Fellas, my oldest daughter, who is now nine years old, will start hunting for herself this winter (she's been tagging along with me and Mom since she was just months old). I plan to take her for her first deer hunt just after Christmas. That means Santa has some time to bring her a binocular of her very own. Sure, I’d like to swing for some Swaros, but Santa’s pocket isn’t that deep. I’m considering a binocular in the $100-$150 range, including the following:

• Bushnell Trophy XLT 8x32
• Vortex Crossfire 8x32
• Alpen Breast Cancer 10x42 (mostly because they’re pink)
• Redfield Rebel 8x32

At this point, I’m leaning towards either the Vortex or the Redfield, primarily because of their small size and relatively light weight (both about 17 ounces). I’d like your thoughts/opinions on just what to get a kid as her first bino. Feel free to throw out other options, as I’m sure I haven’t covered them all above.

Please opine at your convenience.
Thanks!

We have been pleased with the Leupold Yosemite, both 6x30 and 8x30.

Dessert Ram--If you have no objections to getting her some great used binoculars--go to EBAY and find some Rochester NY made Bausch &Lombs--a pair of 6x30 or 7x35 Zephyrs will make her a set as good as it gets.

quote:

Originally posted by Boxhead:
We have been pleased with the Leupold Yosemite, both 6x30 and 8x30.

+1, but I'd lean toward the 6x.

The Leupold Yosemite is THE unmatched leader in entry level binoculars. The 6X has a very long eye relief for a binocular and is great if the user wears eyeglasses. The 8X has a slightly shorter but very adequate eye relief. There is little difference in either magnification, but the 6X may be a bit more forgiving for a neophyte who is still learning how to hold an optical instrument steady.

Incidentally, I bought the Yosemite for my now 10 year-old grandson a couple of years ago, and if the Yosemite is good enough for MY spectacularly outstanding grandchild then it is good enough for anyone's grandchild.

Thanks fellas! I totally overlooked the Yosemites. Those look like just what I need. I might even have to get two and put one back for the 7-year old.

I just went through an exercise looking for Christmas presents for family members. My search came down to the 6x30 Yosemite or the Vortex Raptor 6.5x32. I had tried the Yosemite in the store and liked it. Several head to head reviews I found on optics boards said the Raptor was a better glass so, I ordered two pair of them. The Raptors are indeed outstanding bino's and I'm glad I went that way.

If she is 9, how handy is she with binoculars in general?

I say that because Bushnell makes some 4 X 30 focus free (I think) binoculars. I'd be tempted to go with less magnification and a larger field of view and then when she's a bit older you can decide what to get for a better pair.

A 9 year old can see better than you anyway, but in addition IMHO a 9 year old will be better off seeing something at 4X than having the binoculars wandering around trying to find the object at 6 or 8X and not having to worry about focusing is an additional benefit. Keep in mind there is a world of difference between a 9 year old and a 12 year old, and what is best for one is not necessarily best for the other.

Here's a link, no relationship with them other than I think this a good choice for young children:

http://www.bushnell.com/all-pr...rs/spectator/4x-30mm

I'm very happy with the Yosemite 6x30.

quote:

Originally posted by Mark:
If she is 9, how handy is she with binoculars in general?

I say that because Bushnell makes some 4 X 30 focus free (I think) binoculars. I'd be tempted to go with less magnification and a larger field of view and then when she's a bit older you can decide what to get for a better pair.

A 9 year old can see better than you anyway, but in addition IMHO a 9 year old will be better off seeing something at 4X than having the binoculars wandering around trying to find the object at 6 or 8X and not having to worry about focusing is an additional benefit. Keep in mind there is a world of difference between a 9 year old and a 12 year old, and what is best for one is not necessarily best for the other.

Here's a link, no relationship with them other than I think this a good choice for young children:

http://www.bushnell.com/all-pr...rs/spectator/4x-30mm

I wouldn't give a child a binocular I wouldn't use myself...YMMV

I agree with buster. My daughter is 10 and she started with a pair of used steiners when she was five. They've since given up the ghost and she uses my 8x32 minox and is constantly asking to look through my 10x instead of the minox.

I'm going to get her a new pair of binos for christmas. I'll be looking for something decent but affordable, because while she appreciates good optics, is still at the age where she might be a little rough caring for them.

I got binoculars for my granddaughter when she was 10. She had almost no experience with them before that point, and I am glad that I went with 7x glasses...6x might have been even better. In any case, the focus-free feature was invaluable. I wanted her to enjoy seeing things, not struggle with the mechanics of focussing or finding an object within a too-small field of view.

I would also suggest carefully helping her adjust the eyepieces correctly the first time, and then taping them in place so they don't become accidentally misadjusted.

Cabelas has the Leupold yosemite binos on sale for $69 and the Vortex crossfires for $49 right now.

I got my 10 and 12 year daughters both a pair of the Rebel 8x32mm binos. They are great!

I also sent a pair of the Rebel 10x42mm to my tracker in RSA last summer to replace the very old binos he had.

Great value bino!

Reporting back.

She ended up with a Leupold Yosemite in 6x30. She used it on our deer hunt in Texas over New Years and really like it. It doesn't seem have quite enough eye relief for me, even with the cups fully extended, but she spent quite a bit of time inspecting distant hillsides, deer, birds, etc. and didn't have any trouble. I'd say we did okay with this unit. It sounds like there are several other good ones out there, but without being able to look through any, I didn't mind gambling on Leupold.

Oh, and we found them in pink, which completely delighted her.

Thanks for the input!