Looking for a good set of binoculars for elk hunting. Any recomendation on brand and magnification? I like leupold scopes do they make good binoculars?

and I dont mind spending money on quality.

I have two sets of binoculars that I would recommend to anyone at any price that have served me well.

Nikon Monarchs 12X and Leupold Cascades 10X

I have used the Cascades for a decade with no complaints and picked up the Nikons last year. Both are fine pieces of equipment for the money.

I looked thru a lot of different glass before i bought my 10x binos.
Plain and simple the more you pay the better they are. My advise would be to decide what your budget is. Then go out and put several different brands in your hands.

Were the swaros i looked thru better then the lepould gold rings. You bet they were. Were they worth more than double the price. NO!

I liked:
Lepould gold rings
Cabelas euros
Nikon monarchs
Vortex razors

The Nikon Monarch 10x have always served me well.

You will use your Binoculars more than anything else except for your boots. Lower end glass just wont cut it for my eyes. I have used a pair of Zeiss Victory 10x for the past 13 years. They have held up well to hard use, knocks, and fumbling moments. Weather has never affected them. If they were to be replaced today. I would get the Zeiss !

When I went looking for a set of new Bino's I contacted Doug at Camerland. He recommended the Minox 10X44 BL for my budget. I haven't chased elk with them yet but they have been a huge upgrade from my Leupold RB800 range finding binoculars that were only 8X33. I was suggested ZenRay binoculars as well but I couldn't find any to handle locally like I could the Minox.

I have the Pentax DCF 8x43 and love them for Alaska. I wish I had owned them when I used to live in elk country. I struggled for years with inadequate optics and regret not buying good glass 30 years ago.

Mart

Best power for general hunting is probably 8x40. Advantages include portability, power enough to spot animals, and large field of view. 10x seems more popular but I prefer the 8x.
You get what you pay for in optics. "Best" are expensive but it is all relative considering you're probably riding around in a $50k truck sporting $300 apiece tires and some other expensive accessories. Given that the $2k binos will last a lifetime and the $50k truck will do well to last 5 years . . . . I'd buy the best binos you can find - Zeiss, Swaro, Leica. Next step down is probably high end Kahles, Pentax & Nikon. The rest will give you a headache if you look through them all day.

A "full size" pair of Zeiss or Swarovski of your preference is one of the best choices for using. A "compact" of either one is a good choice for carrying.

Leica Geovid with the built in rangefinder. PERIOD! You will never want to use another set of binoculars again because they will all seem inferior.

Leica Geovid. I traded up until I found what I really wanted. I am staying here. Fantastic optics and a rangefinder in one unit.

http://cameralandny1.reachloca...s/site.pl?page=40028

quote:

Originally posted by drm-hp:
Leica Geovid. I traded up until I found what I really wanted. I am staying here. Fantastic optics and a rangefinder in one unit.

http://cameralandny1.reachloca...s/site.pl?page=40028

+1

Also take a look at the Bushnell 1600 range finding binos

Up in Colo elk hunting a few years ago I had my Zeiss 10x42 and a buddy had his Nikon Monarchs. We were looking at elk across the canyon about 1/2 mile. We all agreed that the Nikons were at least as good if not better than the Zeiss which really hurt my feelings because I had paid twice as much for them as my buddy had paid for his Nikons.

best advice i can give is to go somewhere (like cabelas) that has a bunch of different kinds and look through them all & see wht your eyes like best

+1

My current favorite binoculars are my Leupold 7X to !2X dual power binoculars. The 7X is good for scanning and the 12X to see "what is it?"

Swarovski 8x32 (lightweight / rugged)

Zeiss or Swarovski, unless you want a headache. signed, a poor Mainer

It totally depends on your budget, but there is no need anymore to spend more than $1k on glass. I see lots and lots of glass come into our camps, and I own a SLC HD 10x42 which is fantastic. However, a Meopta/Cabelas Euro HD, Leupold McKinley, Leupold GR HD, Pentax ED, and probably a few others will do everything the SLC HD does, for half the cheddar.

Swarovski!


Go to the classifieds and check out Camera Lands deals.

quote:

Originally posted by Blacktailer:
Up in Colo elk hunting a few years ago I had my Zeiss 10x42 and a buddy had his Nikon Monarchs. We were looking at elk across the canyon about 1/2 mile. We all agreed that the Nikons were at least as good if not better than the Zeiss which really hurt my feelings because I had paid twice as much for them as my buddy had paid for his Nikons.

I am looking for new binoculars as well. Your comment (nobody willingly eats humble pie!) just sold me on the Monarchs. Thanks.

I like Swarovski 10X42. Spend the bucks and you won't be disappointed.

I've had a set of Nikon Monarchs in 10x42 for about 12 years. Been really happy with them and I've treated them really rough, not abuse I use them a lot and when not up to my eyes they are around my neck or in the seat of the truck next to me for months of the year. Keep thinking about upgrading to "better" glass but every time I look through new ones I'm never so impressed that I have to "upgrade". Mine show some wear but they've been on rough hunts, I think I'll keep them until something else "wows" me into that upgrade.
I think bino's and rifle scopes are two things you have to use to tell if you like them, some people just see different than others.

If you want to buy once and never look back then go look through the Swarovski's, leica's and Zeiss binoculars and pick the one you like best. You really need to look through them though, everybody's eyes are different

If you want a binocular that's half the price and built like a tank go with the Cabelas Euro HD, I have a pair and they are fantastic. It's just a rebadged Meopta MeoStar

quote:

Originally posted by twilli:
I like Swarovski 10X42. Spend the bucks and you won't be disappointed.

Could not agree more!

Another tip is, if possible go outside and look through them instead of in the store. Preferably early or late in the day.

I have a pair of swaro SLC 10x42 for sale for $600. Slightly used but in good shape.

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Herald:
I have a pair of swaro SLC 10x42 for sale for $600. Slightly used but in good shape.

Here you go! You'd be NUTS not to PM Tim and jump on this.

Tim, I'll email you this morning

In fact, if you don't buy em let me know

Tim, emails sent, 4 total

All binos are great on a nice, clear day or inside Cabela's. You can tell the difference in the high end binos when the weather and light conditions are bad. Under most conditions, the Nikon, Bushnell, Leupold, etc. are fine. When conditions are less than ideal, that is where the high dollar binos show why they cost so much. I have the Leica Geovid with the range finder and I love it. I would have been just as happy with similar Zeiss or Swarovski binos. Call cameralandny and ask what they have as demo models for sale. They saved me a LOT of money on my Leicas.

The advantage I had working at "The World's Foremost Outfitter" <choke-gag-puke> was getting to know the factory reps and seeing all the cool products side by side. Everyone's eyes are different, try every one you can and do it side by side if possible.
That being said, everyone who looked through the Leica 10X42 Ultravids was impressed.
We had Swarovs, Nikons whatever, side by side, they were impossible to beat.

10X42 Armored were the best ones. They also have the watershedding coating. If I was going to spend over $1500 for a pair of binos, these would be them.

quote:

Originally posted by Thunder Head:
Another tip is, if possible go outside and look through them instead of in the store. Preferably early or late in the day.

Yes, definitely. Or go into a back room where there isn't 10,000 lights blaring...that's what we did.

quote:

Originally posted by Blacktailer:
Up in Colo elk hunting a few years ago I had my Zeiss 10x42 and a buddy had his Nikon Monarchs. We were looking at elk across the canyon about 1/2 mile. We all agreed that the Nikons were at least as good if not better than the Zeiss which really hurt my feelings because I had paid twice as much for them as my buddy had paid for his Nikons.

There is something to be said for having TWO pairs for the price of one!
The Monarchs probably sold as many units as most of the other brands (premium brands) combined.

I really like my Kahles 10x binos. An under-rated Austrian company that makes great glass.

I have two pair of Swarovski`s.I bought the SLC 7X42s over 20 years ago.They needed repair about 3 years ago and I sent them to their repair station.In two weeks the bino`s came back with everything new ,including the updated glass.The actual frame was the only thing not replaced.Cost to me nada,nothing,zip,zero.That is why when I wanted a higher power I bought a set of 10X42 SLC Neu. Swarovski`s.they stand behind their product.I would jump all over the 10 X 42s for $600.00 mentioned above if I was looking.

I like my 8x Nikon Monarch binoculars. Note that there is a question as to what magnification glass to use. I can hold 8x glass steady enough to look out of. 10x is maybe over to much for me WITHOUT a tripod. 12x or more is likely to be too much magnification for non-tripod use. I would suggest bearing this in mind when buying glass. The issue is everyone's hands shake. If you have 100x glass, you are going to be shaking so hard that you won't be able to see anything! What is the sweet spot for hand held binoculars? For me 8x. For others maybe 10x.

If you are going to use a tripod, why not just get a good spotting scope? I think binoculars are inherently hand-held optics.

If you get yourself a good pair of European optics, you will never look back, the difference is head and shoulders above the rest.

Leica, Swarovski,Zeiss,Minox, the last is the most inexpensive, getting the rangefinder option means having to carry one less gadget and never having to guess the distance out to 1200 mtrs.

If you are looking in the $500 bracket, try the Nikon Monarch 7's. Very good glass for the money and better than many that cost much more.

Swarovski EL 10x42 or 8X42. There are great deals now on the older style and up to $1000 or more off as many are upgrading to swarovision. Leica geovid are great as well, anyone have any experience with the Swaro range-finding bino??