I’m looking to upgrade my Vortex Viper HDs. Have a budget in the $1500 range. I’m a Swaro fan but not sure I can get into decent Swaros at my budget. I prefer 10 power with objective lenses in the 40 mm range. What’s out their at my price point that’ll be a good upgrade from my Vipers by Zeiss, Meopta, Swaro etc?

The eye cup on my 50 year old Leitz pair has given up, and I expect I'll go back with a Leica. The Swaro or Zeiss are equally good options. I like the 7 or 8 powers for general use around Alabama, so most of what I'm looking at is in the $1,l00 to $1,300 range.

RedHawk rifles website has Demo Zeiss SFL 10X40 binoculars for $1,449. Field of view is 345 feet. That is good for a 10 power binocular and has the T* and Lotutec coatings.

I got lucky this time last year and Euro Optics had the Zeiss Victory HT 8x54 binoculars in Demo for $1,600 and I couldn’t resist that deal. Those binoculars new are around $3,000.

The Swarovski EL 10x42 binos are on sale now at Eurooptic. At $1999, it's a little more than your budget but worth every penny.

Get a Cabelas Club card. Buy the Swaro SLC when they run a 10% or 15% deal.

I bought a pair of Steiner Ranger Extreme 8x56 earlier this year. You'll need to order them from the UK but they are fantastic. Unreal in low light. The only con is the outer edge isn't as crystal clear as the 2k plus options but that has no effect on the way I use them. The other good part is that the exchange rate is almost 1 to 1 right now so anything you order from there is significantly cheaper than in the past.

The Leica 10x42 is very impressive and only $999

Got a pair of Leica Trinovid 10x42s. They are awesome for the money.

I got a set that will turn a 4 point into an 8 point. Bushnell something.

Meoptas are very nice.

Swaro 12x50 EL…. Best binos made for gun hunting food plots & large fields. Can find them for $1,500-2,000 used. Look @ Rokslide etc and you will find a good used pair in your price range.

If not, break out and spend a hair more - Swarovski 10x42 Pure are unbelievable and great binos. However, they do not compare to the 12x50 EL in low light. You can find all very discounted online if you’re not in a hurry.

Red Hawk, as well as Europtics, has a demo section. I got a great deal on Zeiss 10x42 that was a non-handled floor model (aka, in a glass display around the neck of a camo -clad mannequin). Some are Expo demos, some in-store demos and handled a little, but no scratches, etc.

Take a look at Kowa Genesis XD

https://sportingoptics.kowa-usa.com...is-44-105x44-prominar-xd-binoculars.html

That’s what I’ve got. They’re perfect for hunting those long power lines.

Leica

Leica hands down every time….texas taught me there are none finer

Buy the best used Swaro's you can afford; they have great customer service and lifetime warranty.

Decided to cheap out and not spend $1500. I ordered Zeiss Conquest HDs. Zeiss has a $200 off promo and Eurooptic covered the sales tax so they're $799.00 shipped to my door. Everything tells me they're a pretty good upgrade from my Viper HDs. If not, they'll go back and I'll continue shopping.

I might be wrong but I doubt you'll see much difference. I had some Meoota Meopros that should be nearly identical and they were no better than the $300 Vanguard Endeavors I had before them. It seems around $1200 was the price point where there was some serious improvement in image quality and low light performance.

I've always wanted to try these. They're heavy but the IS would be awesome if its like the stabilization I've used on some of the cheaper Canon binoculars.

Swarovski EL’s and you’ll never ask yourself is there any better, because there isn’t.

I have some zeiss T* FL victory I might part with if that conquest glass isn’t good enough for you.

This thread is old but wanted to give an update. The Zeiss Conquests came in, image quality was good but the eyecups were awful. I returned them and went with a pair of Razor HDs. I'm not a Vortex fan but the price was right. I used those for a year, image was clear and bright but it always seemed as though I was looking through 2 separate monoculars as opposed to seeing 1 image. Should have tightened up and bought the Swaros 14 months ago. Found a pair of 10x42 ELs on Eurooptic this morning, Demo A, for $1635. Should have them within a couple days.

Been using the leica geovid rangefinding binoculars for 4yrs now and love them

Great choice on the Swarovski. You will not be disappointed.

I've always took my time and found decent deals on used Swaro and some Zeiss stuff. End result is if I had a problem their Customer service was still top notch and made any problems right.

The Vortex stuff I've looked through has too much black edging when I look through their glass.

You'll be pleased with your purchase now find you a quality bino harness to store them in and tote them.

I’m sure you’ll Love the Swaro’s, they are the gold standard and that’s a smokin deal!

Just a note on the Zeiss Conquest eyecups, I hated them until I found that there was one more adjustment click that took a lot more force than the first couple and locked them into their most extended position. For me that position was perfect. They also have an extended cup that they’ll send you if you call/email. Just wanted to mention it for anyone considering them. They’re certainly not as good at the Swaro’s but they are one of the best value’s in binoculars IMO.

I bought some used SLC's right before deer season, Oh my goodness, what a difference between my Steiner marines and Swift binocs. I can now see why people love them. I went the 8's, worried they wouldn't do what the 10's could, nope, they did it better for me. The lighter weight allowed for longer glassing, the 8's were fantastic one-handed at times, the field of view is amazing. Those El's I don't think you will be disappointed.

I did this as soon as the Conquests came in from Redhawk's (demo unit) and got the extended eyecups within a week. That made a dramatic difference for me.

Reality is this... at the distances we are using them here in Alabama you don't need ultra expensive Binos. They may hold a slight advantage at dusk/dawn but that's about the extent of it at the distances we are typically using them here in the South. I certainly don't need them to see and judge a deer's rack under 3-400 yards. I have a pair of Nikons that I use off-shore fishing to look for birds/fish and you know.... works pretty good. There are better Binos but they get the job done.

And when you make it out to Yellowstone to ride through the park a small spotting scope you can use out the car window is a lot better still but not as convenient and easy as Binos.

Yea... I have a pair of Swaros 10x42. It's a lifetime purchase. I'd go with the Leica 10x42 or some Meoptas... spending 2x that $$ in today's market... I am not sure that's necessary. Get'em if you want them nice optics are "nice".

These just need a little love and a new set of lens covers.

Mash Here

don't go trying to bring logic to Aldeer... next we'll have to start telling people they don't need a 14x scope to shoot a deer at 120 yards out of a box blind, haha! In all seriousness, this is a very true statement, but I think there a pretty good sized segment of hunters that do enough traveling to hunt that can justify spending the money on a nice pair of bino's. I really appreciate using them when I hunt or when I'm shooting TAC, but I cant imagine not having them when I'm spending hours a day glassing for animals, with my old Nikons I'd be cross eyed after about 20 minutes of glassing, I can glass all day with the Zeiss no problem.

When you're a blind old fart like me, every dollar spent on good optics is worth it. Without glasses, I can't tell if it's a deer or a grizzly at 100 yards.

There is a difference between cheap glass and mid level glass. And another difference between mid level to high end glass. Let's not pretend there isn't. To each their own.

I have now owned them all, there is a difference even in broad daylight looking in shadows. Some may not can see a difference, their eyes could certainly be better than mine too.

Absolutely. I'm not knocking people's choices of glass. For a long time I used lower to mid range quality glass and still do on some setups. You use what you got. But the older I get the more I need edge clarity and twilight factor.

Look... need and want are 2 different things. I'm really particular about what I shoot and as a result I typically look at the deer in the Binos before I decide.... almost 100% of the time.... I'm NOT going to shoot it.

On the flip side of that... I would have to say this.... Almost 100% of the deer I've shot in the last 15 years I didn't need a pair of Binos to tell me if I needed to shoot or not. I immediately reached for the rifle. There was really not much question... I needed to get the rifle up.

These bird watching folks don't have a $3,000 rifle with them all they have is their Optics and they can get really particular about things. Even though I've got a pair of Swaros I like optics.... I read a lot of reviews on Binos I'm never going to purchase. The Birding folks give up a treasure trove of information on Binoculars. When I go to the Shot Show or NRA convention.... I waste too much time looking at Binos knowing I'm never going to spend that money again. And I'm looking through them inside a building.. can't tell crap in there.... but I still over there finger banging a pair of Zeiss Binos like I'm going to walk about with them. I'm not. I've already made that purchase.

The point is.... It's a lifetime purchase or at least can be. There is nothing wrong with spending the money and owning the best pair you can afford if that's how you want to spend your coin.

Right. That's what people have been saying all along. Obviously there IS a difference both in quality and cost, On a side note, the worse my eyes get due to age the more I actually need better glass, like AU338 was saying.

Personal opinion -

If I could go back in time, I would tell 25 year old me to sake money, buy a decent pawn shop rifle in 308 or 270, put a kickass German scope on it, and save until I could buy Swarovski binoculars.

I have never regretted the money I spent on my Swarovski SLC binoculars, and would prefer not to go back.

I disagree with Goatkiller. At Alabama distances we don't need expensive HIGH MAGNIFICATION glass. Squeezing those first/last critical minutes in at dawn and dusk isn't any different in Arizona than it is here. Leica, Swaro, Zeiss. Buy once, cry once. I've carried the same 7x35s for 50 years. Crazy amount of money to spend in 1975? Probably.. But they still hold up.

With Low wall, yep, I've found the SLC 8's are fantastic.

Thirty years ago $300 would get all the performance you needed. Adjusted for inflation, that still holds true and buys much better lens coatings. Better is ever the enemy of good enough, as they say.

Also, I find that if you're in a position where a deer can see you, you're better off not using binoculars if you don't have to. A young meat hunter should spend his money on his scope. Over the hill trophy farmers needs the glass.

I hear this “Alabama distance” line quite a bit. Where the hell are you guys hunting, in a pine thicket? Do you never hunt a power line/gas line, clear cuts or ridges that let you a see a good distance? If people woukd get off their wallet and buy something besides a pair of old bushnell 8x32 binos, you’d see WAY more wild life and I promise you’ll enjoy your time in gods country a lot more.

For a lot of us hardwood, mountain hunters 100 yards is a long shot . That's not to say quality binos are not very helpful , they just don't need to be high power and big/bulky. Quality glass , low power with wide FOV is the ticket . That applies to both binos and scopes.

That makes sense. 42mm is what I keep on me for binos. I stand a good chance of being in a good hardwood area along side a wide open cut.

I'll add this , for many years I thought there was no need for binos in the woods. I had some , but they weren't good quality, so I never was sold on them and rarely carried them. Once I got some of good quality and gave them a chance , I'll not hit the woods without them.

Low power binos are a huge help in the woods. I wish Swarovski would make a 6x30 bino but it ain't happening. The Swarovski representative had a good laugh when I suggested that bino a few years back.

I’ve got a pair of cheap Leupold 6x30 I use in the woods. 6x30 is absolutely perfect for that type of hunting.

As a matter of fact, I do hunt in a pine thicket. With a pistol and a 2x Leupold with a Ghillie suit and a camo directors chair but I keep my Swaro 8x35's in my pack just in case.

i guess that explains your signature line

Kowa makes some 6.5 X 32 in their BD II XD line, they're next to the top of the line Genesis . They run about $400 and are very good woods binos, with a very wide FOV , but not in the class of the Genesis 8X I have . I wish they made the 6.5 in the Genesis line , they would be perfect, high end binos for heavy woods. Good binos under 8X are even harder to find than good, low power woods scopes.

My brother inherited the 8x32s, built about 1975. My 7x35s are about 1968-1970. Last deer season a fellow I hunt with (my father's best friend's son) said he wanted to show me something, pulled out a pair of 7x35s identical to mine. Like me,, he carries them constantly, and uses them constantly while in the stand. I'm sure his father and mine admired the glasses, and when one bought them, the other did too.

I've had mine cleaned/collimated twice in 50 years. I don't know about the other 2 sets. Last time I sent mine in, I asked the fellow at Suddarth "If put down my old ones, switched them for the new Leica 7x35s a second later, would I be able to see the difference?" " He said he doubted it.

Buy once, the best you can afford. I spend probably 50 to 100x as much time looking through binos as through a scope.