Thread: What Binoculars are you using?

@Beetroot, your thinking is sound: for locating animals prioritise FOV.

I recently went through same exercise as you. Asked on here and got heaps of great advice. Ranged from you must spend $2000 on binso through to any binos are is ok. Have a look at the 6 pages https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....oculars-47061/
I ended up buying 8.5x50 Delta Opticals from @Sarvo
I used them on hill first time a few days ago and they're great! Weight a little more but with the savings I brought a bino bag and harness https://bushbuckoutdoors.com/product...-binocular-bag and a 1000m range finder https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3283...447a5525jnaZ1h
All up for binos, bag & rangefinder >$550. While on the hill I compared the range finder to a Leica and it was within 15m while measuring 800-950m. At shorter ranges it was essentially identical.

Originally Posted by xtightg

Leica 10 x 25

+1

dont look past the smaller ones, you do loose a few minutes at low light but they are so small they live in my pocket and can be fished out at any time. much lighter if your worrying about weight as well. i find you end up moving your head around a bit more than with the 10x42s rather than eye movement inside the picture (think that makes sense) being lighter they also make glassing for long periods more comfortable.

do have 10x42 leupold mackenzies but they live in the truck now

Originally Posted by uk_exile

All up for binos, bag & rangefinder >$550

oops, less than $550, not greater than.
Once I add a PLB into the bino holder side pocket I'm sorted

I spend a ridiculous amount of time looking thru binos for animals of all shapes and sizes here and overseas.
Wont go into what I think are the best brands or magnification etc coz that is just personal preference.

But buy the best set you can afford. Can't stress that enough.

I can't count the amount of times I have located animals that seem obvious to me and yet I struggle to direct someone else to see them.
I pick up their binos and can immediately see why.
Unless the animals are skylined or in perfect light you may miss more than you see with poor glass.
Best times for animals to be up and about are nearly always in poor light so judging a pair at the shop in midday light conditions is pointless.

You often pick up animals with only seeing a tiny part of them. Tip of an antler, horn or a different shade of colour under a rock ledge, a hock off a back leg sticking out behind a bit of scrub etc.

Why things are seen can be broken down into 5 S's

Shape
Surface
Shadow (both cast and contained)
Spacing
Silhouette

I have yet too see a budget pair of binos (under 2K new) I would happily use.
And have yet used a set better than I have now.








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Originally Posted by R93

I spend a ridiculous amount of time looking thru binos for animals of all shapes and sizes here and overseas.
Wont go into what I think are the best brands or magnification etc coz that is just personal preference.

But buy the best set you can afford. Can't stress that enough.

I can't count the amount of times I have located animals that seem obvious to me and yet I struggle to direct someone else to see them.
I pick up their binos and can immediately see why.
Unless the animals are skylined or in perfect light you may miss more than you see with poor glass.
Best times for animals to be up and about are nearly always in poor light so judging a pair at the shop in midday light conditions is pointless.

You often pick up animals with only seeing a tiny part of them. Tip of an antler, horn or a different shade of colour under a rock ledge, a hock off a back leg sticking out behind a bit of scrub etc.

Why things are seen can be broken down into 5 S's

Shape
Surface
Shadow (both cast and contained)
Spacing
Silhouette

I have yet too see a budget pair of binos (under 2K new) I would happily use.
And have yet used a set better than I have now.








Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

All true except there is some under $2k glass that are up with the euro stuff.

Tract and Vanguard are both worth a look - especially Tract.
I use both.

Originally Posted by rupert

Hunting the tops or the bush?

I'm hoping for a pair that can do both.
Realistically my shooting will be a mix of bush and open country and would be shooting 0-400m. I may shoot goats or other varmint a bit longer say out too 600, but that's getting a long way out.

I'd love a good pair of rangefinder binos but don't have $1500-$2500 to spend on them at this stage.

Swaro 10x25’s are pretty decent

Ive got stieners safari i think really good to use

Currently using some vortex diamondbacks, going to upgrade when funds are available. Binos shouldve been the first investment ive made. Have found some many animals glassing. Cheers

Vortex Viper HD 8x40
Had these for a little while and I’m very happy , they replaced an old pair of Kahles that I had for years.
Not the most expensive by any means, but very usable and good in low light ,comparable to my old Kahles in that regards , which either shows how much cheaper binoculars have improved or how good the Old glass was back then .

https://www.bestbinocularsreviews.co...binoculars.php

I have to agree with some of what @R93 said here. I never bought into the "alpha glass" thing and always thought the various middle of the road binos I had were as good as glass could possibly be anyhow, but since having a pair of ELs I have picked up heaps more animals even in bright daylight than I ever did before. Have had the same situation several times where you're trying to point out an animal and getting frustrated because the other person cant find it... have a look through their binos and yea.. literally cant see it. One situation in particular just went for a quick glass up Mount Hutt after work one evening in the summer and I picked up a few deer, out on a scrubby rocky slip, ranged them at 2100yds, there were two others with me that had $1000+ binos (I wont go into brands etc to avoid a pissing contest..) and I literally could not see those deer full stop, these were both the type of binos I used to think were "as good as binos can be anyhow"
I'm not a wealthy man by any means and I would really struggle to buy a pair of alpha binos again, but that's the beauty of them, I have them now and really dont think I will have any need to buy another pair for a very long time. I think they are the most important part of your kit if you're serious about hunting, more important than any rifle or scope or fancy stupidly expensive camo clothing. Have seen guys waiting at the chopper pad in head to toe Kuiu, fancy custom rifles etc, and then they have a pair of middle of the road binos hanging around their neck and I think to myself damn....priorities bro..

Originally Posted by Shearer

https://www.bestbinocularsreviews.co...binoculars.php

What a strange review..... somehow the binos he rates at 83% overall win the main category... despite there being others much higher, and then (surprise surprise...) another pair from the same manufacturer wins the compact category despite being rated lower than others also... seems like a case of the manufacturer and reviewer being in each others pockets...

Buy once cry once - Swaro 8 x 32 EL's, awesome binos & will do everything you need & want