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Are Swarovski's worth the price?

R

RJ

Guest
I realize that some people live and die by them. They are an awful lot of money, but are they worth the $100's (and sometimes $1000's) of dollars extra?

Also if they are how can I convince my wife that it is a good idea to trade in my Pentax 10x50's that I purchased for $300 to buy a pair of 10x42 or 15x56 swarovski binocs for a $1000 more :)
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-22-05 AT 01:58PM (MST)[p]Tell her she can trade in a pair of $50 shoes for a $350 pair. Problem solved.

Yes they are worth the money. So are the Zeiss and Leicas, which you might find for a bit less due to the fact that they don't advertise on every hunting show and on every page of every hunting rag.
 
>LAST EDITED ON Mar-22-05
>AT 01:58 PM (MST)
>
>Tell her she can trade in
>a pair of $50 shoes
>for a $350 pair.
>Problem solved.


HA,

The problem is my wife isn't like that. She never buys expensive stuff (Thank goodness)

Maybe I will win the lottery :)
 
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes they are surely worth the price. I have owned a pair for over 15 years. I do not take care of them, to be honest, I am brutal on them. They are the most durrable and important piece of hunting equipment I own, more so than my weapon, boots or pack. I went through several pairs of $100 to $300 optics before I broke down and bought a pair. As long as you dont loose them, you will never ever have to buy another pair of binoculars.
Yes, Zeiss and leica are also good. There are several cheaper brands that optically are great out of the box, but wont hold up for more than a few years unless you baby them.
I CAN say Swarovski has an excellent warranty. I havent hand experience with Zeiss or Leica warranty. Swarovski to this day takes care of any problems with its product NO QUESTIONS ASKED. Dont be afraid to buy a used pair, even over the internet. You can probably find the older mocel 10x50 on ebay for $500.00, then you can tell your wife, hey look at all the $ I saved!
Bittersweet
 
Its all about warranty and years of clarity that you get out of them. Yes you can buy cheaper binoculars that are very comparable to the swaro quality but if the quality of a cheaper pair does not last a lifetime then you will be buying another pair in 3 to 10 years depending on which brand you get. Clarity in Swaro, Leica, Ziess and a few others will be there when you die depending on how well you take care of them. But like bittersweetmuleymeat said up above, swaro will fix your problems no questions asked because of their warranty. But keep this in mind, the warranty is not transferrable. So I suggest staying away from used binoculars. If you cannot afford one of these expensive pairs then I suggest something a little cheaper such as Leapold or minox who also has a great warranty. If you still want swaro but cannot swing it up front then I suggest a layaway plan. I bought mine from Sportsworld in Ely, Nevada who has a 6 month layaway plan and will go past that as long as you are paying on it monthly. So weigh your options and good luck. Let us know what you get and tell us how you like them. fatrooster.
 
Yep, I think they are worth it. After many years of using a mid-range (dollar wise) pair and always dreaming of a good pair, I finally bought them. My justification,...I'm not getting any younger and they aren't getting any cheaper. After using them a few times, I can't believe what I'm seeing and what I've been missing.

PS, the wife don't know. Guess what she don't know, won't hurt her.

Ghost Hunter
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-22-05 AT 08:39PM (MST)[p]Thanks for your thoughts guys.

I have been conversing with cpugsie via private email and he recommended the 15x56's. Does anyone else have those or in your opinion do the 10x42 (maybe 10x50) suffice?

I am at least a year away from doing this because I already bought my toy for this year (weatherby mark V accumark 270 mag) But I can always start saving !
 
The 15x56's are great glass but it depends on how you use them. I've got the 15x56 slc's the 10x42 el's and an ATS 80 spotting scope. My favorites are the 10x42 el's. I can wear them on my neck and put them on a tripod. The 15x56's are basically only usefull on a tripod in my opinion. You just get too much shake with the 15 powered bino's. I've read many times that a person with 8 power bino's can spot more game than a person with 10 power. So 15 power just makes it even harder. But if you put them on a tripod its a different story. If I could afford only one item I would get the 10x42's because they are more versitile. If I could have two items I would go with the 10x42's and the spotting scope. The 15x56's are somewhere in the middle. Just my opinion. fatrooster.
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-22-05 AT 10:49PM (MST)[p]Would there be any advantage to the 10x50's vs the 10x42's?

edit to add: Everywhere I have looked puts the 50's $300 more than the 42's.

Would the 50's just mainly work a little better in lower light?
 
You are right RJ. Same power but should let in a little more light. But my 42's are never dark. Except at night, ha ha. You might get to see a couple of minutes longer with 50's but its gonna be after legal shooting light anyway. fatrooster.
 
Fatrooster is right about the way the warranty reads. Although I have three freinds that have purchased used pairs that they sent in for "checkups" or "reconditioning", one of those pairs seemed to be a hair out of allignment. Each time they were recondition or fixed no questions asked. I didnt fill out my warranty when I purchased mine and they took care of me also.
Anyway, the experience I have had is they will help you out if you own a pair of their optics. But again, Fatrooster IS right about the way the warranty reads, so take that into consideration.
Bittersweet
 
Tell me if I am wrong, but the main difference between the 10x42 EL and SLC is mainly weight with the EL's being slightly lighter? Is there any other differences? I guess my main question is why is the 10x42 EL binocs $600 more than the SLC in some places?
 
I found the answer to my question further down in the forum. It seems that a lot people do not seem to see that much a difference in them and some do. I am going to go to the local sportsmans in Meridian ID and check them out side by side. I will report back.

Thanks again everyone.

Please feel free to add anything else.
 
If you like to read reviews try Birdforum.com. The Birding people are very astute and discriminating bin users, and really the first binocular snobs. They discuss warmer vs. natural colors. Coatings, weight, close focusing, slow focusing, brightness, etc. Analysis to paralysis. You know the top three are all great binos you just have to pick the ones that work best for you. Birding is different than hunting but no demanding on binos.
 
I think you have to be the one who decides whether they are worth it or not. The question you need to ask is "How much do I use my binocs?" Sort of multiple choice. And be honest with yourself.

a. I use them mostly for identifying an animal I see.
b. I use them to determine if an object I see is an animal or not.
c. I use them to scan the mountain side for animals as I'm hiking along but mostly I hunt by hiking all day and jumping aniumals out of their bed or cover.
d. I spend a good deal of time glassing for animals up feeding within a mile or so of me.
e. I spend a good deal of time sitting and glassing areas within half a mile to a mile of me looking for bedded and or feeding animlas.
f. I spend the majority of my hunting time sitting in a good vantage point glassing very distant areas looking into the terrain and vegetation for any part of an animal that would be impossible to pick up under any of the above mentioned conditions. This would include glassing before and after daylight hours.

Sounds stupid but if you fit in any other category than the last one (f) then the high end, high dollar binoculars are really not worth it. If you are in the d or e categories buy yourself a good pair of Nikon Monarchs or Leupold Wind Rivers or something equivalent. If you are in a, b or c category you could probably use something much less expensive and be perfectly happy. Honestly, some people just don't know how to or have the patience or maybe even the need to glass as described in "f". The high dollar binocs are not going to make up for other short comings. If you fit into "f", then save your pennies and get the very best you can afford and you will never be sorry. They can be the last pair you need to buy. I chose Leica over Swaro but as someone else said, once you get to that level, it's a matter of splitting hairs and personal preference. Have I ever felt I spent too much for my Leicas? Not once since they were paid for.

Just my thoughts.
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-23-05 AT 10:39PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Mar-23-05 AT 10:36?PM (MST)

RJ, the el's have more phase coating on them making them a little brighter. They are a little longer in length which makes it easier for the binocs to magnify rather than in a shorter pair. They are lighter and have a user friendly ergonomic hand holding shape. You can only see the difference in the slc's and el's when you have them both side by side looking at a spot with both focused and you jump back and forth. Other than that there is not much noticable difference and only you can decide if its worth $600.00 more. I myself decided that if I was gonna go $1000.00 dollars for a pair of binocs then I may as well go all the way and get the top of the line. But I'm single right now and can splurge a little bit. Bittersweetmuleymeat (dang thats a long name) is right about Swaro honoring warranties even when you don't have one but will they always be so lenient? Thats why I stress a warranty. But the fact that they are so lenient just makes swarovski that much more of the correct name brand to buy. Leica's quality is just as good as swaro but I've heard good and bad about them honoring their warranty. When I spend that much money on my optics I want no question about the ability to get them fixed or serviced. NVbighorn brought up some good points about what kind of hunting a person does and how expensive a person should get when buying optics. Canyonroad is right about Birdforum.com being the place to read about optics. The bird people are fanatics about their glass. In short you are in the right place to ask opinions. These guys on this site know their stuff and you can get many view points. Goodluck, fatrooster.
 
RJ,
I still stand by my recommendation of the 15's as long as you have a pair of 10's to use also. Fatrooster is correct about needing a tripod. I do alot of Coues and mule deer hunting in wide open spaces in Arizona and my 15's have helped me find more deer/animals everytime out. In thicker pine forests they're not as effective. Like on an elk hunt in the pines or up high in the North Kaibab pine forest. I have a bit of a problem with a spotting scope for more than a couple minutes of use because my unused eye gets weird on me. Double vision and blurred vision from keeping it closed. Maybe I'm doing something wrong when using my scope. I general just use it once I've located something with my binos. To answer your question...Swarovskis are definitely worth the money!!!!!
 
I bought some last year. I got the 10X42 ELs and the 80 mm STS and after using them in montana last year I was asking myself why I waited so long to buy them. They are the best things around. One of the guys I hunted with was getting pissed off because I was spotting so many deer that he could not find with his cheep binos he had.
 
I guarantee you will not be sorry for spending the extra $$$. Just think of it this way, they will last you the rest of your life and possibly your sons or whoever you pass them on to when you die. They are a good investment IMO.
 
Good binoculars are the best money you can spend and they will last you a lifetime. The 15X56 are good glass but they are heavy (especially if you plan to wear them around your neck) and a tripod helps with the weight and adds weight to pack around if you walk alot. The 10X42 are a great compromise in that they are bright enough to do a great job early and late and they weigh less and can be hand neld with no problem. All three brands you are considering will do the job well. As to the difference between the SLC and the EL I'd wait to see what the new offering is but I will tell you that since a new model is coming out it could be DISCOUNT TIME on a new purchase so bear that in mind. I have both Leica's and Swarovski's in the 10x42 and I prefer my Leica's but that's a personal preference. My wife prefers the Swarovski's. A buddy of mine has a pair of Steiners 10X that he had bought and I lent him my Swarovski's one morning and he couldn't believe the difference! They don't bother your eyes and you can glass longer w/o getting eye fatigue. He came back and bought a new pair of SLC'S and sold the Steiners.
 
NVBighorn pretty much echos my thoughts exactly. Most guys fall into the other categories of not using there binoculars enough to even warrant getting the best. Mid grade binoculars would work fine in most cases.

Personally for the country I hunt and scout you'd never get away with just 15x binoculars, and a good spotter is a must when picking apart a deer at more than a mile.

AntlerQuest Hunt Consulting
 
If you already own the slc's I don't think it is worth the money upgrading, but if you are buying new get the EL's. Yes they are worth the money.


JB

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote."
--Benjamin Franklin 1759
 
Good glass is absolutely worth it. Everything above is right, but most importantly it depends on how you hunt.

Most everything I hunt you can see five hundred yards max so I use Leupold gold ring 10X28. I think they are the best mid priced binos out there. But after hunting in AZ last year for Coues Im going to get some Swaro 15X56 to carry as well.
 
A guy I know bought a pair of the 8x30 Swaro's....at a yard sale for fifty cents!!! He said a lady had the price written in marker on them! What a steal (bet her husband was happy)....thing is that my buddy didn't know what he had found and sold them to another guy where he works for $50.....but the guy he sold them to sure did. Why can't I be the lucky dog once in a while....I would have been happy to buy them for the $50 since I don't know if I'll ever be able buy a pair of new ones. I like going to garbage(garage)/yard sales in the warm months...you never know what you'll find.....I just drive on by the ones where there are only clothes.
 
After years of using sub standard optics I finally dropped the big bucks on a pair of 10x42 slc and a 20-60x80 swaro spotter. I did a lot of research and heard endless debate over which is better--leica zeiss or swarovski. Personally I couldn't tell, so i went with the swarovski's because they stand behind their products. I couldn't see $600 worth of clarity in the EL's so I went with the slc. I'm still waiting for someone to tell me the difference in the el and the slc, other than the els are 2 ounces lighter and are ergonomicly different.

Mike
 
I had the 10x42 SLC's for a long time and they were great binos! Ended up selling them and buying the BRF's so that I'd have a rangefinder and binos in one piece of equipment. Will never get rid of my 15x56's though because they are so nice to glass with, from a tripod of course. Swaro's are definitely worth the price!
 
I have owned Leica ba 10x42 Swarovski ELs both excellent binoculars I prefered the Leicas. Sold the ELs and I purchased the 10/15x50 leica and love them. The facts are Leica Swarovski Zeiss all excellent binoculars if you screw up and buy the Swarovski or Zeiss you just bought one of the best binoculars made. As far as being worth the money I think the best money I have ever spent towards hunting has been on high end binoculars.
 
They definitely worth it as long as you are going to use them. Personally mine get used any given day from late summer until late spring with only a month or two that they get to take a rest from any huntable animal in AZ. The 15's and I are going on three years together and they look like new. I clean them or keep them in the case if I am not looking through them. To get the point across if you are not going to miss a mortgage and a car payment for a month, buy them and they will last you for who knows how long. To answer your second question I really can't help because I am single which is probably the reason I own them. Good Luck
H-25
 
SWAROS ARE EXCELLENT GLASS THATS A GIVEN. BUT THERE IS SO MUCH GREAT GLASS AVAILABLE ITS TRULY AMAZING. MINOLTA,AND SMITH&WESSON ARE EXTREMELY BRIGHT,AFTER LOOKING THROUGH 16 DIFFERENT BRANDS....SWAROS,ZEISS,STIENER..YOU NAME IT. GIVEN THE THEFT FACTOR,GETTING LOST,OOPS I DROPPED THEM, FOR ME THEY ARE NOT WORTH THE DIFFERENCE IN PERFORMANCE. MY BINO PROJECT HOWEVER WAS LIMITED TO 10X42, AND LIKE MANY HAVE STATED THE NIKON MONARCHS 10X42 ARE GREAT FOR THAT $$$$$ RANGE. IT IS ALSO DIFFICULT TO KICK IN A EXTRA 1200-1400 $$$ WITH SO MANY GREAT OPTIONS AVAILABLE. BUT YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN, JUST MY 2 CENTS. ...YD.
 
Yes they are!!!Like someone already said,They are THE MOST IMPORTANT piece of Hunting Equipment that I own!!!Remember what you don't SEE you can't HUNT!!!Good Luck
 
the same way i did take your wife scouting or hunting. Then take a frend that hase some sworovskis and im sure he will find moor game than you . There moor clear moor bright and that makes a lott of diference at one or two miles. p.s you get wat you pay for sice I bought mine i se two or three times moor game and that makes it worth a little bit money in my sworovsky eyes.
 

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