Kahles issues?

Any issues with Kahles optics? I recently purchased some Kahles bino's and after only 9 months they had to be returned to the factory for new lenses, case and the hinge repaired....
I know, readers will prob think that I'm some rough as guts, knuckle dragging, window licking redneck, who destroyed a top quality pair of bino in under a year?
Well, while some of this may be true. I have owned a pair for over 15 years, take great care of them and treasure them as one of my better purchases. I then decided to buy a pair for my brother as a birthday gift last year. He is ultra fussy with his gear, but, in the first month the case fell apart, next trip out the hinge became as worn and slogged out as a whore's money-maker, and in no time the lenses on the eye end only were so scratched they were next to useless. The had only ever been wiped clean with the supplied cloth, not a brick. Kilwell sent them away, $400 later, new lenses, tightened hinge, equally crappy replacement, but now camo, case. They now owe me $1800 all up. These were the 6th and last Kahles optics I will be buying. Anybody else had any problems with late model Kahles gear??

you sound like some rough as guts, knuckle dragging, window licking redneck

I try my hardest!

I know another member here has had to return a scope at least twice, possibly 3 times for repair. He is not impressed.

On a serious note, I have heard complaints of the glass scratching badly on Kahles binos before, havnt heard any complaints about the glass in their scopes, maybe something to do with their coatings. They are nice to look through when new though!

Interesting, I contacted the factory in Austria and got told by some Aryan, daughter of an SS officer, that they had never had any issues and I was clearly too rough!

My old set are still mint as, clear and scratch free after years of use. Dropped their standards maybe?

Any chance you unknowingly got foisted a chinky knock off?

I have a fairly new KX scope in Austria for repair under warranty at the moment,reticle started to rotate.
I also have a 54 year old 6x that is still rocking along,even surviving me angle grinding the fixed euro mounts off.
Would I buy another modern Kahles?If the price was right yes.
Would I buy an older one?yes any time.They might lack the modern coatings but the glass is clear and they are tough.

This outfit do good reviews, and found some quality issues.

Kahles 10x42 - binoculars review - AllBinos.com

They're the real deal, quality control of Chinese made jobs!

I've got a pair of 8x32 Kahles binos bought about 2-3 yr ago and I rate them.

I've dragged them and dropped them, never used lens caps, try not to clean them (sometimes, the lens pen that came with my scope) count on fingers how often. Still look very nice, excellent light after it's to dark to see with naked eye, no problems with collimation. Leica Geiovid 10x40 did have an edge over them but weigh twice as much and cost 4x. For North Island, these 8x binos are fantastic.

The case was crap. Initially came with one for the 10x binos - a waste of space but soon replaced by Collings at Carterton where I bought them. Proper case is good to use but very quickly started to pull apart at the seams. Now repaired with duct tape and has been good ever since. Strange since the binos are so good.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

This outfit do good reviews, and found some quality issues.

Kahles 10x42 - binoculars review - AllBinos.com

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Thats shocking QC for a pair to have a big black spot inside them

Just like everything these days returns are becoming the normal part of production and the company's just accept it. Even nightforce that have a great reputation have had many reported issues on the cheaper lines

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Originally Posted by Bagheera

I've got a pair of 8x32 Kahles binos bought about 2-3 yr ago and I rate them.

I've dragged them and dropped them, never used lens caps, try not to clean them (sometimes, the lens pen that came with my scope) count on fingers how often. Still look very nice, excellent light after it's to dark to see with naked eye, no problems with collimation. Leica Geiovid 10x40 did have an edge over them but weigh twice as much and cost 4x. For North Island, these 8x binos are fantastic.

The case was crap. Initially came with one for the 10x binos - a waste of space but soon replaced by Collings at Carterton where I bought them. Proper case is good to use but very quickly started to pull apart at the seams. Now repaired with duct tape and has been good ever since. Strange since the binos are so good.

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I went into Collings about 8 weeks ago to look at a pair and they had stopped stocking them. They said that at the price the wholesaler was marketing them at they were too expensive for what they were.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

I went into Collings about 8 weeks ago to look at a pair and they had stopped stocking them. They said that at the price the wholesaler was marketing them at they were too expensive for what they were.

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Yes, I think when I got mine they were on special which implies they were slower to move than the shop would have like. But I didn't realise they would stop stocking them altogether. Presumably landed costs fluctuate with the exchange rate and the next batch might e a bit more affordable. So will be Leica Zeiss and Swaro, possibly Leupold too. Kahles are not as exhorbitant as other big European brands.

Looking at the review link posted, I could possibly have a speck like that in mine without noticing it. A lot of the time in actual use there's dirt and stuff on them. A few minutes after cleaning, I get dust, condensation, rain, all sorts so its seldom a hunter gets to use a clean pair in the field. Interesting they say the whiteness is good. I find them a bit yellow, maybe my eyes just appreciate the extra brightness. They are really nice to look through and good rendition in the yellow-red end makes it easier to see animals; I don't like cold blue cast. One of my reasons for liking this brand is that they are solid as, more military than ornithology spequed. Other brands could well outcompete on image quality, weight and value for money.

Having heard these issues, I would want to handle the actual pair I was going to buy rather than purchase it online.

I had to send my Kahles 8x42 back to them as well, same issue,badly scratched lenses.

Brought in by kilwell,

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Kahles isn't that popular a brand in the UK but I love my 8x42 bins....they've had a hard life but are still in good nick....

Love my old trusty pair, still good as new. Was in the market for a pair of cheapo's to throw in the vehicle glove box, after many hours of research I got a pair Nikon Monarch 8x42's off ebay for $400 ($1000 on trademe, bastards). Theyre equal to if not a fraction better in low light than the bloody Kahles, very impressive chinky made binos. Bit of useless info for anybody in the market but not wanting to re-mortgage for binos.

Funny I got told mine was the only issue they've had with their binos. Full of shit Austrians. Cheers mate.

If you want quality and value (and Chinese build, Jap lenses), these are they.
I have a pair. Get them from Jacobs.
Vanguard Endeavor ED II 10x42 - binoculars review - AllBinos.com

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Originally Posted by Tahr

If you want quality and value (and Chinese build, Jap lenses), these are they.
I have a pair. Get them from Jacobs.
Vanguard Endeavor ED II 10x42 - binoculars review - AllBinos.com

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Had a look at some of these at Hamills in Rangiora a while back, they looked pretty impressive for the money, I see allbinos have them as 6th out of 75 10x42 binos, beating out some very expensive competition (Swaro, Leica, Zeiss), and they do a very comprehensive review both from a user and a scientific point of view, plus lifetime warranty is nice!
Im trying to talk myself into going with an 8x bino as part of lightening and compacting absolutely all I can with my gear for walk in trips and the 8x36s are looking a very attractive option.

I had a pair of Kahles 10x42 binos. I was the second owner. The first owner had returned them to the factory for lens replacement (scratched) - which was done without charge. I liked the image through them, the ergonomics were great, the price was excellent. However, there was a slight problem which irritated me (maybe not you) and that was a bit of colour fringing which was most noticable when looking at snow (looking for Tahr). So, I sold them. I notice that the review mentioned in this thread does not bring up colour fringing as a problem, so my pair may have been an anomoly. There were not bits of dust or other problems. And the friction of the barrel adjustment was very good, despite the previous owner and myself using them (an area which I've noticed to be a problem with second hand binos).

While on the subject of budget Binos and what we should or should not get ..

A big ups for what seems like a contender at the budget end of the Bino's market but I've had really good results from the Steiner Ultrasharp Safari's I bought from Top Gear in Auckland after trying Vortex, Bushnell, Leopolds etc These really were amazing and good in low light due to the 3D HD lenses as they make the image look stacked therefore easier to see game against backgroud. They really just blew me away. They're not Leica's but they don't have the multiple grand price tag either #justsaying!

The Leopold Cascades were bloody good too, Vortex I was a bit Meeeh about, after really being a strong supporter of their scopes.

Well worth a look if anyone like me looks at these posts to see whats good and whats got a few issues especially at the bottom end of the $ range.

Steiner Safari UltraSharp 10 x 30 Binoculars - 4406

Those Steiner's look pretty bulky. Got a pair of leupy McKenzie's for a similar price and really impressed