looks like someone wanted my truck binoculars and helped themselves to them when i left my unit unlocked. i have top tier glass and am not looking for that. i am looking for something that bounces around my truck tucked into the back of my front passenger seat.

the missing pentax 10x50's were perfect for that role. and i even tested them a couple of times and they performed, for all practical purposes, as good as my "good glass" for hunting whitetails from a stand in louisiana.

what would you buy for $500, 250, and below $250?

just descent glass that is relatively clear and tough for each price range.

and hell, even binocs for under $250! there are a million of those - do you own any you can reccomend? any that can bounce around in a 4wd?

I am very fond of my Nikon Prostaff 10x42s, despite being a critic of one of their riflescopes.

Not only do I find the view very crisp in this affordable model, but it seems lighter than most - and after hours with stuff hanging around your neck that really is important.

I hunted with a Nikon Monarch 3 binocular for years. I handed it down to my daughter and they are still being used today. Very nice binocular for under $300 new.

X2 on the Nikon Monarch

High end glass in a truck only benefits those who steal it. Got a cheap set of 10x42 Bushnells behind the seat in mine. Totally adequate for checking out what I see in my travels.

Grizz

I am sorry that some dirtbag violated your personal space. Some people just suck.

Under $500.00 you'd be best served, IMO, with a Meopta Meopro.

In a lower priced optic there are some great choices from Nikon, Hawke, Athlon and Kowa. Please give us a call, 516-217-1000 and we will discuss what would be best for you

Try a set of Vortex Diamondbacks in 10x42. I really like mine. A lot.

Less than $500? Vortex Diamondback or Bushnell Legend HD. I think the Legend HD's can be had for around $250 or so.

I purchased a pair of Diamondbacks for my nephew for vacation/hunting and they are a great deal for the price. If you lose the lens caps or strap or anything...contact Vortex and they will next day ship the accessories to you for free. Vortex customer service is awesome.

The Bushnell HD's I have in my truck every day. I have compared them with my pair of Vortex Razor HD 8x32's ($1,100) and also a pair of Zeiss Victory HT 10x54's ( $2,700 ). I still own the Razor HD's and the Bushnell Legends.


You won't be disappointed with the Diamondback or the Legend HD's. I was very surprised at the quality of Bushnell product. I've had the Bushnell's for 2-3 years.

Go to EBAY and get a pair of Bausch&Lomb made in NY. The 7x50's from WW 2 are tough, but bulky which is not a problem for truck binoculars. The 7x35 Zephyr's are about as tough, less bulky and optically equal. Only problem is you might find them better than your high dollar glasses you carry.

Nikon has some great promo's going on for 3 more days. MONARCH 5 bino's for under $250 to MONARCH HG for $100 off. I know Doug can help you out if you choose to go that route. Just don't wait, PROMO stops on the 21st.

Our pleasure to assist and these instant rebates are GREAT

A worthwhile series of options to acquiring "stuff" made in Red China is to consider military surplus binoculars of western and central European countries.

When available by way of retail vendors, a binocular will be in anywhere from acceptable condition to NEW in original packaging.

Such a binocular will tend to be porro prism, between 6 and 8 powers of magnification, possibly individually focusing eye pieces, exceptionally sturdy, and reasonably priced.

If you are older than 40, your eyes are unlikely to be able to take advantage of much of the progress and/or enhancements of currently manufactured optical glass. And prior to 2004, I believe, optical glass (Schott, in the case of non-Soviet bloc Europe) contained lead (Pb). It took several years for manufacturers of optical glass to restore the desired qualities that were available when using leaded glass.

Again, if you intend to use a binocular roughly and with significantly reduced maintenance, you are describing a military binocular. And many surplus binoculars have never been in war or war games or issued. Yet they have been specifically designed to meet your needs.

Hope this helps.



FYI one common inaccuracy to be corrected as follows:"one binocular viewing device," "binocular" for short form, rather than "a pair of binoculars" that really means two binocular viewing devices. . . . See, it is possible for me to be correct and annoying simultaneously.

Naphtali---Do you wear a pant or a pair of pants?

The optical instrument with two telescopes mounted so that each eye looks through its own individual telescope is properly called "a binocular". The plural is "binoculars".

Technically, "a pair of binoculars" indicates two such instruments. But like "a pair of glasses" or "a pair of scissors", since a binocular has two similar halves, "a pair of binoculars" is commonly (but mistakenly) taken to mean just a single object.

Pants have two legs, which is, I suppose, why we call one such object "a pair of pants". Quite similarly, shirts have two arms, so why don't we ever refer to "a pair of shirts" when we dress our upper body?

But perhaps I'd best cut short this musing on the vagaries of language lest I be labeled "a pair of a--holes".

Bushnell Legacy WP. Check their reviews. Star gazers love um. Phenomenal value.

I know that Carpetmans advice on the Zephyrs is good as well.

Ive become real Leary of buying any 2nd hand optics. But with that said, I found a set of pristine, vintage Cannon 8X30's on Fleabay. Love um! Even though I feel the Bushnell WP's have better optics, they have taken a back seat to the Cannons for walking because they are less bulky. That is in no way a shot at the Cannon's optics, they are excellent! The Bushnells are just that bloody good! Just a little bulky for hiking with.

quote:

Originally posted by Grizzly Adams:
High end glass in a truck only benefits those who steal it. Got a cheap set of 10x42 Bushnells behind the seat in mine. Totally adequate for checking out what I see in my travels.

Grizz

My truck has a pair of $20.00 vintage "St Moritz" 7X32's of all things.

They are actually pretty decent. I've had other low end gear that isnt nearly as good. But loosing them wouldnt be a tragedy.

My wife years back bought me a pair of 8x40 Bushnell Legends. For the price they are actually pretty good. They mostly ride in my truck and have been through a fair amount of abuse. If I was shopping for something in that price range again I would certainly take a look.

I own a pair of Leopoldo Yosemite 6x30 that are cheap, light , small and very very clear. Great for thick woods and on my boat and exceptional bingos for the price point.

We sell a good deal of the Kowa 6x30's which are a great optic

I have a pair of Bushnell Legend HD's and can't believe how good they are for the money. Optically they're very good (though not quite as good as much more expensive ones). And the no fog coating works better than my expensive binos.

Nikon at whatever price point is usually consistently good (though slightly more expensive than competing units in the same class, which might not be as consistent unit to unit).