Optics scenario advice

[cfdjay]

Colorado Antelope hunt: I have a very average pair of binocs now (Nikons) and no spotting scope. If I can't afford a new set of each would you:

A) Keep my avg Binocs and invest in good spotting scope

B) Sell my Binocs and invest in better binocs and wait on the scope

 

[handwerk]

Get the best binos you can afford now and then save for a future spotter.

 

[HOT ROD]

Option B..

 

[brewer427]

X2 on what handwerk said. I don't think a lot of guys know or realize how much you can pick up with a good set of Binos, especially on a good tripod where you have a nice solid rest. A set of Swaro ELs would be my recommendation but they come with a pretty price tag. Depending on your price I would definitely look into a 9x45 or 11x45 maven bino. Got to look through my cousins over the weekend and man were they sweet. I could see a pretty big difference between them and my 2 year old razor 10x50's, especially when we had some cloud cover the Mavens really shined. There has been some pretty good deals on Swaro SLC's and EL's on eBay lately, so you might want to look into that.

 

[JL@TRACT]

Hello all,
My name is Jon LaCorte and I am one of the guys that started TRACT Optics. My partner and I are former employees of Nikon Sport Optics. What we feel makes us different is the fact that we are not selling through retailers. Most retailers mark the manufacturers products up anywhere between 30-40%. The consumer is paying for this markup. With TRACT we sell directly to you, cutting out the middleman and providing what we feel is a superior product at a much better value. As far as being a new company...I can totally understand the apprehension of purchasing from a new company, however, every company has started somewhere. We are not new to the optics category and are committed to being focused on the consumer. Check out our website www.tractoptics.com and please feel free to contact me directly at [email protected] if I can be of help in any way.

 

[duckhunter175]

Been in your boots--- Option B: I bought a pair of Vortex Viper HD 10x42s and have had a great experience hunting OK and AZ with them. Once I had some extra change I bought a Razor HD spotter.

If you are hunting wide open spaces all the time and not just this antelope hunt maybe even look at the 15x Viper HDs or the Vultures/Kaibabs.

 

[mcseal2]

It depends on what your looking for in an antelope. If you are wanting to field judge and try to hit a specific trophy quality I'd sure want a spotter. If you are ok with just shooting a cool looking antelope I'd go with the bino upgrade and make sure I had a tripod and way to mount them on it. I've heard good things about the Swaro EL 12x50 as a good all around binocular for use with or without a tripod.

I took a relatively inexpensive Nikon ED50 spotting scope I bought re-furbished for around $400 on my last antelope hunt. Even the little spotter was adequate for what I was doing, there was to much heat distortion, dirt, and smoke in the air for a big spotter to do much better. I have a big spotter now, but still like having the little Nikon around for hunts where I don't want to pack the weight of a big one.

Whichever you choose, I'd go with the buy once cry once theory. I upgraded my optics a step at a time and spent way more than if I'd have just bought good ones to start with.

 

[elkguide]

Another vote for Upgrading your binoculars.
My upgrade would be a pair of 10X42 Swarovskis.

 

[Josh Wright]

I would take a very long look at Mavens. I have a pair and they are excellent.