I am curious if you guys see the following

1) Swarovski bino used in Alaska
2) Swarovski Binos fail/fog/break any moreso than other binos in Alaska


One of the resident "experts" om a different forum says Swarovskis are crap and no one in Alaska uses them because they fog constantly

Just curious if that is remotely true

Thanks

I wouldn't have enough regional knowledge to say that Alaskans don't use Swarovski because they are crap.

They are expensive and they aren't necessarily the best if your an eye glass wearer, as I am.

I have had the EL 8.5x42 and I thought they were good, but not so good for eye relief and for me being an eye glass wearer they didn't work so well.

Leica is wonderful for eye glass wearers, and the Burris 10x50 Signatures (not the Signature II) are good too.

I think you will see a wide variety of binoculars from $50 jobs, to $2500 Leica lazer range finding Geovids.

I am a Nikon 8.5x58 Monarch Gold guy, and will probably end up with another pair in the 10x58 and 12x58 guise.

But the bills aren't exactly in a downslope so it's Nikon for now.

THANKS
I am strictly asking if they have the perception of breaking or fogging? The 7x42 SLC's I have have plenty of eye relief and I dont wear glasses.

quote:

Originally posted by PATRIOT76:
I am curious if you guys see the following

1) Swarovski bino used in Alaska
2) Swarovski Binos fail/fog/break any moreso than other binos in Alaska


One of the resident "experts" om a different forum says Swarovskis are crap and no one in Alaska uses them because they fog constantly

Just curious if that is remotely true

Thanks

That is total bullshit I have 6 hunting partners that use Swaros, binos & spotting scopes I am a Zeiss fan the old 10x40's I have are great even with the old man eyes & glasses! Good luck!!

I screwed that up. I would not have enough regional knowledge. I don't think they are crap, I think they are great, but they didn't work for me as they didn't have enough eye releif.

My new Burris Signature II's have the same problem, my Nikon Monarch Golds don't.

I have tried a pair of Leica's they are fantastic.

quote:

Originally posted by D99:
I wouldn't have enough regional knowledge to say that Alaskans don't use Swarovski because they are crap.

They are expensive and they aren't necessarily the best if your an eye glass wearer, as I am.

I have had the EL 8.5x42 and I thought they were good, but not so good for eye relief and for me being an eye glass wearer they didn't work so well.

Leica is wonderful for eye glass wearers, and the Burris 10x50 Signatures (not the Signature II) are good too.

I think you will see a wide variety of binoculars from $50 jobs, to $2500 Leica lazer range finding Geovids.

I am a Nikon 8.5x58 Monarch Gold guy, and will probably end up with another pair in the 10x58 and 12x58 guise.

But the bills aren't exactly in a downslope so it's Nikon for now.

thanks for clarifying!

I know several hunters that use and like quite well the Swarovski.

Swarovskis are great and will hold up to the weather up here. I have a pair of Swaro 7X42, which have the best eye relief of any binoculars I've ever tried. I wear glasses full time. I also have Leica 10x42, which I use more than the Swaro's. Both pairs I've had for more than ten years with no problems.

You must be talking about SLCs Alasken. I haven't tried that model.

That would be a nice size to carry. I have to admit that the 8.5x58s are heavy!

.......Swarofski,s are a great bino ...All the ones I,ve had and looked thru were great ., They may not be as tough as a Fuginon or the 8x30 Stiener milatary bino,s but genrally they have better optics .... I have not heard of a pair of Swarofski,s fogging ......I personally prefer the new Leuapolds and the Khales .. But to each his own ......

Some 6-7 years ago, I know of and saw an eyepiece detach from some SLCs, but that was corrected, a recall, if I remember correctly.........I have Leica Trinovids, Zeiss Classics, and a Swaro Spotter, all Alaska tough.......I don't hesitate dipping any of them in a stream to get the dust off..........

Joe

My EL's have been from TX to WY to Africa to NM to Alaska.

The only problem I have are the guides keep wanting to use them to get a better look at the game.

Now consider where the Swarovski's are made. Think about the countryside of the town the are made in... Are you following where I'm going with this?

quote:

Originally posted by D99:
You must be talking about SLCs Alasken. I haven't tried that model.

That would be a nice size to carry. I have to admit that the 8.5x58s are heavy!

Yeah, they're the SLCs. Great for moose hunting and low light.

I have used Swarovski and Leica in Alaska for years with no problems. Now the Master guide I work with has had problems with Leica, Zeiss, Swarovski and others foging. I don't know what he does but for some reason he has trouble with them all. All the problems have been with Compact model binos while on sheep hunts....go figure. Good news is that he buys them through Cabelas and they always stand behind them with quick replacement.

THX for the 1st hand feedback

I use Swaro 8x SLC's and love them. I see them frequently up here. Alaskans like good gear and you will see a lot of Zeiss, Swaro, Kahles, Leica, etc.

Swarovski is in the top 5 for quality and reliability. That rumor is false, here and there and everywhere.

That expert's comment sounds like internet b.s. to me. Does he even own or hunt with them in AK.?

I have

8 x 30 SLC

10 x 42 SLC

20-60x 80mm ST80

3-9x 40mm

I have used them many times in AK, Canada and Mexico and never had a fogging or other similar failure.

The above have been used hard and the warranty/customer service is top flight, better than Leica's. m.h.o.

I've been using 2 pair of Swaro's for over 20 years, 7X42 and 10X42. They've seen every type of weather possible, been dropped in creeks and lakes as deep as 10 feet for 2 days, and have the eyepiece rubbers just about wore off (and it's warranty when it's finally gone). They've worked in super hot, and down to -60 degrees. On top of all that, they've been abused. But they keep on working and I wouldn't consider anything else. What's this guy consider tough, ...........Tasco?

~Arctic~

Wish i could afford to buy swaro's.
I have been using leupold for a decade. Beat them to death and still have the same pairs of bino,range finder and spotting scopes. I am going to buy new again but just can't justify over a grand for a pair of bino's when you can buy good quality rugged for less than 1/2 the cost of swaro's.
I suppose though if i had the disposable income i would have them..... as you know the old saying " ye who dies with the most and most expensive toys wins "

imo


Slasher

I hunted all over Ak. for many years with my Swaro's and they worked perfectly in every kind of weather... In fact i always took the pair of Zeiss i moved UP from, as "loaners" so i didn't have other hunters bugging to use my Swaro's when their bino's took a dump.

Brown bear hunting out on the peninsula gets you all kinds of nasty weather, and my bino's been "there" and done that many times, for weeks at a time...

IMHO they are a best buy...

DM

quote:

Originally posted by Marabou Slasher:
Wish i could afford to buy swaro's.
I have been using leupold for a decade. Beat them to death and still have the same pairs of bino,range finder and spotting scopes. I am going to buy new again but just can't justify over a grand for a pair of bino's when you can buy good quality rugged for less than 1/2 the cost of swaro's.
I suppose though if i had the disposable income i would have them..... as you know the old saying " ye who dies with the most and most expensive toys wins "

imo


Slasher

About 20 years ago I got a great piece of advice from a master guide who's now dead. He said "If a guide has $1000 to buy a gun a binoculars, spend $100 for the gun and $900 for binoculars."

I've always thought it important to have the best glass in the world when a hunter shows up to hunt with me. Toys are toys, but a guide's optics are tools.

I have used Swros [binos and scopes] all over the lower 48, in Canada, Alaska, and Zimbabwe, in a lot of bad weather. No problems. Same for my Leicas.

I used to think the Euro stuff was a bit snobbish and unnecessary. One day I woke up and realized I had thousands of dollars in rifles laying around (some of them rarely used) and my binos were $200 cheapies. What do you hunt with guys? Your eyes and your feet. So I started treating my feet right with good boots and my eyes right with good optics. You can't afford it? Sell a couple of guns and you'll never miss them. That's what I did and I can't even remember what I sold to get Zeiss and then Swaros and I have NEVER regretted it. I should have done it a long time ago.

One of the signs of a cheechako is all kinds of gear and crappy optics. Think about it. If you can see the valley or ridge and pick it apart or determine the trophy quality then you don't have to walk all over the place spreading scent, spooking game and wearing yourself out. Smart hunters use the best optics they can afford. Your binos ought to cost as much or more than the average rifle. It's money well spent and good boot leather saved too.

PATRIOT76,

Good thread. Bubbled up lots of good information, based on the experience of guys using Swao binox.
Sure glad I bought the Swaro 7x42 SLC's...

Don

Just cause I am a nice guy I will take those crappy 10 X 42 Sl`s or SlC`s and give you a fair (HE HE) price for them.Believe me you had better get rid of that crappaty ,crap ,crap right away!!!

I had a pair of Swarovski 8x30's fog up on one side while on a Caribou hunt. The factory fixed the glasses after the hunt, but now I always take two pair. I still use Swarovski's' but my favorite binoculars are the Leica 10x42 Ultravids.