Best all around bino

[Nickj37]

Looking for best all around Bino mainly for archery. Looking at the Viper 8x42 10x42 & 10x50. Thoughts..?

 

[wannakillabigbull]

10x42 are my favorite for all arounders.

 

[llatpoh]

10x42's for plains and west. 8x42 or 32 for east or thick timber. Buy the best glass you can afford.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Looking for best all around Bino mainly for archery. Looking at the Viper 8x42 10x42 & 10x50. Thoughts..?

What type of area are you going to be hunting and which species? Do you plan to carry 15s as well? How about a spotter?

 

[Azone]

10x50's are what I prefer, but if your weight conscious 10x42's are hard to beat.
If your packing a spotter the 8 powers will work just fine but then your carrying more weight lugging the scope around. Its personal preference on how much you want to throw on your back.
If you can, go by a store and ask them if a employee or manager can accompany you outside to demo them. My friend was able to do this at a Bass Pro one time and it made his decision very easy.

 

[Nickj37]

That's what I was leaning towards

 

[Newtosavage]

I used to be a 10x42 guy until this year when I bought and sold literally 20+ pairs searching for my favorite hunting binocular. After having been through all those - many of the most popular bins available today - I have come to the conclusion that 8x42's are better all-around than 10's.

I'm not saying I wouldn't prefer 10's on a tripod for a long glassing session, but for all-around use, I'll take 8x42's

A person could do far worse than to buy a pair of 8x42 Vipers. Even the new Chinese ones are a great bargain for the price.

 

[Thunder head]

If your hunting big country 10 x 42

If your hunting in the woods and small fields of the east 8 x 42

Too "me" Nikon Monarchs offers more for your money than the vipers.

 

[FURMAN]

10x42s are the jack of all trades master at none.

 

[idahohikker]

Maven C1 is better than the Vipers for less money. I love mine. 10x42 is the best all around IMO but a lot of guys like 8x42. I'd go with the 8s in heavily timbered areas.

 

[Newtosavage]

Personally, I'd pick the Viper HD's over the C1's, and I've owned both. But everyone is going to have their own personal preference, which is why it's so important to either try a bunch, or try only one. LOL

 

[IdahoHntr]

Personally, I'd pick the Viper HD's over the C1's, and I've owned both. But everyone is going to have their own personal preference, which is why it's so important to either try a bunch, or try only one. LOL

Everybody will have different opinions for sure. Having owned both the Viper HD's and the C1's, I would say the C1's were hands down the better bino. Honestly, I don't feel like the Vipers offer much more than the cheap diamondbacks, while, the C1s compare much more favorably with the Razors in the vortex line. For the price your better off goin to a few other binos before the Vipers in my opinion, the C1 (or C3 if you like the bigger objectives) being one of those. Meopta has some really good binos in that price range. I would also agree that the Monarchs are a better bino in that price range.

As far as the original question, 10x42 are a great all around bino. I really like 12x binos personally though. I hunt a lot of open country and that extra magnification has always been a bonus to me. I don't find myself needing binos at close range a lot and even when I do, I have never had a problem with the 12s.

 

[Newtosavage]

What price range are you talking about? The Vipers are half the price of the Monarch HG's or Meoptas, if those are what you mean.

And he specifically asked about Vipers, in case anyone forgot.

 

[Xlr8n]

Go try out 8x and 10x and see what you like best. Personally I find there is very little I can see with a 10x that I can't with an 8x and I enjoy the wider field of view, larger exit pupil, and greater one-handed stability that the 8x's offer. It's purely a personal preference that you have to make for yourself.

As far as brand and price points go, you need to spend some time with different levels of glass in hand and see what works for you. The biggest benefit for high dollar glass is the ability to glass for longer periods of time with no eye fatigue.

 

[Newtosavage]

And just because two pairs of bins cost the same amount, don't assume they are equal in quality. All of our eyes are unique. As someone once said, don't forget you bring your own lenses to the optical design.

 

[IdahoHntr]

What price range are you talking about? The Vipers are half the price of the Monarch HG's or Meoptas, if those are what you mean.

And he specifically asked about Vipers, in case anyone forgot.

The Meopta Meopros can be found for less than the vipers as well as every Nikon Monarch binocular besides the HGs... Personally I was thinking of the Monarch 7. I've also seen the Meopta Meostars (which are REALLY nice binos) go on sale for prices that aren't much more than the Vipers.

 

[Newtosavage]

The Meopta Meopros can be found for less than the vipers as well as every Nikon Monarch binocular besides the HGs... Personally I was thinking of the Monarch 7. I've also seen the Meopta Meostars (which are REALLY nice binos) go on sale for prices that aren't much more than the Vipers.

I'm sorry but the Meopro's suck. I had two brand new pairs (8x42 and 10x42) in my possession at the same time, and they were both 2nd rate binoculars. Sure, the body and form factor was great, but the amount of distortion was so severe I couldn't bear it. No thanks. I have never been so disappointed in binoculars as I was the Meopros. Just awful to my eyes. Now, Monarch 7's are pretty good, and a very good value.

 

[Pronghunter]

The best all around Bino on the marked that does it all and if you have the coin and your a hunter (archery or rifle) are the Zeiss RF 10x42.

 

[Pronghunter]

I'm sorry but the Meopro's suck. I had two brand new pairs (8x42 and 10x42) in my possession at the same time, and they were both 2nd rate binoculars. Sure, the body and form factor was great, but the amount of distortion was so severe I couldn't bear it. No thanks. I have never been so disappointed in binoculars as I was the Meopros. Just awful to my eyes. Now, Monarch 7's are pretty good, and a very good value.

Agree with this statement. The Meostars are a different story though.

 

[Xlr8n]

Agree with this statement. The Meostars are a different story though.

I just wish they would package the Meostar quality glass in the Meopro shaped body.