best backpacking 15x56 bino/ Minox 15x56? or Vortex

24 January 2011, 23:10

Michael b Freeman

the Minox looks good (lighter and cheaper) but I am concerned it doesn't have ED glass how much of a difference will this make in low light and at long range compared to say the Vortex 15x56 Kiababs. Can't afford any of the big 3.

"I will not raise taxes on those making more than 250k"

03 February 2011, 00:58

AzGuy

Keep saving your $$....also look for used.

The Big 3 produce some outstanding 15's....lots of hunters buy them for a "hunt of a lifetime' and then they sit in the gun safe.

Depending on your inttneded use, do not overlook a good used Luepy 12x40 spot scope..about the same price range as you are considering.

DRSS &
Bolt Action Trash

03 February 2011, 03:38

jwm

Is this a serious question, or am I misunderstanding you? You are backpacking (hunting or otherwise) and you are planning on carrying a 15x binocular with 56mm objectives?

What rifle will you be packing? .50BMG?

John

04 February 2011, 00:43

Rothke

quote:
Originally posted by jwm:
Is this a serious question, or am I misunderstanding you? You are backpacking (hunting or otherwise) and you are planning on carrying a 15x binocular with 56mm objectives?

What rifle will you be packing? .50BMG?

John

Yeah, packing . . .

I have 50mm, 35mm, 33mm lighter, and some cheapo Bushnell folding compacts 8 X 21 mm. I think they were about $20. The compacts are what I take along hiking, weight and size matters.

I have a 60x spotting scope, scoped rifles. And I'm not out on the "Dream Safari" -- and so what I'm glassing with the binoculars are shore birds, hot looking babes, ships at sea.

Size does matter. Get something you'll actually pack along, and not so expensive that you won't risk taking it out of the gun safe.

06 February 2011, 02:08

calgarychef1

I think big binos are a good idea for backpacking. Lots of us take something like 10x42 and a spotting scope. But spotting scopes are heave and hard to use, great big binos might be better.

******************************************************************
R. Lee Ermey: "The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle."
******************************************************************
We're going to be "gifted" with a health care plan we are forced to purchase and fined if we don't, Which purportedly covers at least ten million more people, without adding a single new doctor, but provides for 16,000 new IRS agents, written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that didn't read it but exempted themselves from it, and signed by a President, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, for which we'll be taxed for four years before any benefits take effect, by a government which has already bankrupted Social Security and Medicare, all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's broke!!!!! 'What the hell could possibly go wrong?'

27 February 2011, 21:54

carpetman1

Michael B. Freeman--I hope this doesn't sound like I'm being smart with you. Worrying about light in 15x56 would be sorta like worrying about fuel economy in a dragster engine. A ratio of the objective lens (56MM in this case) to the power (15) gives exit diameter---3.733 mm in this case. Being smaller than the pupil of your eye it wont be a good performer in low light regardless of coatings or anything else. As mentioned a tripod would really be needed. I'd go with a spotting scope. In my books the best deal on a spotting scope or binoculars is on EBAY. Get Bausch&Lomb made in Rochester New York--back then they were quality and you'll have fine optics at low cost.