BEST BINOCS?? $300-500 range

tshuntin · Aug 20, 2004

I need to get a new pair of binoculars. I want to spend closer to $300 but am willing to spend up to $500 max. Probably somewhere in the middle would be best. Have a gift cert to cabelas so leaning toward getting them from there.

I want either 10 or 12 power. What are your suggestions on what to get??????????????? Thanks for your help!! Travis

Foreman4x4 · Aug 20, 2004

LAST EDITED ON Aug-20-04 AT 11:21AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Aug-20-04 AT 11:19?AM (MST)

First off, while I like Cabelas, their prices on optics generally leave a lot to be desired, with the exception of the Zeiss 10x40 ClassiC's of course, but they're more than you want to spend.

I'd suggest you look at the Pentax DCF SP's, Eagle Optic's Platinum Rangers, Leupold Wind River Pinnacles, etc.. All of which can be found for well under $500.00.

For Wind Rivers check www.sierratradingpost.com
For Pentax SP check www.hotbuyselctronics.com, www.17thstreetphoto.com, or www.cameralandny.com

If you don't mind the weight, there's some great deals to be had on "refurbished" Nikon Venturer/LX's. These are the best glass available IMHO, but they are also amongst the heaviest. Check www.ewins.com for prices. I just purchased a second pair of the 10x42 version for $450.00 shipped to Utah. Covered by a 90 limited warranty, afterwhich they're covered by Nikon's "no fault" lifetime warranty, which allows you to return them, no questions asked, for repair or replacement should the need ever arise, even if the damage were your fault, for $10.00 plus the cost of return shipping.

Here's a site with some great reveiews: www.betterviewdesired.com

Good luck.

Rammin · Aug 20, 2004

Travis, I recently purchased a pair of 10X42 Wind River Pinnacles. I got them for around $350 from a place in Oregon.
I like them alot. If you search the web as 4X4 suggests you can beat the heck out of Cabela's prices. The Pinnacles don't have a warranty as good as the Nikon's that 4X4 was talking about, but they are decent binoculars for the price.

NMRaptor · Aug 20, 2004

I'd recommend Pentax for this price range.
-Raptor

3bigelk · Aug 20, 2004

Weaver Grand Slam Series 10x
Great Glass

shelbys · Aug 20, 2004

I would go with the Minox 10x50 on ebay right now. You can get a pair for $399, they are refurbished, but still a great deal with full waranty. The 50x objective lens allows much more light transmission and is a better glass all around than the 40mm or 42mm. I've also had a pair of the wind rivers in the past and they are a super bang for the buck!

Chef · Aug 20, 2004

Nikon Monarchs 10x

They are what I have and my hunting buddies have gone out and purchased the same ones after I let them borrow them. I highly recommend the bino-buddy system to use with whatever you purchase, unless you get 15x then use a tri-pod.

Regards,
Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"

littlebuck · Aug 20, 2004

http://www.riflescopes.com/products/LEU54524/leupold_wind_river_olympic_12x50.htm

crazy4muleys · Aug 20, 2004

Smith and Wesson bino's are in that price range. I wouldn't trade mine for anything. ok almost anything.

Foreman4x4 · Aug 20, 2004

LAST EDITED ON Aug-20-04 AT 07:01PM (MST)[p]Interesting that you bring up the S&W binos. From what I understand, they're pretty much the same binocular as the Eagle Optics Platinum Ranger, Alpen Apex, and I think even some of the Wind River's, the Olympic's if I'm not mistaken. They're all made by Hakko, Japan, and then badged and marketed by the individual companies. I think this is where S&W suffers; they had a good product, but suffered from poor marketing.

MrBaitnFish · Aug 20, 2004

I would go with the Minox. I sold my Leica 10x42's and bought a pair of Minox 8x32's. I tested about everything in the $500 range. The Minox were much sharper than the wind rivers, nikon, pentax or weavers to my eyes. They are a lot lighter around the neck. The only thing I miss is they are not as bright in low light as the Leica's are. But they are less than half the price and they are made by Leica. Test 'em all side by side outdoors if you can.

Tuffbucker · Aug 21, 2004

My wife bought me a pair of the Nikon Monarchs in 10x42 for my birthday two weeks ago. I had priced them right around $300.00, and I couldnt be happier. I have already put them to use scouting for my LE Elk Hunt, and they are awesome glass. They are clear, light weight, and NIkons "no-fault" warranty cant be beat.

TUFF

mountaineer · Aug 21, 2004

I also bought a pair of nikon monarchs. I had the guys over at sportsmans outside with six pairs of binos in that same price range and the nikons stood out as the best. I was thinking about buying the pentax dcf hr II binos until i compaired them side by side. Im sure glad i did my homework. Mountaineer

patriot_hunter · Aug 23, 2004

Wind river binoculars are the best there are in that price rabge. I borrowed a pair for a elk hunting trip and loved them. Went and baught my own after returning from the trip. They are very clear and didn't fog up easily.

COHunter · Aug 23, 2004

I bought a set of Bushnell Legend 10X42 and have been extremely pleased with them. I know they sell in the low $300 range.

fisrtcoueswas80inches · Aug 23, 2004

i got lucky and bought a pair of Alpen 12x50's on ebay for 235(retail is between 399 and 480) they are by far the best binos in that price range that i have ever used, they come close to my dads docter 16x50's.
casey

quickdrawkinker · Aug 23, 2004

Another vote for Nikon here. I have had a pair of the sporter 1 10x36's for the last 2 years and am pondering the idea of getting the 10x42 monarch's. I was at Sportsmans's the other day comparing them to the WindRiver's that were $200 dollars more and the Nikon's were hands down the better of the two. For $300 I don't think you can beat the Nikon Monarch's and by no means are the Swaro's and Leica's worth a grand more. Do yourself a favor and look at the Nikon's, you will be impressed.

swivelhead · Aug 23, 2004

Check out minolta's aptiva, all the bells & whistles for less than $350.

MDnut · Aug 23, 2004

I have a pair of the Weaver Grand Slam 10.5 X 45's and have hunted with them for the last three years and love them. They are clear out to the edge and very bright. I would highly recommend them.

MDnut

30_378shtr · Aug 26, 2004

Pentax! I have owned a couple pair of Pentax DCF series and they are the best I've found for under $700! I love my 10x42's. With out paying a grand for leica or swaro they are the way to go. They are roof prism, fully multicoated, phase corrected, accept tripod, and are magnesium or aluminum housing for light weight.

kingfish · Aug 26, 2004

The very best value for the money is without a doubt is the Zeiss classics in Cabeles for $699.00. Other bino's are good but the Zeiss are unbelievably clear and at that price and coming from cabelas you can't go wrong. IMHO.

vitalzone · Aug 26, 2004

I had the opportunity to check out a pair of binoculars,they where called Celestron Nobles in 8 by 42.Celestron is known for their telescopes.These glasses run between 400.00 and 450.00.You should really check these out before making your decision,these are incredibly quality made with extremly bright and clear optics.I have used them for a couple of years now and I am immpresed with there performance as all of my freinds who have checked them out.They can be found at astronomy shops.If you need help finding give me a email at [email protected]. Really check them out you will be impessed.At the range my buddy could see bullet holes in paper targets at 150 yards clearly,he was amazed.Other than that, forget the rest and spend the 1700.00 and get swarovski EL line. Check out the Celestron Nobles,Really!They are roof lens construction.

DUVY · Aug 26, 2004

Wind River hands down!!
I have put them to the test in cold, rainy, snowing, blowing hell.

freedivr2 · Aug 28, 2004

To each their own, but a couple years ago I spent many moons comparing mid-range bino optics (light gathering, clarity, weight, blah blah.....). What I thought was the best mid-range deal for the quality of the optics was the Pentax DCF 10 x 42s that I ended up purchasing from Cameraland (thru ebay, they're located in Manhattan, N.Y. and offered the best deals AND when I spoke with them they also beat the next lower price for these binocs....good folks to deal with).

One thing I did was go to a camera shop and put one set of binocs on top of another and then set them on a counter and pointed them to an object outside the store about 300 yds. away. That allowed me to look thru one, then quickly switch to the other set and look thru them at the same object. This made it really easy to compare the light gathering, clarity of the lenses. Then I took the best of those two types and put another type on top and repeated that scenario. Course, the Swaroskis and Zeiss were a little better than the Pentaxs, but I wasn't going to fork out another $700 for the small difference in clarity/light gathering, the diff wasn't worth the money to a small time deer hunter like me. If I were a guide, I would've spent the extra dollars I'm sure. The Leticas were in the $700 range but to me seemed no better than the Pentax's at all.

Anywho, I have zero complaints about these binocs and am happy I bought them and wouldn't hesitate to buy em again if I lost my pair. Good luck to you in your choice.

_droptine_ · Aug 30, 2004

Celestron makes the Ranger Platinum series for Eagle Optics. www.eagleoptics.com. I think the Celestron Nobles and the Ranger Platinum series are the same binocular. I have a pair of the older phase coated Rangers. They are very good binoculars!

Chad · Sep 1, 2004

Keep an eye on ebay,bought my last pair of 7x42 slc Swarovskis for $437 and they are in like brand new condition.
I also have the 8x42 Pentax dcf wp and they are very good glass also for the money.

good luck

jamaro · Sep 2, 2004

Hey everybody...
Just a cautionary note.. When you buy high-end binos. be aware of the grey market... Same exact glass just the warrantys are different. Ask you dealer to explain the differences and choose wisely.
j-dawg

Chad · Sep 4, 2004

I called zeiss one time and they told me that no matter where you got them as long as it had their name on them they would cover them 100% "like Leupold".

Now Leica on the other hand only honors their warranty to the original owner "that sucks!"

quickdrawkinker · Sep 7, 2004

I have to make an update from my previous response. I went into the sporting goods store the other day to pick up the Nikon 10x42 Monarch's and decided to give the WindRiver's another chance--I took outside a pair of the Nikon's and the WindRiver Olympic 10x50's and also a pair of the 12x50's. Needless to say I ended up spending more than I had planned on, but I couldn't resist when I looked through the 12x50's--they are increadible glasses. These glasses are available through cabelas for $400 and I'd say they are worth every penny. Do yourself a favor and look at the WindRiver Olympic in either the 10x50 or the 12x50--hands down the best bino in that price range.