pbjosh
missing the neotropics
I've never used an IS bin for an extended period of time, though the views can be remarkable, and modern IS in Canon telephoto lenses is fantastic. However I have a preference for compact and bulletproof, my bins get a lot of use, mostly in the tropics. I tend to hike a lot and my bins get soaked regularly, are frequently grimy with sweat and mud, etc. I tend to wash them completely with soap and warm water with some frequency. So I haven't considered IS bins seriously.
However, I wanted to relate an anecdote that I found interesting: a friend of mine who suffers from Parkinson's uses the Bushnell IS bins and commented that despite the obviously inferior optics to the Canons, the implementation worked far better and thus that was what he used. They have kept him birding for more than 5 years since he has been unable to hold non-IS bins stable, which is fantastic. I don't know more about why he prefers the Bushnell implementation, however.
However, I wanted to relate an anecdote that I found interesting: a friend of mine who suffers from Parkinson's uses the Bushnell IS bins and commented that despite the obviously inferior optics to the Canons, the implementation worked far better and thus that was what he used. They have kept him birding for more than 5 years since he has been unable to hold non-IS bins stable, which is fantastic. I don't know more about why he prefers the Bushnell implementation, however.