Need HELP choosing Binoculars...... (1 Viewer)

nickmyron · Dec 5, 2004

I am looking to get a new set of Binoculars, I will be using them for hunting (deer, elk, coyotes, etc.). The terrain I hunt varies alot, everything from thick timber w/clear cuts to wide open prairie land (a average distance range of 25 yrds to 2000+ yards).

Right now I have a crappy pair of compact 8x Nikon's, and they just suck. I have looked through a pair of my hunting buddys Wind River Mesa 8x42 and I was amazed, I couldnt believe how much better they were then mine, I also looked through another pair of Wind River Cascade (8x42) and they were amazing also.

I have been telling myself that I am going to get a new pair for myself for about 3 years but never have but now I am going to, I just need some advice on what to get.

I am looking to spend between $200-$250, I want a 10x binocular, size isnt a big factor but I would like them to wiegh at most around 30 oz.

This is about as much as I know, I have been researching but am getting a little confused, I was just hoping a few of you could give me some advice on what is good and what I should get.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Nick~

gug · Dec 5, 2004

I have been looking for the same advice. So far this is what i have gathered for bino's in your price range. Bushnell Legend 10x42 is a good choice, if you can find them for $200 your laughing. After that pair the bino's i was looking at went up in price. Apparently B&L Discoverer's are great but they are a little hard to come by since they are now discontinued. Leupold Wind River Series are good aswell. They are also usually over $200. The pinnacles are the best in that series followed by Olympic's and than Cascades. The Pentax DCF SP binoculars get a lot of praise on this site, they are the best in low light conditions, which is great for hunting, but they also cost more then $200. Swift Audobon 8.5x44 HHS 828 binocular's are supposed to good quality for the price, so take a look at them. I am no expert myself but that is what i have gathered from other member's and other sites.
gug

IanF · Dec 5, 2004

Hi Nick,

On behalf of Admin and the Moderators welcome to Bird Forum :t:

I hope you are wearing a hard hat considerng this site is about wild birds with a fair number of members from the UK where the government has just banned fox hunting let alone deer :eek!:

Most of the membership though is a little more mellow and I'm sure they appreciate your query is regarding the optics rather than the morality of hunting.

Hopefully you will receive some useful info.

See you around.

ranburr · Dec 5, 2004

For $200 or so, you really cannot beat the Bushnell Legends. Roof prism, waterproof and descent quality optics. They actually have a lot of the same components that many of the Wind Rivers do (same factory for some). You might want to check out www.opticstalk.com. More hunting related stuff over there. I am one of the few fellow huntersw that you will find on this site. You can get good info on both sites, but you will soon discover that things that are important to hunters in optics mean absolutely nothing to birders and vice-versa.

ranburr

Windlord · Dec 5, 2004

10x50

I'm a deer hunter myself and just bought a pentax dcf wp 10x50 and I think
they are ideal as they are light waterproof and fogproof with great optics
They preform great in lowlight which is most important for hunting

Last week I was watching Sika deer on a hill about 2000 yards away and could
make out plenty of detail even at that distance

If I were you I would look on EBAY as there are some great deals there!

Beverlybaynes · Dec 5, 2004

Just a suggestion . . . Swift has a nice Ultralite bino that I believe are available in 10x power. Mine are 8x42 and I love them! Nice and bright, and lightweight.

Mine were available on Eagle Optics (wonderful online site with terrific service) for around $200 (although I got mine on sale for around $180), and you could expect the 10x to be a little more in price.

However you end up purchasing them, do take the time to get to a good optics store and test drive several models. Find a knowledgeable clerk, and one who will allow you to take the binos out onto the sidewalk or into the parking lot so that you can really see what they have to offer (how good a test is looking through binos to the other side of the counter, after all?). Use them in natural light if at all possible. THEN go buy. Buying sight unseen, so to speak, on eBay or similar, would be chancy at best, I'd think.

Bill Atwood · Dec 5, 2004

At that price you're pretty limited. You may want to look at the Celestron Nobles 10x50s. Eagle Optics has them at $279.

ulgah · Dec 5, 2004

nickmyron,
The Bushnell legends are within your price range. The 8x42 is $233.85 and the 10X is $10.00 more. Here is a link:
http://www.digitalfotoclub.com/sc/from-pricegrabber.asp?id=287246033&rf=pg&dfdate=12_05_2004

Bubbs · Dec 5, 2004

nickmyron said:
I am looking to get a new set of Binoculars, I will be using them for hunting (deer, elk, coyotes, etc.). The terrain I hunt varies alot, everything from thick timber w/clear cuts to wide open prairie land (a average distance range of 25 yrds to 2000+ yards).

Right now I have a crappy pair of compact 8x Nikon's, and they just suck. I have looked through a pair of my hunting buddys Wind River Mesa 8x42 and I was amazed, I couldnt believe how much better they were then mine, I also looked through another pair of Wind River Cascade (8x42) and they were amazing also.

I have been telling myself that I am going to get a new pair for myself for about 3 years but never have but now I am going to, I just need some advice on what to get.

I am looking to spend between $200-$250, I want a 10x binocular, size isnt a big factor but I would like them to wiegh at most around 30 oz.

This is about as much as I know, I have been researching but am getting a little confused, I was just hoping a few of you could give me some advice on what is good and what I should get.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Nick~

Sadly,

Several sensible anti hunting postings to this thread have been deleted.

JB.

Bubbs · Dec 5, 2004

john barclay said:
Sadly,

Several sensible anti hunting postings to this thread have been deleted.

JB.

I have asked the question to admin as to whom is deleting feedback. If admin aren't deleting..who is?

This is not the place for hunters asking binocular advice. As I said in my post; I and several others 'smell a rat' in the original thread.

JB.

Andy Bright · Dec 6, 2004

john barclay said:
This is not the place for hunters asking binocular advice.

JB.

Any other forum rules you'd like to add?

As for a conspiracy theory, I think you need to get a grip mate.

Yeah, we'd rather hunters didn't dwell on the fact that they hunt but that doesn't mean they are excluded from receiving info on binos if they ask.... they ask politely so they don't deserve the vitriol that is coming out. Hunting is a fact of life and part of many cultures whether you like it or not.

As I've said to you before HERE ... antagonistic off-topic posts on these threads will be deleted, so I cannot understand your surprise at their removal.

ulgah · Dec 6, 2004

nickmyron,
If you do not mind porros, I challenge anyone to beat this deal:
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/xq/asp/base_no.72045/dept_id.L2~4271/qx/product.htm

Need HELP choosing Binoculars...... (1 Viewer)

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