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I miss Eagle Optics. (1 Viewer)

B

black crow

Well-known member
I miss the fine binoculars they made and I miss the friendly honest customer service I always got from them. I have one pair of 6x32 Rangers as a rememberance. I was looking through my friends EO 8x42s today that were over 20 years old and still working beautifully and had one of the smoothest views in looking through them. We were comparing them to some Kowa's and Celestron 8xs. They were not nearly as bright as the Kowa's but so beautifully sharp and clear an a nice neutral color. I have an overwhelming desire to shop at Eagle Optics and buy a binocular from them. I'm sad they're gone. They were one of the first places I bought quality binoculars from and whoever I talked to that first time was really a cool guy. I felt like I was taking to a friend and buddy and there was no pressure and no hurry and he wasn't pushing Eagle Optics. He really tried to help me find a good binocular. He liked his job and he liked people. Anyone else miss them?
 
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I purchased many binoculars from Eagle Optics and I was sorry to see them close.

I think that the first binocular I bought from them was their 6x32 Platinum Ranger which I still have. I remember shortly after buying it having it with me in my car when I had to drop off our Income Tax papers at the Accountants office. When I pulled into the parking space the hedge in front of me was full of Cedar Waxwings eating the red berries on the hedge. I watched them through the front window of my car for about 10 minutes with that little binocular and it was a grand sight! They are very handsome birds seen closeup in their tan military dress with their red and yellow epaulettes and the 6x32 with its wide FOV was the perfect binocular to use at that time!

Bob
 
Yes they are. We have a lot of Wax Wings through here in the late fall to mid winter.

I like the smooth body on those binoculars. It's a sensual pleasure to hold them in hand compared to most bino bodies IMO.

What was the reason given for Eagle Optics closing down? I thought their binoculars were popular and competitive.
 
black crow said:
Yes they are. We have a lot of Wax Wings through here in the late fall to mid winter.

I like the smooth body on those binoculars. It's a sensual pleasure to hold them in hand compared to most bino bodies IMO.

What was the reason given for Eagle Optics closing down? I thought their binoculars were popular and competitive.
Click to expand...
Vortex.
http://www.vortexoptics.com/content/about_you
http://host.madison.com/wsj/sports/...cle_dbc50ee3-34b7-5962-83e7-27c28377d4d5.html
 
black crow said:
Yes they are. We have a lot of Wax Wings through here in the late fall to mid winter.

I like the smooth body on those binoculars. It's a sensual pleasure to hold them in hand compared to most bino bodies IMO.

What was the reason given for Eagle Optics closing down? I thought their binoculars were popular and competitive.
Click to expand...

"... a lot of wax wings"? So, it was Oregon that stole our wax wings. They used to come through Lake Stevens in the fall on their way south. Then, all of a sudden, they stopped coming at all! Tell me, are Oregon berries that much better than Washington berries? 'Guess the wax wings thought so! :cat:

Bill
 
I miss them too even though I only made 2 or 3 orders... I talked on the phone with them a few times but only met any of them at the Optics Expo in April of 2014 in Ohio. Ben was awesome, as was all of the other staffers. They never showed any hint of frustration or negativity even though I came and went from the table and constantly carried bins outside to compare for most of the day. Ben always answered emails reasonably fast for someone who had day-to-day responsibilities and even opened boxes to compare two pairs I might be considering if he wasn't intimately familiar with both models already.

I know Ben is back in the business but I also think EO had a "synergy" that will be hard to match!

https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=357296&highlight=lizdas


.
 
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WJC said:
"... a lot of wax wings"? So, it was Oregon that stole our wax wings. They used to come through Lake Stevens in the fall on their way south. Then, all of a sudden, they stopped coming at all! Tell me, are Oregon berries that much better than Washington berries? 'Guess the wax wings thought so! :cat:

Bill
Click to expand...

They seem to buddy up with the Robins here. I posted about this in another forum on this site. I was walking one day about a month ago in the hills and came upon a huge amount of Robins and Waxwings going crazy on a small group of Madrone trees with red berries. The berries were hitting the ground like hail and every dozen steps I'd kick up about 6 robins on the ground. The Waxwings wouldn't come down out of the trees. It was an amazing chaotic scene with birds almost like a Hitchcock movie, about a half city block in diameter. Outside of that space it was empty of birds of any kind. I'd say there were at least 200 birds and maybe more.
 
To do honor to this thread I took out my Eagle 6x30s which I haven't used in a couple of years. I forgot how good they are. In the center I think they are every bit as sharp as my Meopro. However they are pretty soft towards the edge. Still I really enjoyed using them.
 
I miss EO too. I bought my very first bino from them and several over the years. I did get somewhat attached and considered them my primary optics store. I felt a little sad hearing about them closing. I enjoyed browsing their site from time to time even if I didn't need anything and the staff was always friendly and helpful. I have my Ultravid plus 7x42 (only bin I own now), an EO pocket Warbler guide and my EO mug I use everyday at work.
 
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I felt the same. I would browse their site often just to dream a little. It's weird how I feel so attached emotionally to that place.
 
black crow said:
They seem to buddy up with the Robins here. I posted about this in another forum on this site. I was walking one day about a month ago in the hills and came upon a huge amount of Robins and Waxwings going crazy on a small group of Madrone trees with red berries...
Click to expand...

I have a mountain ash and around November the robins and waxwings are all over it. It's a young tree whose branches are still thin and droop with weight, so the berries on the end are hard to reach and the last ones left. At least for robins. The waxwings can just loosen their grip and slide down the branch to the tip, then hang on and eat the berries. I couldn't believe the first time I saw that. It's little things like that right in my front yard that amaze me.
 
Ben,Nina, Tom Mike ad later Adrian were all great people even if Mike could be a bit of a grinch at times. I bought a lot of stuff from them over the years really enjoyed working with them over the years. Met Ben at some optics shows as well as Tom and Adrian. I haven't seen Ben since he mover to BWD and since they mover their Optics Expo to Philadelphia I'm unlikely to. A three hour drive from Indy to Columbus was ok but I not fond of Philly and It's a lot farther. Sad to see such a great outfit go.
Steve
 
Businesses have gone through some great changes and not all for the good. I remember a time in my life when certain businesses tried to attract people who had a personal interest in what was being made or sold. Not so much anymore. Too often now all you have to do is be a warm body who can do the job and the owners could care less what you're interested in.
 
Vortex

Eagle Optics and Vortex have had common ownership since they first started.

Eagle Optics was a great place to go, personal service, knowledge, and a wide range of binoculars, of all brands.

Now with the internet, things have changed, it is all about lowest price, point and click for the best price, etc.

Vortex is heavily into hunting sports, that means rifle scopes, some binoculars, and now have turned to China for
most of their manufacturing.

They do not do any of their own design manufacturing, it is just check the order blank, clone optics.

Jerry
 
The days of customer service are about gone. Doesn't matter what they say on their website to the contrary. I've been having a terrible customer service experience for the last 4 days trying to buy a binocular. OMG! Never from them again.
 
BC, for a better experience buying optics, contact Gordon ("proudpapa56" here). He runs a shop in Pennsylvania where I recently got my SLC 56. We used to have a nice one here too, but the owners retired several years ago, and it does seem they're a vanishing species.
 
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