Optic loadout help (leupold vs Maven... Maybe?)

[Erussell01]

Hey guys,
I'm Eric
Long time lurker, first time poster. I am a relatively new western hunter and I am going through the growing pains of finding the right gear.

Last year for me elk, antelope and deer hunts I ran a pair of old (non HD) 10x42 vortex diamondbacks. I didn't have any real problems with them, but I glassed for maybe 25 minutes all season. This year I am trying to save myself some boot leather by upgrading my optic setup. I just got a great deal on a used pair of 8x42 leupold bx4s. I also snagged a decent used carbon tripod, and now I am trying to talk myself into or out of another pair of binos in 12 or 15 power. I am leaning towards 12x since I cant afford super high end bins and higher mag usually just magnifies the problems of cheaper optics from what I have heard. I don't have a ton of money to throw at this, so part of me is thinking of just running my 8s on the tripod for long glassing sessions and saving my money for a better pair of higher mag bins. However, I am taking my wife antelope hunting again this fall and am thinking a pair of mid range (leupold bx2 alpine12x52, or athlons or Maven c3 if I can find them used or on sale) in similar range might be nice to mount up and glass behind to pick apart bigger country. I need some guidance, and I have picked apart the forums, but my specific question has not been answered anywhere I cam find it.... So- because I got nicer 8s, should I just stick with them since they will get used from turkey, to elk and all year round while saving the money for a similar quality or better 12x for the tripod, or do you think a pair of 250-400$ bins in 12x would suffice since I don't glass super far as a bowhunter? I am by no means a big time glass guy, and I really just want them to be able to spot animals better and not run all over the world. I have been reading as much as I can and I am just stuck. I know I cant justify alpha glass to my wife, so I am not sure where to go from here. Thanks in advance guys.

 

[huntnful]

I 100% wouldn't waste your money and carrying the extra weight, just to haul a crappy pair of 12's around. Save your funds and get a GOOD pair of 10X42's, used from the classifieds section ideally, and use them exclusively for a while. I think the $900-1000 dollar range has some great offerings.

 

[ZackP]

I would at least save into the Cronus 15x56 or C4 Maven 15x56 line.

I don’t think you’ll have any advantage buying lesser 12’s where you’ll already be running good 8x42’s. Those BX4’s are impressive especially for the price.

I believe firmly that glass quality trumps magnification. That being said you can squeeze into some good quality 15’s under $1000.

 

[Erussell01]

I 100% wouldn't waste your money and carrying the extra weight, just to haul a crappy pair of 12's around. Save your funds and get a GOOD pair of 10X42's, used from the classifieds section ideally, and use them exclusively for a while. I think the $900-1000 dollar range has some great offerings.

What do you recommend in that range? I went with 8x42 In the bx4 because I just couldn't hold steadyv enough with 10s to be able to glass for more than a quick look, and since I'm off hand for most of my whitetail, turkey, coyote and bear hunting I wanted a good pair that would serve that well. I really wanted to go 10s again but I'm just a bit too shaky. Thanks for the input and I'll keep my eyes open

 

[huntnful]

What do you recommend in that range? I went with 8x42 In the bx4 because I just couldn't hold steadyv enough with 10s to be able to glass for more than a quick look, and since I'm off hand for most of my whitetail, turkey, coyote and bear hunting I wanted a good pair that would serve that well. I really wanted to go 10s again but I'm just a bit too shaky. Thanks for the input and I'll keep my eyes open

Well in your post you stated western hunting and that you recently got a tripod. I'd get some 10's, use the tripod every chance you can, and learn techniques to hold them steadier for the few moments you're offhand glassing. I'd say 90% of my glassing is from a tripod. Only handhold binos to scan when you come over a ridge (before setting up tripod) and while moving locations really.

Zeiss conquest HD
Kowa Genesis
German Precision Optics HD

I'd call camerlandny and speak to them about your budget and specifically mention the rokslide discount if it's available.

 

[Erussell01]

I would at least save into the Cronus 15x56 or C4 Maven 15x56 line.

I don’t think you’ll have any advantage buying lesser 12’s where you’ll already be running good 8x42’s. Those BX4’s are impressive especially for the price.

I believe firmly that glass quality trumps magnification. That being said you can squeeze into some good quality 15’s under $1000.

I have no experience with Athlon so I have been hesitant because I can't look at them locally anywhere. They seem to get really good reviews for the price, so I am very intrigued. I was thinking 12x just because I was worried about not being able to spend enough to get higher mag that still works really well. Do you have a pair of Athlons or Mavens in that range? I really want to try glassing through a pair of both to see what my eyes like. Which models would you recommend I look into? Do you feel like a pair of 15s make more sense over 12s so I could run a two bin setup of 8x and 15x for antelope (and elk if Im day hunting near the truck).

I don't think I want or need a spotter at this time, as at this point I don't really need to pick animals apart looking for the biggest one.

I got the BX4s for what I felt was a really good deal so I couldn't pass them up. I had looked through them locally and to my eyes they were pretty dang good and well above my prior bins. I hope that I made a good choice.

Thank you for your help!

 

[Erussell01]

Well in your post you stated western hunting and that you recently got a tripod. I'd get some 10's, use the tripod every chance you can, and learn techniques to hold them steadier for the few moments you're offhand glassing. I'd say 90% of my glassing is from a tripod. Only handhold binos to scan when you come over a ridge (before setting up tripod) and while moving locations really.

Zeiss conquest HD
Kowa Genesis
German Precision Optics HD

I'd call camerlandny and speak to them about your budget and specifically mention the rokslide discount if it's available.

Unfortunately I didn't get a tripod until after I had found the used 8s for a great deal. I would probably have went 10s had I known I was going down the rabbit hole. I will look into each of the bins you listed, thanks for the recommendation. If you don't mind me asking, what is your personal bino set up?

 

[huntnful]

Unfortunately I didn't get a tripod until after I had found the used 8s for a great deal. I would probably have went 10s had I known I was going down the rabbit hole. I will look into each of the bins you listed, thanks for the recommendation. If you don't mind me asking, what is your personal bino set up?

For sure dude! And those 8's are a great step up! I'm just trying to save you the unnecessary weight of poor high magnification binos. If you were talking about the premium 12's or 15's, I'd 100% say go for it!

I used Zeiss 10X42 rangefinding binos on my chest & swarovski 15X56 SLC's in my pack for 2 seasons. This last season I decided to consolidate down to just one pair of binos and went with the Swarovski 12X42 NL pures. No regrets whatsoever.

 

[Erussell01]

For sure dude! And those 8's are a great step up! I'm just trying to save you the unnecessary weight of poor high magnification binos. If you were talking about the premium 12's or 15's, I'd 100% say go for it!

I used Zeiss 10X42 rangefinding binos on my chest & swarovski 15X56 SLC's in my pack for 2 seasons. This last season I decided to consolidate down to just one pair of binos and went with the Swarovski 12X42 NL pures. No regrets whatsoever.

That sounds like a great set up! Do you tripod mount the 12s all the time or do you end up hand holding them too?

 

[Blue72]

Put your 8x on a tripod and be done….I think you be surprised what a tripod can do for you

 

[Erussell01]

Put your 8x on a tripod and be done….I think you be surprised what a tripod can do for you

Blue that is a great looking Chocolate! My wife would love another one!
Do you run a tripod for your western hunts? What is your binocular setup? What is your tripod setup?

 

[huntnful]

That sounds like a great set up! Do you tripod mount the 12s all the time or do you end up hand holding them too?

I tripod mount them for 90% of my glassing. I hardly ever glass free hand unless I'm covering country. But I try to just stick to main vantages for the most part!

 

[sndmn11]

Put your 8x on a tripod and be done….I think you be surprised what a tripod can do for you

This is the best advice in here. There is nothing at all wrong with what you have in 8s, especially on a tripod. Get your wife the same pair and hunt a few seasons to learn how you like to hunt out here, what situations you think you might be lacking, and then decide what is needed to overcome those situations.
My wife and I both hunt with 8s now, we have sold our 10s and 18s, and kept the spotter.
Get yourself a phone skope or similar and you can accomplish a whole lot as far as zooming in on an animal you found to judge.
8s and a good tripod/head, and a stool, you'll be in business for life.

 

[Erussell01]

I tripod mount them for 90% of my glassing. I hardly ever glass free hand unless I'm covering country. But I try to just stick to main vantages for the most part!

Do you ever use the 12s for a quick look on a stalk? It sounds like you have found a really good streamlined setup for yourself. I am in the process of learning what I need. As a newer western hunter, this concept of glassing long term is all new. I use my chest binos all the time hunting whitetails, turkeys, bear, coyotes and even waterfowling but it is usually just quick checks. I really think a tripod might help with some of those as well so I am excited to learn to use one better.

What do you run for a tripod setup?

 

[huntnful]

Do you ever use the 12s for a quick look on a stalk? It sounds like you have found a really good streamlined setup for yourself. I am in the process of learning what I need. As a newer western hunter, this concept of glassing long term is all new. I use my chest binos all the time hunting whitetails, turkeys, bear, coyotes and even waterfowling but it is usually just quick checks. I really think a tripod might help with some of those as well so I am excited to learn to use one better.

What do you run for a tripod setup?

Oh yeah, all the time dude. But it's pretty easy to check on the animal once you know where it is and you're on your way to it. Initially finding them is the hard part, and where the tripod comes into play. I use a Slik 634 and an outdoorsman's pan head.

 

[Erussell01]

This is the best advice in here. There is nothing at all wrong with what you have in 8s, especially on a tripod. Get your wife the same pair and hunt a few seasons to learn how you like to hunt out here, what situations you think you might be lacking, and then decide what is needed to overcome those situations.
My wife and I both hunt with 8s now, we have sold our 10s and 18s, and kept the spotter.
Get yourself a phone skope or similar and you can accomplish a whole lot as far as zooming in on an animal you found to judge.
8s and a good tripod/head, and a stool, you'll be in business for life.

Do you ever wish you had more magnification?
I was actually just looking at another pair of used bx4s in 10x so we could each have a pair, and it would give me options to try them both and learn.

Anything I get she gets at least equal quality LOL. She just informed me that this year she is going to look for a bigger antelope than last year so I have my work cut out for me.

What tripod are you running your 8s from?
I never considered a stool... Do you pack it in to glass too?

I had never considered phone scoping off binos. That sounds like a great way to get some more pictures of critters!

 

[Erussell01]

Oh yeah, all the time dude. But it's pretty easy to check on the animal once you know where it is and you're on your way to it. Initially finding them is the hard part, and where the tripod comes into play. I use a Slik 634 and an outdoorsman's pan head.

Awesome! Do you use your bow to steady them or are you steady enough to hand hold them for quick checks? I am trying to learn more about how to be more steady when glassing off hand, but boy I am not as solid as I thought I was. It is a good thing I am not a surgeon LOL.

Do you ever have any issues glassing things close up with 12s? Do you ever wish you had more or less magnification or is that your own personal sweet spot?

 

[huntnful]

Awesome! Do you use your bow to steady them or are you steady enough to hand hold them for quick checks? I am trying to learn more about how to be more steady when glassing off hand, but boy I am not as solid as I thought I was. It is a good thing I am not a surgeon LOL.

Do you ever have any issues glassing things close up with 12s? Do you ever wish you had more or less magnification or is that your own personal sweet spot?

Yeah! I use my bow a lot! I put the binos on the cam. Like with the cam in between the two objectives.

Well the NL pures have a big field of view, so that makes a huge difference. I've never wanted less honestly. I glassed one of my bucks I killed this year directly below me at 160 yards in some thick brush. That's pretty close to be glassing, and I had no issues at all with "too much" magnification.

 

[Erussell01]

Yeah! I use my bow a lot! I put the binos on the cam. Like with the cam in between the two objectives.

Well the NL pures have a big field of view, so that makes a huge difference. I've never wanted less honestly. I glassed one of my bucks I killed this year directly below me at 160 yards in some thick brush. That's pretty close to be glassing, and I had no issues at all with "too much" magnification.

Sounds like you have found a really good setup that meets your needs perfectly. I think I need more reps out west to get myself all figured out. I learned to use my cam for 3D archery, and then started doing that for hunting, but I usually am in my stand or on the ground and rest the bottom cam on my hip, or on the ground to steady my bow so I can use it like a monopod for my binos. Even at that, I am too shaky to glass for more than a couple minutes. I am hoping if I get my set up dialed this year I can spend more time glassing and be more effective. Last year I know we blew out elk by just covering ground trying to find them. This year I am going solo, so I am planning on spending more time looking for them to improve my chances.

 

[Blue72]

Blue that is a great looking Chocolate! My wife would love another one!
Do you run a tripod for your western hunts? What is your binocular setup? What is your tripod setup?

Thanks he is a great hunter

I use a slik tripod. I usually use either a 7x,12x, or 15x depending on the hunt or what I’m feeling like carrying