My son's 17th birthday is coming up and he wants binoculars. This was triggered by not being able to tell much about turkeys he was scouting this afternoon. Can you give me some suggestions about good binoculars that won't break the bank? Thanks!
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What is your budget?
My suggestion is Vortex Diamondback. They are a great all around binocular. Unbelievable warranty. I have 3 pairs. One for my truck, one for my house, one for my pocket or vest for shed hunting, bow hunting, and turkey hunting. Great binoculars.
Quote from: DUCKDIGGLER on March 12, 2021, 07:16:20 PM
What is your budget?
Under $200
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Quote from: bossgobbler on March 12, 2021, 07:24:22 PM
My suggestion is Vortex Diamondback. They are a great all around binocular. Unbelievable warranty. I have 3 pairs. One for my truck, one for my house, one for my pocket or vest for shed hunting, bow hunting, and turkey hunting. Great binoculars.
I've got a pair myself. Mine are 10x50s
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Under $200 I'd recommend Nikon Prostaff 7s in 8X42s. Larger filed of view....more light transmission means better image quality and easier to "hold steady".
X2 for the vortex
Vortex 10 by 42. Great binos for the money!!!
For field binoculars I do not care for the 10X and prefer 8x... Too difficult to get a steady image with the 10x without resting them on something (at least for me). I actually feel like it is far easier to view in the 8x, and would assume that for a young persone this would be even more true.
My very favorite field binoculars are the Cabela's Intensity HD compact 8x25. They have surprisingly good optics, are waterproof (supposedly) and I have used them and abused them for duck and turkey hunting. If I am hunting (or fishing) I have those binoculars on me. Nikon, Steiner, and Vortex of similar quality will be a tad more pricey (but not much).
I had a pair of Steiner's (Predators) and I like them as well... Similar quality to the Cabela's but considerably more expensive
https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-intensity-hd-compact-binoculars
I do not deer hunt, but optics for looking at horns are a different story.
Quote from: Marc on March 12, 2021, 08:36:36 PM
For field binoculars I do not care for the 10X and prefer 8x... Too difficult to get a steady image with the 10x without resting them on something (at least for me). I actually feel like it is far easier to view in the 8x, and would assume that for a young persone this would be even more true.
My very favorite field binoculars are the Cabela's Intensity HD compact 8x25. They have surprisingly good optics, are waterproof (supposedly) and I have used them and abused them for duck and turkey hunting. If I am hunting (or fishing) I have those binoculars on me. Nikon, Steiner, and Vortex of similar quality will be a tad more pricey (but not much).
I had a pair of Steiner's (Predators) and I like them as well... Similar quality to the Cabela's but considerably more expensive
https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-intensity-hd-compact-binoculars
I do not deer hunt, but optics for looking at horns are a different story.
Thanks! Looking at them now!
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Vortex Diamondbacks as well. 8X42's won't shake as bad as the 10X42's but the 10X42's are a Great All around bino for turkeys and deer. Guaranteed for life, no matter what happens to them.
What ever you do don't get auto focus. You can't see through the brush with them. They focus on the foreground. Manual allows you to see through the foreground and focus on things behind the brush.
I run Zeiss 10x42 Terra ED's for turkeys.
Very solid binoculars in the $400-500 price range.
I regularly find myself looking at turkeys through binoculars at distances from 100 yards to 1 mile. 10x42 gives me the magnification needed to clearly determine the sex of a bird at the distances I mentioned and the 42mm objective provides exceptional light gathering during twilight and dusk.
Diamondbacks.. buy used off ebay.
Vortex diamondback or nikon prostaff 7. Like them both
A little more than your budget but cameraland has Athlon Cronus Gen 1 8.5x42 for $300. They will pay the shipping if you call the store and ask. I have a set of the 10x and your going to pay $750+ to equal these.
Vortex diamondback 10 x 42 .. you can not bet Vortex customer service..
Like many others i like the vortex diamondbacks, but for me 42's are a truck size bino, i keep my atlas 8x42's in the truck. I hunt with diamondback 8x28's which are much more vest friendly imo. You can get those for well under your budget too.
Vortex diamondback 10×42
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Cant go wrong with Vortex anything... I got the Vortex Crossfire in 12x50. Dangit I love those things. Excellent clarity and great focus. May be a little on the bigger/heavier side for turkey runnin n gunnin, but I got it for glassing the prairies and rivers for waterfowl, and low light conditions for whitetail. You can get the 10x42 on Amazon fo $149 and free shipping right now.
Much of this decision should start out with the consideration of what he plans on using binoculars for. If he will either now or eventually be hunting game in places where long-distance glassing will be involved, I would firmly state that you should go with a minimum 8X42 pair and 10X50's would be better. 12's can be beneficial in some cases, but for most applications, they are overkill. Yes, the bigger bino's are heavier, but the complaints about differences in weight and overall size are overblown, in my opinion. The advantages of the bigger glass with better light-gathering capabilities and wider field-of-view more than make up for the weight and size difference. Furthermore, it is a rare adult hunter that is not capable of carrying a binocular that is a little bigger and weighs slightly more than a smaller pair.
In terms of brand and cost, my general comment is that the precision in the manufacturing process has improved to a degree that you can get a functional, durable, quality pair of binoculars for under $250 that are perfectly serviceable for just about anything. Note: there are exceptions to this generality, but most folks are not going to deal with them in most of their hunting applications.
Durability and dust infiltration are key elements, in my opinion. Really inexpensive binoculars are available, but most of those will get knocked out of alignment pretty quickly unless they are really "babied". In addition, many of those brands are not well-sealed and will get dust infiltration in the internal lenses over time, as well as have a tendency to eventually start fogging up in adverse conditions.
Several brands have been mentioned already that you can probably get in your price range. The one brand that I have used that is really inexpensive and still seems to meet the above qualifications for the price are Bushnell binoculars. In my opinion, for the price, you can't beat them.
I used them for years,...and have sat next to a guy that was using $2,000 Swarovski's that didn't see the animals that I could spot with those cheapo Bushnells. Of course, knowing how to use binoculars and spot game with them is another story altogether. :D
My opinion again, you can still do everything you want to do with a pair of 10 x 42 , NOT.. 8 x 42.. The 10 x 42 are just as good if not better overall than the heavier 10 x 50 or 12 x 50... The quality of the Vortex are just a better binocular, than some of the others mention. I've own and have a nice pair of 10 x 50 Nikon and I've got a couple pair of Bushnell, but i would rather have the Vortex or Nikon over the Bushnell.. The 10 x 42 just take up less room, less weight and will cover everything your wanting to do with a pair of binoculars.
What kind of glassing does he plan on doing and is size/weight a factor?
Is it going to be a lot of glassing large fields and open areas, glassing from a car during scouting or is it going going to more important to have them compact enough to always want to carry them, identify objects in the woods, some open area glassing but not at vast distances?
I'd first settle on size then look at brands inside budget. The most common and often versatile is a 42mm lens and I will always recommend an 8x over 10x for anything but western hunting. But I'd say for a young man if he wants to carry them around his neck at all times even an 8x42 might be heavier and more bino than needed and looking at options in the 8x32 category or even in the subcompact category might prove more useful.
I like a little more optics for deer when judging a deers rack in full detail or picking apart a brushy hillside but for turkey telling a hen from a gobbler and a jake for Tom doesn't take as much optics. For that I use a high quality 8x42 glass but for turkey I always reach for a little 7x28 set from maven.
My wife and kids can all use the smaller set easily and they weight nothing so toting them around the turkey woods doesn't require a bulky chest harness.
I would give a good consideration the maven 7x28 their color and clarity is superb for their price range and light transmission is good although obviously limited by their small objective size.
https://mavenbuilt.com/products/c-2-7x28-10x28
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He's mostly using them from the truck but he likes to get out and sneak around too. I don't want something big and bulky but with enough magnification to get some decent details. I use a 10x42x50 Vortex Diamondback myself and I glass birds from the truck and use a harness to carry it with me. I don't pay much attention to the weight as I generally don't have far to go to set up. Sometimes I move around to get in front of a bird but my mind is on the bird and not the burden of extra weight.
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Leupold Timberline 8x42. $125.00
Best bang for the buck.
I like tasco binoculars very much. https://www.sportsmanfinder.com/blog/tasco-binoculars
Quote from: Wigsplitter on March 12, 2021, 07:58:39 PM
Vortex 10 by 42. Great binos for the money!!!
Ditto
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Leupold BX-1 McKenzie, haven't found anything I like better then these. $160 at Optic planet.
Take them everywhere. Turkey hunting, hiking, kayaking. They're great. For me 10x42 is the best combination. Not to heavy and best magnification without the jitters.
https://www.opticsplanet.com/leupold-bx-1-mckenzie-hd-10x42mm-binoculars.html?utm_source=cse&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=connexity&utm_term=16656173657738068872510090301008005&cnxclid=16656173657738068872510090301008005 (https://www.opticsplanet.com/leupold-bx-1-mckenzie-hd-10x42mm-binoculars.html?utm_source=cse&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=connexity&utm_term=16656173657738068872510090301008005&cnxclid=16656173657738068872510090301008005)
Vortex...I work in retail and sell a lot of them with no complaints. Excellent customer base and super warranty.
For your inexpensive binoculars most will say Vortex, DiamondBacks are just above your $200 budget, but better binos than the Crossfires, for the few extra $$ I'd say for the kid it's worth the money.
As far as the numbers go for power and objective, I always go with 8x42, this allows you with 5.5mm of light (low light viewing) as far as 10X goes to get the same performance you would need a 52mm Objective and now you are talking a much larger binocular. 10X vs 8X... 10's will be harder to hold "still" and the slight increase in power in minimal in what you see. 8X at 80yards you view like 10yards away, 10X at 80yards view like 8yards... a 2yard difference at 80yards, that's 6 feet. 8's will always perform better in low light situations. Even at longer ranges the 8's shine, just add a zero to those numbers. 8X at 800yards you view like 100yards away, 10X at 800yards view like 80yards... a 20yard difference at 800yards, that's 60 feet.
Anything past 10X were talking spotting scopes.
Personally, I own Swarovski 8.5x42 EL's and 10x30 SLC (I found a great deal and couldn't pass them up) and my 8x42 Alaskan Guides, I have a few other cheapos but rarely if ever used... Nothing can compare to high-end precision optics, granted way beyond your price point but truly outstanding optics.
MK M GOBL
Quote from: tracker#1 on October 15, 2022, 11:11:50 AM
Vortex...I work in retail and sell a lot of them with no complaints. Excellent customer base and super warranty.
Agreed. For anybody considering different brands, my son had a pair of Vortex Diamondbacks that he had used long enough to have had beat them up pretty good. He was getting rid of them and asked me if I wanted them,...so I took them. The seal was broken on one front lens and dust had infiltrated the internal lens affecting the clarity. I just carried them in my truck as a spare pair for a couple of years due to that but decided to get online and see if I could return them to get them refurbished, fully expecting Vortex to tell me there would be some sort of cost for fixing them, although the site indicated there was a lifetime warranty on Vortex products.
I filled out the online form, boxed them up, and shipped them to the Vortex site indicated. About ten days later, I got an email from them stating that they had done the necessary repairs and were sending them back to me. Got them a couple of days ago and they look brand new (might even be). No cost other than my shipping,...and no questions asked.
Bottom line,...for that kind of warranty and service alone, they are well worth considering! :icon_thumright:
I love the Kowa i'm using now. Lot of crisp detail. I had the vortex like others and they were good also, until the 2 German shepherds found them. THEY GONE!!! (the optics!) Dogs stay. Can't blame them for my stupidity!
I use 2 pairs of bino's I've had for years. The larger pair are SLC 8x30's. These are great bino's, I use them for big game hunting. The Smaller sister pair is SLC 10x25 Compacts. These are my favorite, I use them for Turkey, Archery and any hunts where I want to travel light. These are really clear and steady, they will last a lifetime. And yes, they have a lifetime guarantee......