Binoculars

[Woodsman4God]

Okay guys, I have several pairs of binoculars, a Pair of Brunton 8 x 42s, a pair of Barska 8 x 25s and one other pair which is a 10 x 25 , my problem is the 8 x 42 bruntons are by far the best pair in clarity, fov etc however they are bulky. I would really prefer something with a smaller frame with say a 32 mm objective that gives me a decent fov and good clarity but I dont want to spend a fortune my other 2 pairs the fov is too small and its hard to pickup what I am looking for when I am in the woods.

Any suggestions? I am currently looking at brunton lite tech's which are about $100 I would prefer not to spend much more than that.

[gotcha]

I understand being on a budget but optics seem to be an item you get what you pay for.If the 100.00 pair fits your budget right now then go for it.Down the road look into Steiners,they also have an upgrade program with their optics.They make a compact model called Safari Pro that are very affordable and eligible to upgrade one day.

[Woodsman4God]

Thanks for the info on the upgrade program

[CB on the run]

  I had to send my Steiners back.  Customer service was good but I just wasn't satisfied.  My son has them now.  I purchased the compact Cabelas Alaskan series but have not had them in the field, only on the range.

CB

[Turkey Trot]

I purchased a pair of Vortex Diamonback binocs on closeout from nycameraland.  The glass in them is surprisingly good for the price, and they measure up well against more expensive Nikon Monarchs.  I consider them a good value, and I have had anyone look through them yet that did not believe that they had good glass at a good price.  Look through some if you can find a local dealer.

I'd also consider Minox and the Leupold Wind River series.  Pentax might have a good deal at that price as well.  Steiner has already been mentioned.  Also, since Bushnell bought Bausch & Lomb, the quality has gotten progressively better.  B&L is not made any more, but made good ones in the past.  The birders really like them, so you might have a hard time finding any deals on used B&L's. 

These binocs are only for SE woodland hunting, not big country glassing for large game out west.  For that application, I'd go bigger and spend more money.

[Reloader]

I usually run Nikons, but have a cheap pair of Bushnell Trophy binos that will hang with any of my Nikons.  Friend of mine bought some as well and his also have good glass.  I've looked through plenty of cheap binos that would give you a headache, but must say the Bushnells have impressed.  I keep them in my turkey vest and I'm sure they'll make a trip or two in my deer pack as well.

[handcannon]

I also have a cheap pair of Bushnell binocs. If I'm not mistaken, they are the Trophy series but I may be wrong. They are bulky and heavy but they are really clear and I like them. I mainly just leave them in a box stand for deer hunting so the size and weight isnt an issue. I would like to get a better compact pair later on for keeping in my turkey vest.

[YoungJake]

might be out of your price range but leupold optics are virtually unbeatable in clarity and quality. I own a pair and the crystal clear picture you see when you look through them is just amazing.

[stone road turkey calls]

if it's that far away i don't need to worry about it.

[GobbleNut]

If you are looking for an inexpensive pair of binoculars ($50 to $100 bucks or so) that will serve most applications well if taken care of, then the Bushnells are a fine choice.  ...And I agree totally that if you are willing to spend a bit more ($250 +-), that the Leupolds can't be beat.  I'm sure the same can be said for many of the other well-known brands.  The problem with the less-expensive glasses is durability and their tendency to get knocked out of alignment, or fog up, under extreme conditions.  For long term use, the coatings on the glass are a consideration, as well.  Fully-coated and/or multi-coated glass will make a big difference...but, of course, those factors add to the cost of the binoculars.

For all but the most extreme, long-distance applications, the high-end binoculars will not add a thing to your ability to see whatever you are looking at.  However, if you are going to go hunting where you will spend a lot of time glassing long distances, and evaluating trophy quality of animals, you should never choose anything less than and 8X42 or 10X50 set for that.  The lower power bino's w/small objective lenses are a waste of time in those circumstances.

If you are going to come out west to hunt big game, get yourself a decent pair of 10X50's, or similar.  ....You will need them.

[Reloader]

I concur GN.  When I go to TX, CO, or WY, I carry 10x40s or 10x50s for long range glassing.