Vanguard Endeavour ED 10x42 measured weights
765 g naked
809 g w/ with rain cover and objective lens covers
The Opticron Imagic BGAs that got suggested were ruled out on the removable lens caps.
I'm not quite sure what you're getting at here. I don't understand the question.This may sound absurd, but why wouldnt she just buy the ones she likes?
Right, and that's why I started this thread. I put together a shortlist based on my thoughts and since then the replies I have received have helped expand that shortlist with a few options I hadn't considered. Maybe I had narrowed down the market too much and the posters here have helped me look at other brands I had forgotten about. I wasn't expecting 100% agreement from all posters and for people to say "Buy these" and for me to follow blindly, but opinions from people on here are a factor as are reviews from other trusted sites. When we go look at optics I at least want us to have some idea of what we should be looking at - we can't look at all the 10x42s in the shop.Buying optics is a pretty personal purchase. If you want her to be happy with the purchase, nobody here is going to be able to do that for you or her. They can bring to the fore ideas as to what works for them
I couldn't disagree more. Nowhere have I said we're not going to try optics out in person. To use your analogy though there's no harm looking online at styles, materials etc to see what boots she might like to try on before we actually get to the shop.To me it's an excersize that is similar to buying her a pair of hiking boots without letting her try them on.
An update to this (not that anyone really cares! 3):
I have also been through plenty of online reviews and if it were me I'd been taking a long serious look at the Vanguard Spirits and the Eagle Optics Rangers ahead of the others.
I will update later when a final decision is made
I do sometimes wish I lived in the US with your cheap optics :-C Prices in the UK often seem to be about the same as in the US but in £ rather than $. Not fair when the exchange rate is more like $1.50/£With the Spirit ED presently available for $159, it is certainly an attractive option.