Binos - buy once cry once?

[guylaga]

Plan to use my Christmas bonus to upgrade to top shelf binos.

Is there any particular reason not to go with Razor UHD 10x42? What would you recommend instead?

Use would be mostly be White Tail from a blind and West-Tex Mulie spot and stalk and then the odd western draw for Elk or Mulies.

 

[SteveCNJ]

Well you said top shelf so Swaro's are on that shelf. I haven't looked through the UHD's but I wouldn't consider them in the same league as the Swaro's.

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[Spiral Horn]

Plan to use my Christmas bonus to upgrade to top shelf binos.

Is there any particular reason not to go with Razor UHD 10x42? What would you recommend instead?

Use would be mostly be White Tail from a blind and West-Tex Mulie spot and stalk and then the odd western draw for Elk or Mulies.

If you are specifically targeting the Razor UHD because you’ve looked through them and were very impressed, then no. The UHDs have sharp optics but are quite large compared to some other options. They will be a fine binocular for the type of hunting you’ve described and if military or law enforcement they can be had at a significant discount. They are also at a bit of a unique price-point between the standard ~$1k mid-grades and the ~$2.5-3k Alphas.

However, if you’ve just started looking and have the money there are quite a few others to consider in addition to the UHDs. Top level Alphas like the Swarovski NL or EL, Zeiss SF, Leica Noctovid or UVHD+ are all worthy contenders. Would strongly advise taking a trip to compare side-by-side if possible. Every optics purchase is a compromise of features to some degree and there really is no substitute for actually handling and looking through different binoculars to discover your individual likes and preferences.

 

[Bubblehide]

You should also talk to Doug at Camralandy, he is a sponsor here, and offers some fantastic deals.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Top shelf - ZEISS, swaro, leica

The answer is yes. Go top shelf if you can swing it. Otherwise you’ll be looking to upgrade at some point down the road.

 

[JGRaider]

A like new SLC vs Vortex UHD? SLC no contest.

 

[Life_Feeds_On_Life]

Get Meopta and spend the remainder on something else cool

 

[nobody]

I've been very impressed with my UHD 10x50's that I got this fall. Earlier this year, my dad actively chose the UHD's OVER the Swaro EL's and the NL's after we tested both for about 2 hours as the sun went down. We were glassing deer at several hundred yards towards the west (so towards the sunset), with tons of snow on the ground, so tough conditions for sure and would easily have shown any deficiencies in the glass. We both preferred the Vortex. Better color fidelity in the UHD's, overall brighter view to us, and we both absolutely despised the facial ergos of the NL's. But yes, the UHD's are physically large for sure. If you're good with that, then I say go for it. You'll be happy with them.

Bottom line, test as many as you can before making the purchase. Everybody says "Swaro" just because swaro is the best, right? But not to everybody. To my eyes, I hate the bluish-green tinge of the Swaro glass. They're sharp and clear, but it's not comfortable for me to look through for a long period of time. But to other guys, they're fantastic. My hunting partner's eyes prefer the Zeiss to Swaro and Leica, and actually also prefers my UHD's over the Swaro and Leica as well. But other people think both of us are nuts! It's a personal decision, so test everything you can before throwing down the cash!

 

[roosiebull]

Plan to use my Christmas bonus to upgrade to top shelf binos.

Is there any particular reason not to go with Razor UHD 10x42? What would you recommend instead?

Use would be mostly be White Tail from a blind and West-Tex Mulie spot and stalk and then the odd western draw for Elk or Mulies.

i would not go with the UHD, i had them for a season and was pretty disappointed (coming from slc's) i replaced them with the kowa genesis 10.5x44 and was (and still am) seriously impressed for the money... i got them on sale through cameraland for 1k, and i have not looked through anything that touches them in that price range... like them better than slc's

i would also pick meopros ahead of uhd's too, and slc's, and others.

 

[scott_co]

Plan to use my Christmas bonus to upgrade to top shelf binos.

Is there any particular reason not to go with Razor UHD 10x42? What would you recommend instead?

Use would be mostly be White Tail from a blind and West-Tex Mulie spot and stalk and then the odd western draw for Elk or Mulies.

I have a set of Vortex Razor HD 10x42's that are quality binos, but I switched to Swaro Pure NLs 12x42 this year.

The Pures are better than the Razors in every aspect to me; glass quality, ability to see early and late, and use with glasses.

The Pures are not cheap, but I don't see myself buying another set of binos for quite some time.

 

[guylaga]

Get Meopta and spend the remainder on something else cool

i would also pick meopros ahead of uhd's too, and slc's, and others.

I have not heard of Meopta brand, what makes them equal / better than the Vortex?

 

[roosiebull]

I have not heard of Meopta brand, what makes them equal / better than the Vortex?

i think they are superior glass. if you really want vortex, just get the razor hd, the uhd aren't worth the extra money, or weight... there are lots of better options in your budget though. GPO is another that gets a lot of praise in their price point, i can't comment on them though.... i think sub 2k, the kowas are where it's at (if set on buying new)

my wife just got me the nl pures, and i think that's because she wanted my kowas, haha.... she likes them better than the slc's she stole from me (i do to)

i wanted to like the UHD's, i sold some slc's to get them and had some buyer/seller remorse right away... i personally don't think they are very good for the price... if you get them, and they are an upgrade from your current glass, you'll probably be perfectly happy with them, but comparing them side by side with a lot of different glass, they were lacking for their price point

 

[280Ackley]

i would not go with the UHD, i had them for a season and was pretty disappointed (coming from slc's) i replaced them with the kowa genesis 10.5x44 and was (and still am) seriously impressed for the money... i got them on sale through cameraland for 1k, and i have not looked through anything that touches them in that price range... like them better than slc's

i would also pick meopros ahead of uhd's too, and slc's, and others.

I had the exact opposite as you. I had Kowa’s and replaced them with UHD this year. I think you can not just buy binoculars based off the name. Just like feet, everybody’s eyes are different. The Kowas were really clear but my eyes got fatigued really fast looking through them. Like others have said try them before buying.

 

[bmanb940]

As someone who has been doing some freelance work with Meopta for almost 3 years now, I can, without hesitation, tell you their glass is definitely top tier and when you add in what you get for the price, the value is definitely there too. European glass and quality at a fair price. They are definitely worth taking a look at, and I am sure Doug can help you out.

 

[Newtosavage]

I have not heard of Meopta brand, what makes them equal / better than the Vortex?

Only the Meostar line. The Meopros are no better than Vortex Vipers IMO. But the Meostars are only a half-step behind the Swaros and hold their own with anything in the $1k class. They are a lot of binocular for the money. My only beef with them is the weight. They are heavier than all the competition in that price range. But still my 2nd pick in the $1k class behind the Conquest HD's.

You have very little to gain in the $500-700 more that you'll spend above the $1k range of bins. I've owned two pairs of Swaro SLC 10x42's and my brother owns a pair. I sold both my pairs and happily rock my Conquest HD's instead. Best bin for the $ anywhere near that price range IMO.

 

[Newtosavage]

I had the exact opposite as you. I had Kowa’s and replaced them with UHD this year. I think you can not just buy binoculars based off the name. Just like feet, everybody’s eyes are different. The Kowas were really clear but my eyes got fatigued really fast looking through them. Like others have said try them before buying.

You can't just look at name. You have to consider which MODEL too. Zeiss makes some of the best binoculars that exist but they also make the Terras which are Vortex Viper quality. Meopros are not Meopta's best effort, but their Meostars are outstanding. And so on.

In optics, it's very true that you get what you pay for.

 

[wweaver]

I started with cheap binos, like everyone did, now have mid tier glass, zeiss conquest. This winter the Swaro NL is on top of list.
Now that you have some money to spend buy once cry once. They are your most often used piece of gear and will last forever. So many people spend 3/4K on a rifle scope combo to shoot a couple times a year but laugh when you say I want $3000 binos this year that over the course of a year will spend weeks maybe looking through.
Swaro NL if you have the $$

 

[MallardSX2]

Yes.

 

[SneakyThunderCat]

Unpopular opinion, I think the UHDs have better glass than the SLCs. That's through my eyes though. I've had some bad experiences with a few vortex items, but their higher end stuff seems solid. That being said, I own a pair of ELs. Buy once cry once.

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[lundellhunting7]

If you wanting to buy once cry once then I would go look through all the binos together and see what your eyes like Zeiss, Swaro or Leica is what I would look through and figure out which one looked the best to my eyes….. Then look through the UHDs and see if your eyes notice a difference,