Ok Texags. Help me spends some money. After not being able to ID any antlers this morning around first light, i need to upgrade from my Leupold Rogue 10x50

Want to stay around 10 or more magnification (more is nice). How about best overall and best under $1000?

Weight isn't a factor as they will be used in a box blind


Annnnnd go! TIA

RA........As I get older my eyes need all the help I can get. I have and use my Steiner Military 10x50 more than anything when in a blind. They are not light but gather lots of light. When walking I use my Steiner Predator. My wife uses a pair of 10x50 Swarovski's that her dad gave her for Christmas. ( I could not afford them) When she is in the blind she has a pair of the Canon bino's that has the image stabilizer in it with high magnification.
When she lets me use them, (very seldom) they are unbelievable for detail, I mean you can see the gnarls on the bases of antlers, and they work good in low light, albeit pretty bulky.
I have had some Nikons, Vortex, and other Japan glass and just don't get the brightness in low light anymore with my old eyes.
Have fun.

Good glass , then you need you need large objective relative to magnification. Ie 7x50; will gather more light than 7x35 with equal glass. Most go for 7 or 8 x when looking for low light binoculars. I would think 10x50 would be fine with good glass, search for posts by caladan, there are a bunch of them with great recommendations for all,price ranges . I have a pair of tract bingos that are awesome for the price ( toric 8x42) theya are great in all conditions.
Good Luck

Leica Ultravid

Any feedback on the Vortex Kaibab?

Stay with German glass...Steiner, Zeiss, Swarovski. I had a hunter last week who had a pair of refurbished Zeiss and he paid the same as the Japan, China glass. Had full warranty as well. Steiner, Swarovski and Zeiss all have those available.

All things being equal:

When the Objective Lens diameter goes up things get brighter.
When the Magnification goes down things get brighter.

When the lens coating gets better things get brighter and pricier.

An 8x50 is brighter than your 10x50 and a 12x50 is darker

How much better are the Swarovski 10x50 binos? Me and my brothers are in the process of planning an elk hunt and I'm slowly learning the benefits of binoculars vs a rifle scope. Would it be a significant difference between the $500 pair of binoculars vs the $2700 Swarovski ones?

You need to go and look through them both and you decide that. You are the guy spending the money and at the end of the day you need to be happy with what you buy. I was never able to afford the glass I wanted until later in life. I do realize what I had been missing now though.

redass1876 said:

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Any feedback on the Vortex Kaibab?

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IMO it's resolution is disappointing, once price is considered.

Certainly many are happy with it's resolution, so you might be as well......

Tx-Ag2010 said:

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How much better are the Swarovski 10x50 binos?

Would it be a significant difference between the $500 pair of binoculars vs the $2700 Swarovski ones?

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No way to quantify how much better they are. Just know that to someone who has the eyesight and ability to evaluate binoculars, that there is a huge difference between the Swarovski EL's and something from the $500 range.

Certainly not everyone can see the difference, or make actual use of it.

I would throw the new Zeiss Conquest HD's out there. Not the old, but the new ones that came out this year. They are fantastic, at least to my eye.

I bought Swarovski slc 10x42 almost 15 years ago. Best hunting purchase by far of any other item. What do you use more than Binos maybe cold weather clothes? I bought them new for $1200 I sold them last year for $950. 15 years for $250. Of course I used the money on caladan advice and upgraded to the el 8.5x42. I was skeptical and didn't want to stray from the 10x but I am very happy with them after one season. Moral of the story you can't go wrong with Swarovski for many reasons and second listen to caladan.

I'm partial to swaros and leicas

If you're after light gathering lower power and larger objective is the key.

I'd also consider the range finder models.

One less thing to keep track of.

ldg397 said:

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I bought Swarovski slc 10x42 almost 15 years ago. Best hunting purchase by far of any other item. What do you use more than Binos maybe cold weather clothes? I bought them new for $1200 I sold them last year for $950. 15 years for $250. Of course I used the money on caladan advice and upgraded to the el 8.5x42. I was skeptical and didn't want to stray from the 10x but I am very happy with them after one season. Moral of the story you can't go wrong with Swarovski for many reasons and second listen to caladan.

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This.
My 10x42 SLCs are easily the best gear purchase I've made. I could sell them for about $150 less than I paid for them 3 years ago. And it would only take about a day to sell. I directly attribute two of my best hunting successes (a whitetail and a billy goat) to the image quality of Swarovski. Worth every penny. I recently traded a rifle for a 65mm Swaro ATX spotter and plan to add some 8x32 ELs at some point in the near future. There's a reason most all glass comparison threads have a Swaro mentioned.

I was skeptical about alpha glass, but when I tested about 6 different ~$1000 binos next to the SLC for a couple of weeks in a hunting setting, the difference was clear to me. And it was most obvious during low light.

If you want to stay under $1000. I'd look at the Nikon Monarch HG and the Maven B2 9x45. Maven is the one bino I think Caladan and I disagree on. I agree with him that the B1 and C1 aren't great at their price point. But I think the B2 and the B3 play above the rim. When I did my big bino comparison I felt the Maven B2 was closer to the SLC than the other $1000 glass. The main problem with all the Maven binos I've used is depth of field. But they do have a great focus knob to almost make up for the issue.

Coincidentally, all three binos I just pointed out above (SLC, Monarch HG, and B2s) are at the top of the Rokslide Optics Classifieds this morning.

(No I'm not the seller of any of them!)

ldg397 said:

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upgraded to the el 8.5x42.

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IMO the single best-performing binocular on the market today. And before anyone asks, yes - I have tried them all. Well, except the newest edition of the Vortex Razor, which is now made in China.

Thanks for the kind words.....

C

arrow said:

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If you want to stay under $1000. I'd look at the Nikon Monarch HG and the Maven B2 9x45. Maven is the one bino I think Caladan and I disagree on.

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We probably disagree less than you might think. I actually have no problem with the binoculars themselves. I am a big fan of the higher-end Kamakura designs. The reason I don't recommend Maven is because of the company itself, and the people who run it. They were the ones who had Brunton, which was a company that sourced optics from Asia, marked them up *way* too much and then didn't sell enough of them to stay in business. They closed up shop, and left a lot of dealers - and all owners - high and dry. They are essentially doing the same thing with Maven. I don't wish anything bad upon them, and in fact I hope they do well. But I did have a slightly negative interaction with them in the past, so until they establish a long-term track record of staying in business along with a good record of customer service, I won't be recommending them to anyone.

Thanks for the opportunity to engage in a good binocular discussion!

C

Caladan said:

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redass1876 said:

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Want to stay around 10 or more magnification (more is nice). How about best overall and best under $1000?

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Overall best:
10x - the Swarovski 10x50 EL.
more than 10x - the Swarovski 15x50 SLC

Best under $1k:
10x - the Vortex 10x50 Razor*
more than 10x - Vortex 12x50 Razor*

Note that the Leupold Santiam can be found for just a hair over $1k, and would be preferable to the Razor.

*this refers to the third-generation Razor made in Japan, and is the one still illustrated in many websites. The newest version introduced earlier this year are made in China. Try to find the 3rd-gen. if you are actually serious about buying the best under $1k.

Personally, if I couldn't spend Swarovski money, I would go to the $500-$600 level and get a 10x50 Leupold Pro Guide HD. Odds are you will not see any performance increase by going to a Razor over the Pro Guide.....

C

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https://www.texianblackmarket.com/products/optics-leupold-175855-030317020491-2290

Yeah... $1030ish after coupon code... just saying.

Caladan said:

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Tx-Ag2010 said:

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HHow much better are the Swarovski 10x50 binos?

Would it be a significant difference between the $500 pair of binoculars vs the $2700 Swarovski ones?

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No way to quantify how much better they are. Just know that to someone who has the eyesight and ability to evaluate binoculars, that there is a huge difference between the Swarovski EL's and something from the $500 range.

Certainly not everyone can see the difference, or make actual use of it.

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What binoculars would you recommend for glassing elk/mule deer? It seems you can't go wrong with the Swarovski but curious between the 8.5x42 and the 10x50, I might end up lowering my budget but am curious what the best available is.

Tx-Ag2010 said:

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Caladan said:

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Tx-Ag2010 said:

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HHow much better are the Swarovski 10x50 binos?

Would it be a significant difference between the $500 pair of binoculars vs the $2700 Swarovski ones?

---

No way to quantify how much better they are. Just know that to someone who has the eyesight and ability to evaluate binoculars, that there is a huge difference between the Swarovski EL's and something from the $500 range.

Certainly not everyone can see the difference, or make actual use of it.

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What binoculars would you recommend for glassing elk/mule deer? It seems you can't go wrong with the Swarovski but curious between the 8.5x42 and the 10x50, I might end up lowering my budget but am curious what the best available is.

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The two binoculars you mentioned are IMO the best in their respective classes, and - again, IMO - the 8.5x42 is the single best-performing binocular on the market. However, it is not the best choice for everyone, and I think most elk/mule deer hunters would prefer to go with a 10x. The 10x50 EL is interesting because it is not all that big when compared to other 50mm binos, and it also has a bit more FOV than it's 42mm counterpart. This is not usually the case. In other brands, FOV gets smaller as objective size goes up. This didn't happen with the EL's.

If you live in the B/CS area and want to try out our 8.5x42 and 10x50 EL, post your email here and I will respond.

C

Thanks for the offer. Unfortunately I'm not in the BCS area too often anymore.

So I found a lightly used Maven B.4 12x56 for $1000. I also see the Texian price for the Santium above at $1030. Which are better or which would you go with?

TIA!

After thinking about it a little bit more, I'm questioning if I need them that large... and would rather have maybe the 11x45 in the B.2. Although they mostly will be used for blind hunting, I hopefully will one day get to do a backcountry pack hunt and the weight seems a little much for that?

I also went by a place locally and tried out what they had, 10x42s in a used Zeis Victory, a Meopta in the 700 range, and an SLC and EL Swar. It was clear to me the Swar looked more clear and brighter than the other 2, but couldn't see much of a difference between the SLC and EL. Having said that, is the Maven going to be more like the Zeis/Meopta in quality or more like the Swars? Or only personal preference will determine that?

TIA!

jpb1999 said:

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After thinking about it a little bit more, I'm questioning if I need them that large... and would rather have maybe the 11x45 in the B.2. Although they mostly will be used for blind hunting, I hopefully will one day get to do a backcountry pack hunt and the weight seems a little much for that?

I also went by a place locally and tried out what they had, 10x42s in a used Zeis Victory, a Meopta in the 700 range, and an SLC and EL Swar. It was clear to me the Swar looked more clear and brighter than the other 2, but couldn't see much of a difference between the SLC and EL. Having said that, is the Maven going to be more like the Zeis/Meopta in quality or more like the Swars? Or only personal preference will determine that?

TIA!

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Between the 11x45 and a 10x42 the increase in weight is inconsequential, but so is the increase of 1x. By picking a binocular that only gives you 1x more, you will pay more, have more weight, and most importantly - to me anyway - less FOV. Going to a 2x increase is in most cases worth it, but the only way I would do an 11x over a 10x is if the 11x had an unusually wide FOV. I've not ever seen this.

The Maven, like any other binocular in it's price class, has a very high quality level, both in optical performace and build quality. It isn't to the level of the Swarovski EL, which isn't a surprise given their large price differences. Best to only compare binoculars with others in the same price class.

C

Understood, thanks for replying!

Question is should I go with the once used B.4 in 12x56 for $1000 including a Sitka harness listed at $150 online OR would it be more useful for my purposes to go with a slightly smaller/lighter santium 10x42 for Eyeguy's price of $1030?

FYI, my "purpose" is 95%+ blind hunting, although hoping to get more into archery hunting with a hopeful back country hunt in the future.

Caladan said:

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Tx-Ag2010 said:

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Caladan said:

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Tx-Ag2010 said:

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HHow much better are the Swarovski 10x50 binos?

Would it be a significant difference between the $500 pair of binoculars vs the $2700 Swarovski ones?

---

No way to quantify how much better they are. Just know that to someone who has the eyesight and ability to evaluate binoculars, that there is a huge difference between the Swarovski EL's and something from the $500 range.

Certainly not everyone can see the difference, or make actual use of it.

---

What binoculars would you recommend for glassing elk/mule deer? It seems you can't go wrong with the Swarovski but curious between the 8.5x42 and the 10x50, I might end up lowering my budget but am curious what the best available is.

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The two binoculars you mentioned are IMO the best in their respective classes, and - again, IMO - the 8.5x42 is the single best-performing binocular on the market. However, it is not the best choice for everyone, and I think most elk/mule deer hunters would prefer to go with a 10x. The 10x50 EL is interesting because it is not all that big when compared to other 50mm binos, and it also has a bit more FOV than it's 42mm counterpart. This is not usually the case. In other brands, FOV gets smaller as objective size goes up. This didn't happen with the EL's.

If you live in the B/CS area and want to try out our 8.5x42 and 10x50 EL, post your email here and I will respond.

C

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I want some 10x50 ELs sooooo bad. Unfortunately my bonus this year is going to a new kitchen...

If you're 95% hand holding (likely from a blind), 10x42 are about as large as I would want to hunt with due to hand shake. I don't think I would want 12s (or 15s) unless I was going to do most of my glassing from a tripod. A tripod is a game changer for 8s and 10s as well.

Thanks! I actually hunt with some cheap Pentax 12x50s now and really don't have a problem because I ussually rest them on the window of the blind or something.

With your positive comments on the Maven B2-B4 above, I was hoping to get yoru thoughts between the Santium (@ Texians price) vs the deal I found for the B4s plus a sitka harness for $1000. Is it too good a deal to pass up, or get exactly what I want when talking that much money. From my VERY limited experience with looking through some high end models, I did really like the SLCs and would think about spending a little more to get those instead. I have not looked through Mavens yet, so a little nervous about buying blind.

Unfortunately I haven't tried the Leupold BX-5 Santiam or the Maven B4s. Judging by the design, I wouldn't be surprised at all if they are both the same Kamakura design internally. If they are the same, I'd probably choose the Leupold's for the reasons Caladan mentions in his above post regarding Maven. That said, I've met the Maven guys and they seem like great people and Maven seems to be doing very well right now. I suppose you never know with small businesses though.

If you are even considering SLCs, I would spend the money to get exactly what you want. That makes the decision easier for me, wait and get some Swarovski's. I don't think people ever regret getting the best glass possible for their eyes. It makes hunting and general observation simply more enjoyable.

There's a guy on Rokslide selling some like new SLC 10x42s for $1200 right now. I'm not sure why he's not taking his extra $200.

arrow said:

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Unfortunately I haven't tried the Leupold BX-5 Santiam or the Maven B4s. Judging by the design, I wouldn't be surprised at all if they are both the same Kamakura design internally. If they are the same, I'd probably choose the Leupold's for the reasons Caladan mentions in his above post regarding Maven. That said, I've met the Maven guys and they seem like great people and Maven seems to be doing very well right now. I suppose you never know with small businesses though.

If you are even considering SLCs, I would spend the money to get exactly what you want. That makes the decision easier for me, wait and get some Swarovski's. I don't think people ever regret getting the best glass possible for their eyes. It makes hunting and general observation simply more enjoyable.

There's a guy on Rokslide selling some like new SLC 10x42s for $1200 right now. I'm not sure why he's not taking his extra $200.

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It's probably good for me that I can't find this post.

They sold already.

I would post links over there occasionally but I'm not sure if that breaks a TexAgs rule. I've been spending a lot of time in the Optics Classifieds this fall because I'm buying about 6 people binoculars for Christmas.

arrow said:

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They sold already.

I would post links over there occasionally but I'm not sure if that breaks a TexAgs rule. I've been spending a lot of time in the Optics Classifieds this fall because I'm buying about 6 people binoculars for Christmas.

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You obviously know a lot about binoculars, so those are going to be six lucky persons!

jpb1999 said:

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I did really like the SLCs and would think about spending a little more to get those instead.

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I would agree w/arrow. Just get them. You won't ever have to second-guess yourself the rest of your life. And they should last the rest of your life, and Swarovski will be there to take care of you and them the rest of your life.

By they way, you might consider looking for a used example of the previous generation SLC, which also has HD in the name. For some reason, they dropped the "HD" when the newest version came out a few years ago. I agree with the move, as "HD" doesn't really mean much. Anyway, there is hardly any difference in optical performance from previous generation to current generation. The main differences are cosmetic. TBH, I actually prefer the appearance of the previous generation over the newest version.

Going back two generations isn't a bad idea either, but people generally want more for them than what I think they are worth.

C