what they wanted yet. I decided to wait and get both at the same time.

They said that extensive drop tests with that Caldera design "proved it works" to their satisfaction.

Kevin Purcell · Jul 14, 2009

Steve C said:
Well, I just got of the phone with a VP at Kruger. I asked about Crafted in the USA. He said they have moved into a brand new facility, 70,000 sq, ft in Sisters. They employ six optical engineers there and that is where they assemble the binoculars. They say the the engineers do all the design work in Sisters and ship the parts specifications to their Chinese factories.

Very interesting Steve. Is that all of their bins or just the top ("Gold Ring") ones?

The short of it is that I will have a Caldera and a Malheur in my hands in a month. The Caldera is that length of time away. Their last prototypes were not up to what they wanted yet. I decided to wait and get both at the same time.

They said that extensive drop tests with that Caldera design "proved it works" to their satisfaction.

Very interesting. I look forward to your evaluation.

Steve C · Jul 14, 2009

Kevin Purcell said:
Very interesting Steve. Is that all of their bins or just the top ("Gold Ring") ones?
QUOTE]

I found it interesting too. Yes, it is just the Leupold Gold Ring line, Binoculars, Spotting Scopes and Rifle Scopes that are "Assembled in the USA". But even nowadays, they don't make such a point of it. There has to be some sub-assembly stuff that is cheaper outside the Leupold facility.

Green Ring stuff is imported from Japan, China or the Philippines.

Kruger Optical (1 Viewer)

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread