Best binos under 400?

[Shadowcaster]

Hey all,
Looking to get a pair of binos for the girlfriend for our anniversary. We'll be moving in together in the next 1-3 weeks at her new place.
Unfortunately I have no place local to try any out, the only sporting goods store only has the el cheapo burris and Vortex lines. The ones I'm interested in are the Athlon Midas ($230) and Cronus ($370) and the GPO Passion ED ($399), and slightly more with the Maven C1 ($425?.) Really looking for like a 10x42.
Let me know what you have and how you like it!

 

[Hotmail]

I personally own a lot of Binoculars and like to try everything worth trying including generic brands to see best bang for your buck. Most of them are extremely crappy though that I returned for refund from places such as Amazon and Walmart online who have the easiest FREE return policies but few of them are incredible, unbelievable actually for really dirt cheap too.

I own the 8x42 and 12x50 Athlon Midas and 10x42 Cronus and 10x50 Cronus Rangefinder Binoculars and my eyes simply don't like the Cronus UHD Gen 2 10x42s makes me dizzy and nauseous looking through them probably due to their field flatteners. The 10x50 Cronus Rangefinder Binoculars 10x50s optics on the other hand are great and don't make me feel sick.

The Midas 8x42 I don't like to me they don't have any wow factor to my eyes while the 12x50 version is one I really like with wow factor. It's almost as clear as my cheap $50 ScoopX UHD 10x42 I bought used with extreme wow factor way better than the Cronus UHD Gen 2 10x42 according to my own eyes and doesn't make me feel sick looking through them and they also have field flatteners so if you want to try one there only $55-$65 on eBay while Amazon sells them for $249 or $224 whenever they go on sale. You'd need to spend at least 10x to 12x on at least a Zeiss Conquest HD in order to edge out the ScoopX UHD.

I bet if you order one of each ScoopX UHD $65 on eBay and $400 Athlon Cronus 10x42 UHD Gen 2 and $300 Midas 10x42 UHD Gen 2 you'll definitely returning both Athlons after comparing them side by side with the ScoopX UHD. Regardless of huge price difference between all of them based on sheer edge to edge image clarity and lighter weight.

You can actually buy 4 of them for $220 with quantity discount from one seller on eBay. They're way better than their relatively low price depicts. Clearer than Vortex Viper HDs, Nikon Monarch M7 and 7, Leupold BX2, almost neck and neck with BX4, need to spend more than $600-700+ to edge these out.

If you're set on buying Athlon brand then I'd recommend the Midas G2 UHD 10x50 or better yet the 12x50 plus a ScoopX UHD 10x42 from eBay.

I'm not affiliated with this brand nor sellers nor any other brand for that matter. I buy everything with my own hard earned money just like everyone else and have never gotten a freebie to post a favorable review on.

Other very affordable recommendations posted on another thread.

"Maven c series vs athalon Midas uhd | Rokslide Forum" https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/maven-c-series-vs-athalon-midas-uhd.349617/#post-3578394

 

[tony]

Check out Kowa BD 2 line

 

[gr8fuldoug]

We just got in a bunch of GPO Open Box & Demo's that are very discounted and great optics

 

[JGRaider]

We just got in a bunch of GPO Open Box & Demo's that are very discounted and great optics

Those 8x32 Rangeguides sure are tempting. Any reviews on these? I've used the 10x50's and they are superb.

 

[Buglebrush]

Nikon Monarch 7 are the superior glass in that price range.

 

[Hotmail]

I recently bought the Kowa BDII XD Prominar 8x32 and already had the Athlon Midas 8x42 expecting the Kowa to be an upgrade based on nearly double the price and the Midas was noticeably clearer. I was extremely disappointed in the KOWA BDII XD Prominar for the price I paid and their class leading supposedly wider FOV sure didn't stand out to me either. Even more so disappointed after I compared them to my extremely dirt cheap ScoopX UHD I paid $50 for. I do really love my KOWA Genesis Prominar XD with fluorite glass though. I bought the black Kowa SV 42-8 (8x42) for around $100 which was way cheaper than the BDII XD Prominar and it's also clearer than the BDII XD Prominar and about the same clarity as the Athlon Midas or maybe a hair clearer. I just recently bought a pair of black Kowa YF 8x32s awaiting delivery very anxious to compare them to my Leupold Yosemites and Nikon Action Extreme EXs.

Check out Kowa BD 2

Check out Kowa BD 2 line

 

[Hotmail]

Nikon Monarch 7 are the superior glass in that price range.

Cheaper Athlon's Midas UHD Gen 2 and the way cheaper ScoopX UHD clearer than the Nikon Monarch 7 with less color fringing and less eye strain also. Both if these Nikon Monarch M7 and 7 were another overpriced Chinese disappointment according to my own eyes and I especially totally hate chromatic aberration with a passion in optics I buy.

 

[Hotmail]

Those 8x32 Rangeguides sure are tempting. Any reviews on these? I've used the 10x50's and they are superb.

I've stayed away from buying GPO aa well as some other popular name brands due to their reported chromatic aberration which I absolutely cannot stand. I'm sensitive to CA so this is JMHO.

 

[Sand Wrench]

https://app.mavenbuilt.com/

Spend a little extra and get her a customized set of Maven B3's in 8x30. You can select custom colors and get custom engraving on the eyepiece ring. Performs as well as binos that cost 3x as much.

 

[peaches]

Check out Kowa BD 2 line

I have Kowa 6.5 and they are fantastic. Huge field of view, light, very bright. I think most people are over scoped and run too much magnification on binos. Trying to hold a pair of 10x steady for long gets tiresome.

 

[bowhiker88]

Anyone have experience with Opticron (in the $4-500 range) that can comment on what they experienced when compared to other familiar brands? Traveler vs. GPO ED or Kowa BD II or Nikon M7.

Thank you