12x or 15x and Which Combo to Carry?

[JustSomeGuy35]

Hey guys, I’m a long-time lurker but new member to Rokslide. I’ve read thru dozens of threads here, trying to find answers to my questions. Despite all the research, I still can’t decide which combo of optics to carry on my next hunting trip.

Here’s some background info to narrow things down:

I live in the Midwest and hunt whitetail on my property, but 1-2 weeks of each summer, I travel to Washington and hunt black bear with my father. We hunt the mountaintops in Eastern Washington, glassing large canyons from sun-up to sundown, and don’t move until we spot a bear. The area is filled with fallen and standing burnt timber from forest fires, huge rockslides bordered by thick draws, open ground with giant bushes, and tall yellow grass littered with sage brush. Glassing distances in these canyons are 300 yds to 2+ miles. The bear hunt also serves as a scouting trip for his archery deer and elk hunts.

I usually carry 10x42 binoculars on my chest and a 15-45x60 spotter in a pack. This combo worked great for the smaller canyons that we hunted in the past, but the new areas are much larger. On this last trip, I often wished my binos were higher in magnification (and clarity!). In the last couple of weeks, I have upgraded my binos and spotter, so clarity should not be an issue anymore. I also picked up a pair of decent 8x42s that have been awesome for glassing my property.

*** Additional Info that might be relevant: I enjoy glassing with a spotting scope, I've never used binos on a tripod, and within reason, weight is not an issue. ***

So here’s my two-part question:

1) For the area I’ve described, would you rather glass on a tripod with a 12x50 or 15x56 binoculars? (please don’t mention brands, there are plenty enough threads covering the top choices and so I already have a list to decide from.)

2) Based on what I currently own (8x, 10x, and spotter), and the magnification you would choose (12x or 15x), which combination would you carry? For example, would you carry 8x, 15x, and spotter? 12x and spotter? Ect, ect…

Like I mentioned before, please don’t get brand-specific when replying. My questions are purely about choosing a magnification and which optics combo to roll with. Thanks for any input you all can offer!

 

[Rodéo]

8x in the chest harness, 15x56 in the pack for tripod use, and if you really like using your spotter take it but I would leave it at home.

Oh, and start glassing off your tripod with bino's asap...

 

[JustSomeGuy35]

This is just a little view of the smaller of the 2 canyons we hunt. Thought it might help y'all get a better idea of the terrain.

 

[JustSomeGuy35]

8x in the chest harness, 15x56 in the pack for tripod use, and if you really like using your spotter take it but I would leave it at home.

Oh, and start glassing off your tripod with bino's asap...

Thank you, I was thinking 15x binos would definitely be more than enough for the smaller canyon I just posted a pic of.

 

[Spoonman]

I hunt bear in eastern and western wa. I take 12x binos and a spotter and use the tripod the whole time with both! Sometimes I wish I had 15x but the 12x do fine.

 

[ElDudarino]

Honestly, using Binos on a tripod is such a game changer that I would almost just do that with what you have and see if you still feel like you need more magnification.


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[justin davis]

I like 12’s. I carry them around my neck. I can free hold them but my serious glassing is from a tripod

 

[CApighunter]

I’d go with 8s on your chest, 15s on a tripod, and spotter optional. Personally I’d skip the spotter unless it’s some kind of compact 50mm. Had no issue glassing up bears at 1-2 miles in Idaho with just my 9s, but there’s nothing like a good set of 15s on a tripod.

 

[Trees91]

12s. Steady enough for off hand, great off tripod and a spotter if I see something interesting. I tried 15s, pretty awesome but if I can't see it with my 12s I'm not going to see it with 15s. And a 15 isn't enough to see details like I can with a spotter.

 

[Block]

12x42 NL pure if you can swing the $$$... same FOV as ur 10x,, more magnification,, best glass $ can buy...

 

[JustSomeGuy35]

I hunt bear in eastern and western wa. I take 12x binos and a spotter and use the tripod the whole time with both! Sometimes I wish I had 15x but the 12x do fine.

Thank you for the reply! 12x and spotter is top 2 on my list, mostly just because of the simplicity of the setup and the fact that I can get a killer deal on a high quality 12x.

 

[JustSomeGuy35]

Honestly, using Binos on a tripod is such a game changer that I would almost just do that with what you have and see if you still feel like you need more magnification.


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Man, I can't believe that I've been hunting for 21 years, with 13 of those years spent glassing canyons, and never used binos on a tripod! If I hadn't been looking on Rokslide for optics info over the last year, I never would've considered it. Thanks for your reply!

 

[justin davis]

Thank you for the reply! 12x and spotter is top 2 on my list, mostly just because of the simplicity of the setup and the fact that I can get a killer deal on a high quality 12x.

Yep. Sitting next to guys with 15 bino I can out glass or spot just as much as them with 12’s.

more simple and cheaper route than having a pair of 8’s or 10’s and carrying 15 power binos

 

[JustSomeGuy35]

I like 12’s. I carry them around my neck. I can free hold them but my serious glassing is from a tripod

I'm leaning hard in that direction. I'll have to go to a store and see how 12s feel in the hand for me. I appreciate your reply!

 

[JustSomeGuy35]

I’d go with 8s on your chest, 15s on a tripod, and spotter optional. Personally I’d skip the spotter unless it’s some kind of compact 50mm. Had no issue glassing up bears at 1-2 miles in Idaho with just my 9s, but there’s nothing like a good set of 15s on a tripod.

Thank you for your reply! 8s on the chest, 15x and spotter (for the larger canyon) is actually the combo I was considering for #1. I think the 15s would be awesome for the larger canyon I hunted. The 10s I carried last August worked okay but not too great (I didn't have them on a tripod though), so I spent most of my time grid searching with the spotter on 15x. That was a real eye workout!

 

[452b264]

The 8x on your chest and 15x on a tripod. Those 8x in the thick timber are great. I will take a good pair of 15s over the 12 x since there is only 3 oz difference between the two.

 

[JustSomeGuy35]

12s. Steady enough for off hand, great off tripod and a spotter if I see something interesting. I tried 15s, pretty awesome but if I can't see it with my 12s I'm not going to see it with 15s. And a 15 isn't enough to see details like I can with a spotter.

I appreciate your reply! Unfortunately I have never looked through 12s or 15s, so I'm relying heavily on advice from others. Your reasoning for choosing 12s is exactly why I didn't pull the trigger on a set of 15s yet, even though I saw some great deals on them the last few weeks.

 

[Elk2008]

I think 12’s if you have a spotter too.

 

[fightthenoise]

I wouldn’t carry three pieces of glass. I’d go 8’s and 15’s or 10’s (maybe 12’s if they are very good, wide FOV, hand holdable) and 65mm spotter. If you are really picky about judging animals, the latter. If you are just trying to find animals and determine legality, the former. With a tripod, you can find animals from distances so great so as to be prohibitive with just 8-10’s let alone 15’s.

 

[JustSomeGuy35]

The 8x on your chest and 15x on a tripod. Those 8x in the thick timber are great. I will take a good pair of 15s over the 12 x since there is only 3 oz difference between the two.

I bought a pair of 8x for hunting deer this season, here in the Midwest, and I can't believe the FOV I was missing out on all these years! Out in Washington, when stalking something, I think I'd appreciate having the 8s on my chest. I have a slight tremor in my hands that is less of a problem with the 8s as well. Thank you for replying!