High powered binos or spotter?

[Phildahbeast]

Trying to decide between investing in a 15x bino like the vultures or a cheaper spotter like the diamondback. The last few seasons I've used my vortex viper 10x42's on a tripod and been able to spot several critters, but it's time to invest in something that can reach out further and help me find those bedded bucks! Any advice? I'll only have about $700 to spend roughly. Thanks for any input!

 

[PathFinder]

This year I bought a pair of 15x binos and used them on a tripod. After that the spotter stayed home/in my pack. The 15s are amazing to look through for long periods, and out to about 1200 yards were good for getting a good idea of the size of the buck. That said, judging bucks farther out than that was pretty difficult. I'm going to try a doubler on the 15s this year. After using the 15s, I have no idea how I ever tried to glass with a spotter. Finding critters in the 15s is astronomically easier. As for choice of product, low end spotting scopes are typically pretty horrific optically. They'll be all but useless on high power and in low light. For your price range, I compared the Vultures to the Nikon 15s and 20s, and the Nikons eat them alive. The Monarch 5 (800$ or so) was comparable to the Vortex Kaibab, and handily outclassed the Vulture.

 

[eagle#eyes]

It depends on how you hunt. It might be easiest for you to look through both and see if using the 1 eye of the spotter with more power is more or less convenient than less power but both eyes of the 15's.

Is the 700 what you currently have or what you are saving up to? I hunted with some garbage optics for about 4 years until I could afford exactly what I wanted. Now I'll never need to upgrade again. Some people might not want to wait that long and it was a killer wait but ultimately worth it in the end.

 

[Phildahbeast]

Pathfinder: Thanks for the info. I never even considered using a doubler. I'll be sure to check out the Nikon's before I make my final choice, the monarch's look like a very affordable option.

 

[Phildahbeast]

Eagle#Eyes: My style of hunting varry's. For preseason scouting it would be nice to have something that can reach out a long ways, at that point i'm more interested in animal numbers than specific buck's and bulls. Once opening day comes I pretty much have my spots picked out and I'm more interested in locating the animals exact spots and trying to locate them in their beds. I was able to find some buck's last season with my mounted 10x42's but found very few once they were in their beds for the day. The areas i'm glassing have tall willows and there is TONS of places for a buck to be hiding. I have 700 saved at the moment, but also have some other expensive things i'm saving for: new tripod, arrows, new sight, and out of state tags!

 

[WRO]

I'd recommend a better set of 15s, they'll hold their value and you'll like them better. If not, you'll just end up upgrading again.

 

[GKPrice]

years ago I hunted, like everyone else pretty much, carrying and using a spotting scope then one day I was visiting a buddy who hunted quite a bit more (usually) than I did - he pulled out his new Swarovski 15X binocular and I looked through them at a house in the trees about a 1/2 mile away in the middle of the day - what I could see sold me on binoculars rather than a spotting scope for good .... but everyone's eyes are different

 

[Phildahbeast]

Ok thanks... Maybe I should keep saving!