[JCJ]

Does anyone have any info on Leupold's new gold ring binos.8x42 & 10x42.

[ranburr]

They are going to sell for around $1,000.00 and look good. You can see a picture of them on the Loopy website.

ranburr

[Pileatus]

Originally Posted by ranburr

They are going to sell for around $1,000.00 and look good. You can see a picture of them on the Loopy website.

ranburr

The 8X42 sells for $759 and the 10X42 for $795 on
binoculars.com

The body looks like Leica's Ultravid.
I'm not sure what the selling point is concerning a locking IPD.
The diopter setting looks like the standard right eyepiece adjustment ring.
Close focus of 7' seems nice.
IPD range is 56-72, the same as many of the top guns.

At this price point, it will be interesting to see what the level of quality is. In the field, I see numerous bins under $500 and smaller numbers of bins in the $1000 and up range. I cannot recall seeing a bin in the middle price range.

John

[ranburr]

At the price range that you list there are offerings from Kahles, Minox, Docter, Steiner and others. Quality is very good at this range. I like to say 95% of what the top of the lines will do for about 50% of the cost. These mentioned binos are used a lot by hunters and that really is Leupold's main market. I am glad you listed that price because where I typically buy my binos, they are quoting $1,000.00 and they have a waiting list.

ranburr

[Otto McDiesel]

Here is a list of reasons why i would buy the new Leupold God Ring binoculars

1. They are probably excellent. A few days ago I tried a pair of $269 Leupold binoculars at a local Walmart, and they were definitely very good, I mean, they had the “wow” factor. I am sure that a pair of “gold rings” will do 99% of what Leica and Swaro do (and at a lower price – I could spend the difference to go birding) In fact, the difference between the “Leupy” and the “fat Germans” may be small enough that I could not see it with my eyes.
2. Unusually wide angle of view. I think that I would like to look through them, and I think that the wide image will “fill my brain” – I hate looking through binoculars and feeling as if I were looking through a long pipe. Now, wide angle in a roof prism bino means that the edges will not be as sharp as the center, but it sure as heck beats loosing that fast flying dickey bird from view, doesn’t it?
3. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE MADE IN THE GOOD OLE USA!!! We don’t want Chinese binoculars, now, do we?
4. Leupold has customer support equal or better to Swaro and Leica, and here in US far better than Zeiss. A lifetime no fault warranty with Leupold means that I buy the binoculars and 50 years latter my grandaughter can have them fixed if need be.

Here is a list of reasons why I would not buy the new Gold Ring from Leupold:

1. I have been whishing for top binoculars for 20 years now. I finally am graduating and have interviews, and feel like I could finally get them this fall. And they have to be the very top notch. Because of warranties and customer support here in US, that means Leica or Swaro. I am willing to spend the extra $600 to get the extra 1% binoculars, if nothing else, out of vanity. I do remember a mountain in Turkey that I was too tired to climb to the very top, and therefore I did not see some bird. I still feel like a sissy. Getting anything other than the “Top Three” would feel just like that.
2. Can someone tell Leupold and Bushnell to get rid of their black and silver and gold design? Those are tough binos, not some freakin’ “iPod digital back scratcher”!

[ranburr]

I would have to say that warranty work is the one place that Leupold beats the crap out of Leica, Swaro, and everyone else. I can't tell you how many 30-40 yr old Loopy riflescopes I have bought for a few dollars at garage sales. I send them in and they typicaly send me a new scope. When you send them in a top of the line model from 35 yrs ago, they will replace with today's top of the line model. They are simply impossible to beat on a customer support level. Is their quality as good as the big three? No. But, it is close at a fraction of the price. You could argue that they make the most rugged commercial optics in the world.

ranburr

[Otto McDiesel]

Originally Posted by ranburr

I would have to say that warranty work is the one place that Leupold beats the crap out of Leica, Swaro, and everyone else. I can't tell you how many 30-40 yr old Loopy riflescopes I have bought for a few dollars at garage sales. I send them in and they typicaly send me a new scope. When you send them in a top of the line model from 35 yrs ago, they will replace with today's top of the line model. They are simply impossible to beat on a customer support level. Is their quality as good as the big three? No. But, it is close at a fraction of the price. You could argue that they make the most rugged commercial optics in the world.

ranburr

Same here. I got a 40 yr. old scope that was beat up real good, for $10 at the local flea market. Sent it in for repairs, and i got a new VX II!!!
Still, it will be the most expensive binoculars for me, because they will be my trophy after all these years...