I do, I do! Vanguard Endeavor ED 10x42
I think you will be happy with the Vanguards....Did you get the ED or EDII edition...I have one of the 10.5x45 ED that they discontinued when they came out with the EDII....they are bright, sharp, well made....the EDII is supposed to control CA better than the ED model....but the minor CA I see in mine now and then isn't really distracting.......
Yes, Mr Gunut, you were right! I ordered the VG Endeavor ED 10x42 yesterday, and I do like them a lot so far!
That $80 rebate got the better of me, and I decided to go for it. It took them a whole day to get here from B&H, due to our close proximity-but they do include expedited shipping, which I prefer if possible-less to go wrong. I just got them this afternoon, and the little time I've used them, I am very impressed!
I think I saw a little CA on some very bright reflective surfaces, but it was too bright to keep them there to really evaluate it-but it certainly wasn't overwhelming, hardly. If I wasn't looking for it, I wouldn't have seen it. That might not hold true for other times like tree branches or crows, or snow and shadow, but I'll worry about that when the time comes.
Otherwise, really nice sharpness and contrast from what I've compared them to quickly, a Tract Toric and Bushnell Legend M, both 10x42's and seeing the same indoor view of our alley (no, not valley, alley!) on a very sunny and warm day, and facing the sun. The temperature in my bedroom was 79 deg F, and 42% humidity. The focus wheel worked very well-very smooth. So yes, I do like them, very much, especially for $154 after the rebate, they are another bargain worthy of consideration. They certainly aren't 32's-they weigh enough not to be called lightweights, and they aren't as compact as most 32's, which you prefer, you say, Mr Crow. But I think some 42's are a better deal because it's easier to make a better large bin than a small one that performs well for the same money, as I found when I went looking for 10x32's. I ended up with the Cabelas Instinct/Meopta Meostar B1, and it was the only one I tried that did it for me-after I made the leap in price, even on clearance.
But the recent full sized bin bargains I bought-Bushnell Legend M's (8x&10x), and now the Vanguard Endeavor ED in 10x, show that if you wait for a closeout deal or even demo on recent bins, you can do pretty darned well if you aren't expecting it all. Noted, the extra pin cushion in the Bush's and Vang's, which I don't really care about or hardly notice, but the Tract Torics are better, and may just have something extra in the view, that I couldn't put my finger on just yet, though it may just be extra color due to the hunting nature of the line. Either way, they all have some excellent optics to be appreciated.
But, the Vanguards may well stay and take a place of honor, for the simple facts of how nice they are, and also my first sighting with them was something I have been waiting to see for a long time now; 2 police cars parked in the alley at my local drug dealer's house this afternoon, yay! So I stayed there in my bedroom watching, just to see what transpired, but no one went with them when they returned to their cars, unfortuanetly. Despite the unfortunate scene and outcome, it was a great view for a while, as I was hoping for the best. The Endeavors held up their end though, and I was impressed with the contrast and apparent sharpness of them, looking around the ceety-scape here, ground and sky. The $80 rebate lasts another month, so it may be worth checking out yourself. That rebate applies to a range of Vanguard bins, not just the ED, by the way.
Oh, and I don't like the Vanguard case either, the full zip around the front thingy, but I ordered a Zeiss cordura case that is very nice from B&H at the same time, and all 3 of my 10x42's fit in it fine. Nicer way to carry them too, with loops to hang it at your side, or belt loops (better have a strong belt!).
