I like to complain about the cost of top-end bins today, but I have to admit their inflated pricing is similar to what I see in other luxury goods these days. Bicycles for enthusiasts are in the 2.5-6 thousand dollar range, rather than being around 1-1.5 as was the case not so long ago (and you can _still_ get a great bike for $600). You can buy a superb watch for keeping time for <$20, and if you want something much less accurate but fully mechanical and self-winding, you can get it for <$100, but "respected" enthusiast watches are usually at least $1000 and generally several times that, even though most do nothing except imperfectly keep time and cost a lot to maintain. When you get to the "enthusiast" level for any product, the price will be substantial as compared to the humble alternatives that may work 99% as well (or may even work better, in the case of watches) for the job.
On the other hand, I have a hard time understanding why many of my middle class peers balk at spending more than $50 on binoculars. Many of them think nothing of spending $15-20 per restaurant meal on a regular basis, perhaps several times a week. Many buy _new_ vehicles that get poor mileage and spend many $$ on fuel every week. They needlessly spend hundreds of dollars a month on food, car payments, and fuel, but consider $250 a huge amount to spend on bins. I prefer to e.g. buy healthy foods at the grocery and do my own cooking. My food cost is ~$1.5 per person per (very tasty) meal. I know I can get a really good bin for $250, but I "save" so much money on food (and gasoline), that I can afford to buy a luxury bin once in a while if I want to. I feel fortunate that even though the high prices and my desires are silly and impractical, they are within my means to indulge.
--AP
