Thread: Binocular Help

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  1. #1
    Member suck my wake's Avatar
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    Binocular Help

    Looking to buy binoculars for my son for Christmas. Looking in the $200-$400 range. He has a couple of cheap compact Bushnell that are lower end. Something he can use for general use on the farm and for outdoors. They don’t need to be compact. Right now I’m looking at Nikon Monarch 8x42, Leupold Alpine and the Leupold BX-4. The Leupold BX-4 are $100 off at Bass Pro and is tempting.
    Definitely open to suggestions or opinions. And 8x42 better than 8x32?

    With Covid I really don’t want to go in a store and handle them.

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    #2
    Vortex are the best in that price range

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    #3
    Buy the Leupolds, Nikons are junk.

  4. Member suck my wake's Avatar
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    #4
    I use Leupold Wind River porro prism. Love them. Unfortunately they don’t make them any more. They’re 8x32 but from what I’m able to learn searching online 8x42 would be good too.

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    #5
    Vortex Diamondback HD

    Great glass and hands down the best warranty out there!

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    #6
    Personally I would not spend that much on a set without trying them out to see how they felt and performed.

  7. Member 02bfishn's Avatar
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    #7
    Defintely check out Vortex. The Diamondback HD is in your price range. Buy thru Amazon Prime and you can return for free if not happy. Both my kids have used these in 10x42 for many years with no issues or complaints. I use the Viper HDs for 10+ years with same results.
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V3LDFCR..._0xnLFbMFRC0RP

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    #8
    Vortex Diamondback HD. They are in your price range and Vortex warranty and customer service is great. He would be very pleased with them.

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    #9
    I don’t know if they’ve changed but I think Nikon used to have a no questions asked replacement guarantee. You could run over them in your driveway and they would replace. I think Monarchs are nitrogen filled also, they used to be pretty good, I don’t know if they’ve changed?
    Last edited by Fishfinger; 10-24-2020 at 09:16 PM. Reason: Wrong info

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    #10
    I think I remember reading that Nikon was discontinuing a lot of their products and exiting the market.

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    #11
    I have a few of the Monarch 3 and Monarch 7’s. For that money you could get into the 7’s which have amazing glass and great field of view. They are not very durable though. I had a pair break and the whole eye piece came out. It was screwed into a flimsy plastic sleeve. Very cheap design. Hard to overlook the optics though, if they aren’t going to be in rough service. Vortex are typically really good for the money at whatever price point you choose. I have a couple pairs of the Vipers although those are a bit above your price range but optically they are not nearly as good as the Monarch 7’s. I would consider Steiners for the price you have given. The Predators I have in 8x42 are very solid.
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    #12
    A couple years back, I went to Cabela's and compared the Nikon Monarch, Leupold BX-4, two Vortex models and the Redfield Rebel in 10x42 by focusing on items clear across the store and out the front window and looking at the sharpness of the image and I chose the Redfield Rebel, which I think, was the least expensive, so you don't always get as much as you pay for.

  13. Smallmouth Junkie!
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    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave75 View Post
    Vortex Diamondback HD. They are in your price range and Vortex warranty and customer service is great. He would be very pleased with them.
    100% agree!
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  14. Ft Gibson Lake America lakefolk's Avatar
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    #14
    Following this as i am in the market too.
    so if 10X42, 10X50 & 12X50 are all in within the acceptable price range which do you buy and why?


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    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Fishfinger View Post
    I don’t know if they’ve changed but I think Nikon used to have a no questions asked replacement guarantee. You could run over them in your driveway and they would replace. I think Monarchs are nitrogen filled also, they used to be pretty good, I don’t know if they’ve changed?
    My brother ran over mine and they fixed them for free. I've had my Nikons for years and treated them rough with no problem
    I have Nikon and Leupold and can't tell a difference between the two. Nikon is getting out of the scope production. You really need to go look through the ones your considering but I really don't think you can go wrong with any your considering.

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    #16
    carson.com Carson offer high quality optics and reasonable prices.

  17. Member The Bass Junkie's Avatar
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    #17
    I dont know the model off hand (they are in the boat in AZ), but I got a leupold set as a gift. They are awesome.... I like to look for the wild sheep/ram/burros on the cliffs and thats what they are for. They are clear, handle heat and weather well.

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    #18
    Look into Zeiss or Steiner binoculars.
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    #19
    Quote Originally Posted by lakefolk View Post
    Following this as i am in the market too.
    so if 10X42, 10X50 & 12X50 are all in within the acceptable price range which do you buy and why?
    Anything more powerful than 10x and you typically need a rest such as a tripod. Even an elk or antelope hunt typically 10x would be all you need. The 50 vs 42 objective gives you a slightly bigger exit pupil at the expense of size and weight. I’d spend more and get better glass instead of carrying around the bigger heavier 50’s. I really love my 10x42 Swarovski SLC’s.
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  20. Moderator Fishysam's Avatar
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    #20
    Quote Originally Posted by lakefolk View Post
    Following this as i am in the market too.
    so if 10X42, 10X50 & 12X50 are all in within the acceptable price range which do you buy and why?
    Vortex nation podcast , they have an awesome entire show based on choices of 8x 10x 12x, an if I remember correctly if your only going to have one you want to get a 10x for somethings you look at are not that far away and other things that are far the difference between 10 and 12 is not much.
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