Anyone have a set of these? How do they compare with the Leica 10x42s? Looking to buy a pair for my brown bear hunt.

There have been some improvements since the old classics first came out but they are still good by any standards and as useful as ever.
And considering most of the new top end binos run around $2000 they are a great buy.

Thanks Phil, any idea what a used set in good but not mint condition should go for?

A complete wild assed guess would be $500-$600 and I would say they are certainly worth that.

Thanks!

Chuck, I think they may resale for a bit more than that. Still, good glass, for sure.

I have three pair of Zeiss classic binos and prefer them to anything else ever made.
The good news is that when Zeiss introduced the newer models they sold all the old stock of 10x40s to Cabela's and they in turn sold them for years dropping the price as time went. I seem to remember that the last price I saw was $599.00 a steal.
I would consider a pair of the newer models but I won't wear out any of the older ones I have in my lifetime.
Look around you might be able to find a good deal on some 10x40's

The Zeiss is all you'll ever need but I found the eyecup's to be a bit sharp for my taste. On a typical bearhunt you can expect to have your bino's slammed into your face a few times when the wind gets going. Leica's have a nice rounded eyepiece that never causes any soreness in the eye region.

The old classics were not waterproof or nitrogen filled. They will breath so there will be some maintenance to keep the lens clear.

Are the Zeiss ClassiC 10X40 B T* P* 10x40s considered the "old classics"?

Yes, those are the old calssics and in my experience they were quite waterproof and head and shoulders above the Leitz Trinovids of the same vintage

If you look around some of the sites like gunbroker regularly you can find some money savings. I bought a brand new pr of Leica 7x42 HD for $1400, about $600 less than street retail. I like a lower power with superior resolution for easier and longer viewing without giving much up in the way of power. I have a Swaro spotter for closer detail work...also bought on gunbroker at a $700 savings. Keep searching until you find the deal you want.

If these are the older soft black rubber armored roof prism models; they did not have internal focusing. The objectives were not fixed and moved fore and aft for focus. The units that I am describing were probably discontinued 10-15 years ago. These were not hermetically sealed. Nice glasses though.

Had my 8x20 classic Zeiss binos around my neck today from 9:45 this morning untill 6:00, Hard rain all day and no problems with leaking.
I bought thease in 1978 and never had them leak or fog, My 7x42 classic I've had since 84 and my individual focus 8x30 I got in 92 same story with all three pairs never a drop on the inside and all have had hundreds of days in the field.

I found a pair of used 10x40 ClassiCs in excellent condition. They should be here Friday. Looking forward to my first pair of truly quality binoculars. My Leupold 6x30 Yosemites were my top shelf binos until now ... Thanks all!

Hi Chuck,

compare them prior buying especially against the Swarovski EL 10x42 Swarovision - I doub´t that you will take the first 2 choices other then the price tag maybe... The Swarovski´s image is the best I have ever seen - and no one took one of those Swarovski´s without a big wide open mouth when he looked through them.

Go and test them!

Klaus

Mine are from 1998 and I carried them a lot and in many different places but not Alaska, though. One can see the use but the optics and mechanics are still as good as new. One of my best buys, I would say.

Chuck good buy, I still think they are one of the best bino's for the buck, I've been using them since 1983 with no issues while I've had some issues with Swarovski's in the past (optics were great but the bino literally came apart in my hands on a hunt, glad I had a multi-tool with me), I also think the newer Leica's (not the HD's) are great glass for the price. Ironically just three weeks ago I walked into a local pawn shop and found a 10x40 BT* P* pair for sale (older ones made in West Germany) amazingly for 125.00 could not pass them up, my son Derek now has a pair.

Thanks! I'll be using them in 4 weeks on a brown bear hunt in the Togiak Refuge.

There is a gent over on 24CF selling a pair of these "T-A" for $750. Too much IMHO.

Alan