Compact spotter or 15x56s or alpha 12x

[Dbevans]

I have a pair of 10x maven b1.2s and a maven s1. I’m thinking of adding a compact spotter or 15x binos. Hunting moose and bear in Ak. I’m sure both are not a need but a want. I think some trips it wouldn’t be required to take my spotter and new gear is always nice.

I’m thinking leupold 12-40 hd or sig zulu 9 15x maybe even meopta but Im not the easiest on my gear so I would worry about damaging. Also open to 15x mavens or vortex uhds.

What are your guys opinions. Or I can sell my b1.2s and upgrade to alpha 12x and Id already have a tripod with me.


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[redneckbmxer24]

Alpha 12's all day.

 

[TravisIN]

I think you really need a set of sig 15s, i just so happen to have a pair in the classifieds


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[nphunter]

If you’re hunting thick cover even the 12’s might be a little much. Glass is really dependent on terrain, 8’s and 15’s could be great in a lot of places and 12’s and a big spotter in others.

It also depends what you mean by Alpha 12’s, if you’re talking about dumping 3K on NL’s they are great pair of Bino’s. I’m guessing you’re not speaking of NL’s with the other optics you mentioned.

A pair of Meostar 15’s are pretty hard to beat as an all around tripod piece. Spotters are not needed in brush country unless you’re picking apart brush for shed antlers or deer tines. 12’s in general are big binos and aren’t ideal for hand holding so they need to be used on a tripod, I personally would skip them and grab 15’s and carry them in your pack.

 

[Dbevans]

I think you really need a set of sig 15s, i just so happen to have a pair in the classifieds


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I was looking at those but can’t justify buying anything atm. Just planning for this fall so I know what to look for


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[Dbevans]

If you’re hunting thick cover even the 12’s might be a little much. Glass is really dependent on terrain, 8’s and 15’s could be great in a lot of places and 12’s and a big spotter in others.

It also depends what you mean by Alpha 12’s, if you’re talking about dumping 3K on NL’s they are great pair of Bino’s. I’m guessing you’re not speaking of NL’s with the other optics you mentioned.

A pair of Meostar 15’s are pretty hard to beat as an all around tripod piece. Spotters are not needed in brush country unless you’re picking apart brush for shed antlers or deer tines. 12’s in general are big binos and aren’t ideal for hand holding so they need to be used on a tripod, I personally would skip them and grab 15’s and carry them in your pack.

They’d probably be leicas, meoptas or some ELs


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[DigEmUpPro1]

Looked through a pair of Maven 15s and Swaro SLC 15s. The Mavens were impressive. It was hair splitting. Even the ergonomics on the Mavens were right there with the Swaro SLCs.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

As a resident of Alaska for several decades, I'd stick with the 10x binocular and a compact spotting scope, and forget about the 12x and 15x binos.

 

[mcseal2]

I have been happy with my Leica 10x42 HD-B Geovid binos and my Kowa 554 spotter on my 3 AK trips. I hunted moose, caribou, and blacktail though so I wasn't counting rings on a sheep. So far my Swaro 15's have not made the trip. It seems like I always pack enough extra stuff in AK I don't in the lower 48 like Wiggys, microspikes, tarps, etc that I don't want the weight of the 15's too.

The Swaro 15's really don't get much use on anything but deer by me. I love them for deer hunting though, the big stable field of view with them on a tripod really helps me spot movement. They are also great for slowly picking apart brush to spot deer. Other species I can get by with 10x binos on the tripod and the spotter once I locate game.

I've always been able to find game with the binos in AK, the spotter is only needed to size it up. I think I'd have been ok with my old Nikon ED50 the way I've used my Kowa up there. I have a Swaro STC on order though, it is supposed to have more field of view and eye relief than my Kowa. I'm planning to sell the Kowa if I like the Swaro better. The Kowa is amazingly clear but I hope the Swaro is more comfortable for longer glassing sesssions locating game in the lower 48.

 

[Blue72]

Been down this road many times

what I did learn is that one eye viewing of a spotting scope was not for me and most of the time the magnification was between 20-30x And I only looked out to 1-2 miles tops!

At that point 15x covers that range well, more pleasing to view, and brighter due to two apertures.

I then switched to 12x because It was lighter and smaller. Even though big views start at 15x. I thought size reduction and hand holding ability was worth the sacrifice in magnification.

10x on a tripod is awesome too and you really can handhold

but I still switch my set up often, but I will say this……the spotting scope is not for me


at the end of the day no one can tell you what solution is best since it’s subjective. You need to try them all out at long distances and see what works best for you.