I switched from 15 SLCs to 15 Meoptas.
This winter I switched to 14 pures. In comparing both side by side on tripods, the biggest difference is finding animals/movement in the peripherals with the pures. It’s noticeable.
On coues deer here in AZ specifically they are the better bino.
This ^^^ every bit of usable clarity and field of view catches the ear flicks and tail wags, especially when it is in the peripheral vision. Tweety birds are always catching my attention as I am glassing. I watch for movement as much as deer bits.
This obsessive desire for max clarity and FOV all the time is mostly an AZ/NM Coues thing as far as I can tell. I think Avery is right, the extra juice isn’t necessarily worth the squeeze if you can put the extra money for a primo pack, boots, riflescope, etc.
While, it’s most applicable to Coues, it does apply to glassing for elk in thick brush when you might catch a small portion of fur or antler. Is it necessary to see elk in the open, nah. To catch Coues in the open, heck yeah every bit helps with the grey ghost.
Seriously, almost every session, even with alpha glass, I can look at a Coues standing in the open, then look away for a second. When I look back it has disappeared.
I can stare at the exact spot the deer was knowing it couldn’t have moved, but can’t pick it up. As soon as It flicks an ear or licks its nose or moves its tail slightly THEN I can see the whole animal pop into view and it HAS NOT MOVED an inch.
