Binoculars

[Morel]

I need to get a new set of binoculars for blacktail season next year. I have been hunting timber in region 2 and am looking for binos that are: 1) relatively compact, 2) anti-fog (my current binos fog up in wet weather limiting their usefulness this season), 3) will not break the bank. The binos will likely come duck hunting as well. I realize that you pay for high quality optics but am looking for a trade off between functionality and price given that I am not glassing across massive cuts but shorter distances in lower light.

Thanks for the help,
Cheers

[fyffer]

i just got a pair of red field rebels my buddy has a pair of zeiss that cost thousands and i would say mine are just as clear and nice. i just got them on sale in the usa for 99.99 at cabbalas. They are great and I know good glass as im a photography and these are very clear.

[TexasWalker]

i just got a pair of red field rebels my buddy has a pair of zeiss that cost thousands and i would say mine are just as clear and nice. i just got them on sale in the usa for 99.99 at cabbalas. They are great and I know good glass as im a photography and these are very clear.
epic fail.

[Farmer001]

Buy the best you can afford, maybe try to buy used. I have tried several and at normal light it may be hard to tell the difference. But with shadows and low light the more expensive really show definition in what you are looking at. When you are looking for a extra cm on a horn that you cannot make out you will wish you spent a bit more. The Vortex HD are good binocular for the dollars, they are more expensive than my Leupolds(which I like) but the clarity at low light is amazing.

[416]

Buy the best you can afford, maybe try to buy used. I have tried several and at normal light it may be hard to tell the difference. But with shadows and low light the more expensive really show definition in what you are looking at. When you are looking for a extra cm on a horn that you cannot make out you will wish you spent a bit more. The Vortex HD are good binocular for the dollars, they are more expensive than my Leupolds(which I like) but the clarity at low light is amazing.

x2 especially check out second hand. l have a pair of EL's which are among the best. l also bought a second hand pair of B&L's from a fellow HBC member for my wife and they have become my go too glasses. While the Swaro's do have a tiny edge in certain situations, l like the B&L's for their wt and compactness. For what you pay for high end glass versus the number of times it pays off isn't worth the extra $$$ imo. There are some really good bino's on the market now adays that won't break the bank.

[J_T]

Check out KOWA, and they are sold by a sponsor of this site.

[Superdeuce]

Although made in China like all the cheaper bins, a lot of the birder community swear by Zen Ray as best bang for the buck. For the next step up in quality for value, I was looking at the Cabelas Euro HD which are made by Meopta I believe and half the price of the other european glass.

[Badlands62]

Look at the Vortex line up, great glass for the money and there are many different models and prices for any budget.. Also sold buy a sponsor of the site..

[Remington721]

Vortex viper hd 8x42. Really clear and good low light performance, and the best warranty out there

[fyffer]

it is true, go buy a pair and test them. maybe the zeiss are a bit better but for thosands more not worth it.

[mod7rem]

I recently had an online conversation with a popular outdoor writer that is known for his expertise in optics among other things. He and his wife have at least 30 pairs of binos in there house at any time, most provided by manufacturers for testing and reviews, and they are both avid hunters and outdoorsman. He summed everything up by saying that if he was doing it with his own money he would buy the best chinese binos(zen-ray, kruger, etc for example) in the $350- $500 range, spend 25% of what euro binos would cost and find 100% of the same animals. Thats how good affordable optics have gotten.

[madrona sh]

Go with a Lieca monocular.
I find binos a pain when traveling and your hands are full with rifle as you er fumbling to hold steady a pair of binos to scan ahead on the go.

IMHO

[Morel]

Thanks for the help. I am still looking and will hit some of the shops to see what they carry. I like the idea of trying them out in low light.