HuntinFool
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I am looking at buying a spotting scope or high power binoculars this year. It seems like there are two groups. What are the pros and cons to each?
Glassing setup
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cmbbulldog
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LAST EDITED ON Feb-17-14 AT 12:56PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Feb-17-14 AT 12:55?PM (MST)
The most Important part of any glassing setup is a good tripod.
If you are just getting one, hands down binoculars are a must.
The most Important part of any glassing setup is a good tripod.
If you are just getting one, hands down binoculars are a must.
HuntinFool
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I will always have a pair of 10x42's around my neck. I see a lot of guys lately with the 15x and 20x binoculars, and I was wondering about the benefits of those over a spotting scope.
Gunnie3035
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The benefit is you have two eyes vs one. Ya can cover a lot more area, albeit not as much power, but better viewing pleasure. 12x is about as much as I can hold still without a pod and even then I need one in windy conditions. Each have their place for sure. I think the best all round setup would be a 10x50 and a 65mm scope with a good quality pod/head that could be used for both tools. Not to heavy to pack but yet big enough to get it done.
travishunter3006
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A pair of vortex diamondback 10X42 will get the job done and at a reasonable price with an unbeatable warranty.
Those binos go great with a 20-60 power vortex diamondback spotting scope. But don't skimp on the tripod as that makes a huge difference.
Those binos go great with a 20-60 power vortex diamondback spotting scope. But don't skimp on the tripod as that makes a huge difference.
buckhorn
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Your post indicates you are looking for high power. I assume you already have binos. They are a must have. To judge an animals quality such as tine length, extra points, spread etc. you need a spotting scope. A pair of Doctor 50 power binos on a tripod would also do the job. The problem with them is 1-the price(5000) 2-the size and weight. IMO the Sworovski HD65 with 20x60 zoom is top of the line.I have had that scope side by side with a Vortex and Leupold, the Sworo.HD is far superior. The Sworo 20x60 80 is just a bigger version of the 65. I have Had them side by side and couldnt see enough difference to justify the size and weight of the 80. It did have about a 10yd. more field of view but thats not needed. If your a guide that is scouting the Doctor Binos are awsome. If you you are the hunter the Sworo HD6520x60 cant be beat.
muley505
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It somewhat depends on what type of hunting you are planning on doing and how far away you are going to need to glass. If you hunt heavier cover and don't need to glass super far (less than 1.5 miles or so), I would probably go with a lower-powered bino and a good spotter to judge them and see if they are worth your time to hike to. If you hunt areas that have good, high vantage points where you can see 3-5 miles, I would go with a good pair of 15x binos as you will find that they are more comfortable to sit behind for longer amounts of time than a spotting scope because your eyes are less strained when you can look through both of them (I, however, definitely wouldn't go without at least a half-decent scope though because you still will need to tell if they are worth pursuing, but for longer glassing sessions, I opt for the binos every time).
I tend to glass lots of big, relatively-open areas, and I prefer covering the extra area with my 15x binos because they are just easier on my eyes for long periods of glassing than a spotter is. My current setup is the Vortex Viper HD 15x binos (highly recommend for the money) and the Zen-Ray 20-60x82 spotter (also very good for the money). I would ultimately think about what it is that you want to do and what type of terrain you want to do it in, and go from there.
As a side note, you will have to have a tripod for the 15x binos because it is a joke trying to look at anything with that much magnification without it being mounted on a good tripod. Also, if you get a spotter, I would go to a pharmacy and get an eye patch to cover your non-dominant eye because it is way easier than trying to squint it shut for hours on end and covering it with your hand can be problematic when it's really cold. The eye patch also allows your other eye to relax because you can leave them both open rather than contorting your face to keep the non-dominant eye closed.
I tend to glass lots of big, relatively-open areas, and I prefer covering the extra area with my 15x binos because they are just easier on my eyes for long periods of glassing than a spotter is. My current setup is the Vortex Viper HD 15x binos (highly recommend for the money) and the Zen-Ray 20-60x82 spotter (also very good for the money). I would ultimately think about what it is that you want to do and what type of terrain you want to do it in, and go from there.
As a side note, you will have to have a tripod for the 15x binos because it is a joke trying to look at anything with that much magnification without it being mounted on a good tripod. Also, if you get a spotter, I would go to a pharmacy and get an eye patch to cover your non-dominant eye because it is way easier than trying to squint it shut for hours on end and covering it with your hand can be problematic when it's really cold. The eye patch also allows your other eye to relax because you can leave them both open rather than contorting your face to keep the non-dominant eye closed.
D
DnkyPunch
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This setup has done it for me in nearly every western state:
10x42 Leicas with a Zeiss 65mm spotter
Tripods have varied over the years from bog pods to manfrotto carbon fibers but now I go with the outdoorsmans and jim white head in my pack.
Throw a tripod mount kit on your binos and you're all set. I like glassing with my binos off the tripod then throwing the spotter on for a closer look.
I'm not a fan of packing giant binos around. I guess if I did I wouldn't really pack a spotter too. The 15s are great if you're close to the truck or on easy terrain. Everyone has a preference so I'd experiment a little until you find the setup that you like best.
10x42 Leicas with a Zeiss 65mm spotter
Tripods have varied over the years from bog pods to manfrotto carbon fibers but now I go with the outdoorsmans and jim white head in my pack.
Throw a tripod mount kit on your binos and you're all set. I like glassing with my binos off the tripod then throwing the spotter on for a closer look.
I'm not a fan of packing giant binos around. I guess if I did I wouldn't really pack a spotter too. The 15s are great if you're close to the truck or on easy terrain. Everyone has a preference so I'd experiment a little until you find the setup that you like best.
P
Psc_Thompson
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I currently use Swarovski 10x42 binos and Swarovski 20-60x80 scope. I do wish my scope was the 65mm just to save my shoulders a little when in my pack. Have to agree the tripods is a definite must of quality. You can have the best optics in the world but I your scope just shakes like hell you can't see anything. If you need to save a little in costs I've heard good things about the vortex line of optics. Both bino and scopes. I also have a little light weight vortex tripod I picked up for cheap that I'll throw in my pack if I've got a heavy load that day. Works pretty good.
Happy Hunting
Psc_Thompson
Happy Hunting
Psc_Thompson
