Good binocs & GPS

[5/10/85]

I'm looking for some good binocs that don't cost $2000 and a decent GPS that is easy to use and small (don't need all that extra weight carrying around a bow as well). I'd be grateful for some suggestions.

[Fisher-Dude]

I'm looking for some good binocs that don't cost $2000

They don't exist. There is nothing "good" about buying a pair of $500 binos four times when they break/cloud/fog versus spending $2000 once in your lifetime. Leica, Swaro, Zeiss. There should be no others on your shopping list.

[308BAR]

bushnell elites binos are about $1000-$1200 or if you want a good glass for under $1000 I've read and heard many comments that the Pentax dcf sp are top notch. swaros, zeiss, leica....you'll never hear a complaint from anyone who's used one. All GPS's are all pretty compact these days, weight nominal, you could strap it to your arm. Good luck.

[Gus]

I bought a pair of leopolds out of wholesale sports for under $400 and I absolutely love them. You take care of them and they will last a long while.

[highcountry88]

My son guides in the Yukon for sheep and spends ton of time glassing and binos are an absolute must and should a priority if we are upgreading our gear. Given that most of the hunters have lots of $$$, they bring up the top brands (Zeiss, etc) and they ARE great binoculars. However, in the real world, my opinion is that we regular guys need to buy as good as we can afford. Some of the guides there use Nikons, because they are good and if they get damaged on the trail (or lost) which happens a lot, you are not losing thousands. I can' t imagine telling my wife that I just lost my $2000 bino's, eh?

I just got some new Nikons and I have been real happy with them.

[Steeleco]

Check out www.binocularscanada.com Great people great service. I bought Nikon Monarchs 10x42 There is always better but these are great!!!

Plus on E-bay I've been looking a Leupold Pinnacles, some good deals going on there.

[ryanb]

If you're looking for a really great pair of binos for $500 bucks they do exist. Pentax makes a model called the DCF SP. Every review I have read about these binos has been incredible, and they are routinely rated as good or better than the 1-2000 dollar binos. I don't have a pair yet, just saving my money. They're going to be my chistmas present to myself this year.

As far as GPS, I have a Lowrance aviation model that you can load colour ground topo maps onto. In my opinion, a GPS should have maps to be truly useful, because then you can leave the paper maps at home and you're set with just the GPS and a compass.

[todbartell]

good pair of 'nocs are Leupold cascade 10x42 for around $400-450, or Nikon Monarch similar price

[Frango]

I have a set of bausch and lomb 8x42.I can't remember what I payed because its been like 6 or 7 years.They are great .As far as a GPS goes,I use a Lowrance H2O colour.I use it mostly for boating but on hunting trips its light and is easy to use..If you buy one make sure it has WAAS.Some of the guys I was hunting with this year, their GPS's would not find enough sat's for a fix,or would loose the signal at a very bad time...IE lost.The Chart system's for these units are amazing.

[Kechika]

If your a weekend warrior I cant see spendig huge money on optics....But if you spend your "Life" hunting its another story.Having owned a few pairs of cheap and not so cheap bino's I can say if your serious about the outdoors spend the money.Your eyes and legs will thank you for it.

[kutenay]

I own and use a Zeiss B/GAF 8x30 NATO bino which I bought new in 1975 and have used on firelookouts, Lightstations and continually since then with total satisfaction. I also have a Leica 10x42 Trinovid I boughht last year and today I brought home a Leica 62 Armoured 16x48 spotter to replace my Leupy Compact 25X.

I have tried Swaro, Zeiss V-I and V-II and highend B&L and Nikon binos which are all excellent, BUT, the FINEST bino I have EVER used is the new Leica Ultravid, these are simply phenomenal. I suggest that top notch binos are more useful than a fancy, new 4x4 and are money well spent as you will get more use out of them than almost any piece of outdoor gear you own.

[johnes50]

I just bought a Garmin GPSV for $199.00 and now they are $189.00. They are small enough to be handheld, can load maps and have autorouting capabilities. I'm very pleased with it for the price. I've loaded Garmin's TopoCanada 1:50,000 map of Vancouver Island on it and it still has a little memory left. John

Here's a link to the place where I bought it.

http://radioworld.ca/product_info.php?cPath=4_90&products_id=1532

[brotherjack]

Garmin ForeTrex - wrist-mount, ultra-light, nothing much fancy for features - will do the expected; get you in and out of the bush, and mark waypoints, and whatnot.

Bino's - hard to recommend without knowing what your general budget is.

I wouldn't even look at a pair of roof prisim bino's for much (if any) less than around $400. Bushnell, Leupold, Nikon, etc all make a relatively comprable offering in the $500-ish dollar range. Go into a store that has a good selection, and handle half a dozen pair's or more, and see what suits you. Generally, when it comes to roof prisim style gear - the more you spend, the better the bino.

If you're looking for good image quality on a tighter budget than that, you should (IMHO), be looking at porro prisim models. Porro prisim design's have their drawbacks (heavy, bulky, etc), but they typically offer an image quality comprable to roof prisim bino's costing more than twice as much. I have a pair of Bushnell Legend PorroPrisim bino's in 8x42, and they are a superb 'cheap binocular', IMHO.

[ARC]

I would recommend Leupolds. Not only are they decent binos that wont cost you an arm and a leg, but Leupold is also very good to deal with. My hunting partner fell on his binos, breaking them and when he called Leupold to explain, they sent him a new pair free of charge, even though the warranty had expired. All he had to do was ship the busted pair to them.

Another hunting partner busted his scope, he sent it in to them and they replaced it, no questions asked.

[Fisher-Dude]

I have tried Swaro, Zeiss V-I and V-II and highend B&L and Nikon binos which are all excellent, BUT, the FINEST bino I have EVER used is the new Leica Ultravid, these are simply phenomenal. I suggest that top notch binos are more useful than a fancy, new 4x4 and are money well spent as you will get more use out of them than almost any piece of outdoor gear you own.

Amen brother. I have 10x42 Leica Trinovids. Superb binos that will last my lifetime.

[Beaverhunter]

I just bought a pair of Leupold Cascades and they are great so far.

[Hidehanger]

You can get excellent Nikon Monarchs for about 4-600 and they are all you ever need. I would opt for the 10 power....I love mine, but a consideration is that you need a great spotting scope...spend the next 800+ on that because that is where you want your $. As for a GPS, I just bought a Garmin 60CSx and also bought the topo Canada maps you can download into the unit....I works fantastic...Prairie Geomatics has the best price going for this unit, but I can't recall their website...just do a search and you'll find it...

[blaker_99]

i recently was given the swarovski slc's for my birthday. They are the most amazing binos i have ever looked out of, crystal clear, comfy, and not really heavy. I also picked up the doubler for them as i hunt goat, sheep, etc quite a bit. i highly reccomend these bad boys, sure they cost an arm, leg and part of the other leg but they are worth it, LAST a lifetime. cheers all

[SAVAGE300]

Ever tryed Ebay, I buy alot off that site, my burris landmark binos 8x32 for under 50 and my megallan sportrack map for 73 and destinations canada software for 20, lots of great deals on there, if you know your prices and not in a hurry and have it shipped the right way, and remember no duty for things made in the USA just GST, just my 2 cents

[Gateholio]

I'll x3 on the Leica Ultravids. Bougth somethis year and when I put my old BL Discoverers up to my eyes afterward, i htought i was lookinng through a pair of Tascos:lol:

Cameraland in NYC often has good deals on demo models of high end optics.

[Mr. Dean]

As for a GPS, I just bought a Garmin 60CSx and also bought the topo Canada maps you can download into the unit....I works fantastic.

2nd'd!

A true workhorse.

[Trevor60]

If you are looking for quality binoculars or spotting scopes check out better view desired. They are a bird watching society and are fanatical about equipment.
http://www.betterviewdesired.com/RefSet.html
They list the Nikon Superior E as there reference standard for the 10x binoculars.
Depending on were you hunt and the conditions you hunt in may impact your selection.

[manitou210]

I have done searching for bino's at a affordable price like you $400 to $700 range, I bought a pair of New old model Bausch & Lomb Elites 10x 42 for a song, $250 I tested them against my Nikon 10x50mm action a $100 + bino,s, The Bausches where a lot bet no question but at the last legal time to shoot watching deer in fields they where so little better than nikons, I sold them on ebay for a good price, did okay.
I have looked at the Pentax 10x5O DCP SP they are very good, but not near as good as the pair of Minox 12xby52 made in Germany the only thing against them is they are hard to hold, maybe 10x is the way to go for average hunting etc, The Minox has a twighlight factor of 25 and thats higher than some big power Leica & Zeiss don't get me wrong the big boys are good very good.
But for the money I think they are the best you can buy, you will not be disapointed! they are crystal clear & sharp and very nice feel to them.
Go to ebay and put in this # 270061277007 and take a look.
I will PM you what I did

[zaconb]

Best value in bino’s is Nikon!! Sure they are not as good as Zeiss, Kahels, and Swarovski but they are 1000’s less!!!
For a GPS I have the Rhino 530(U.S. model) and it’s great but I prefer the mapping capabilities of my Ifinder huntc. I use a 2-gig memory card loaded with all the Canadian Topo maps, (because I’m lazy). And for marine work you can use the navionics charts that are spectacular and are interchangeable with all the Lowrance marine products!

[30-06]

i gottaa pair of bushnells.they have the built in digital camera,,,there amazing.never fog,iv dropped them many times,..they were 200$ at canadian tire.there a hunters dream i think.u can take a picture of the animal your looking at through ur binos.its sweet

[tuchodi]

I have the Bushnell Elites with Rainguard and in our hunting camp we have Zeiss, Swartsky, Nikons & Leopold. We have all looked through each others and no one can really say which one is better. We have check these out in all situations. Just dont go to cheap or you will regret it. We mostly use Garmin GPS's from the Rhino to the E-trax and all work very good.

[moose]

I have the explore 100 gps. It works and is simple to use. Bino'S I actually don't have a good set yet, I have seen a lot of guys using Nikons though and they are have are a great bang for the buck.

[The Hermit]

Careful on the Garmin Rhino 120 GSRM Radio GPS combo. They are awesome for the radio and the GPS works great too but my screen crashed on me this season in the cold. (-22C) Pissed! I haven't tried to see about the warranty yet but suspect it will have expired... sigh.

[elkguide]

I'm looking for some good binocs that don't cost $2000 and a decent GPS that is easy to use and small (don't need all that extra weight carrying around a bow as well). I'd be grateful for some suggestions. I use a pair of bausch and lombs that 2 years ago cost 700 can. They aren't swarovski's or anything but I spend alot of time looking through em and They work just fine.

[elkguide]

I have the Bushnell Elites with Rainguard and in our hunting camp we have Zeiss, Swartsky, Nikons & Leopold. We have all looked through each others and no one can really say which one is better. We have check these out in all situations. Just dont go to cheap or you will regret it. We mostly use Garmin GPS's from the Rhino to the E-trax and all work very good. When you really see the dif is in low light conditions.

[tooty]

Leica 7x42

[tuchodi]

elkguide You are right about low light and we have compared all the ones I listed we have in our camp and they are very close. Possibly the best is the Swarovski but they were $2500. My point is don't get the real cheap ones wait until you can purchase a better pair and you can get some real good ones for under $1000. It may seam like a lot of money to spend but it is going to be the only pair you will need for many years.

[Ilikebigbucks&Icannotlie]

I have a Garmin Legend C, and I like it quite a bit. Perfect for hunting. Steiner makes a really decent binocular for about $600. You won't find a good armoured, waterproof binocular for under $400.

[Chuck]

My 2 cents - No comment on GPS but binos I use are Zeiss 8X30 BMC. Reason for buying them was weight. Don't see them in any catalogues recently. Small and light like compacts but with big quality. Fibreglass body and made in Hungary. I love 'em. Were about 700 bucks when I bought them in '99.