Searching for new compact binos. Maven vs swaro vs leica.

[bigbuckdj]

like willfrye and others have said above, i cant imagine a better combo of brightness, clarity, compactness, and value than the maven B3 8x30s. Ive looked through several more expensive binos in that category and still have the mavens.

 

[Trial153]

799 for 8x32 conquests on RedHawk rifles.

 

[Toadman]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I am a big fan of Mavens service and am leaving towards the b.3s with the Rick Young harness.

Still a bit disappointed that there aren't many substantial reviews of the b.7s.

 

[mcseal2]

I have not compared all of them, but I've been happy with my Maven B3 8x30's. I just got back from a scouting trip to CO packing them around in my bino harness. They don't compare to the Leica Geovid HD-B 10x42's I usually have on hunts, but they were as good as my buddy's Zen Ray Prime 8x42's we both thought.

Scouting I really like the little 8x30's in my bino harness because I have my Swaro 15's in my pack for tripod use.

The older Trinovid's I had that got stolen with my Suburban several years ago were not as good as the Mavens. They were not current technology either, I'm sure they have improved.

 

[Coopsdaddy]

8x32 zeiss conquest hd

 

[bowhuntercoop]

They don’t make an 8.5x32 EL. They have an 8.5x42 which I have and yes it has optical benefits over the CL but also weighs almost twice as much and nowhere near as compact. Having these I still often want a smaller and light bino for some occasions. A full size will not replace a compact when you need a compact.

There were/are 8x32 EL’s which are excellent but they’re also larger and heavier than CL’s and are discontinued so second hand or trying to find a dealer with old stock is the only option and they also cost $2K if you can find them in stock and you can get new CL Companions from dealers for about $1200 if you shop around.

That’s my bad. You’re correct I have the 8x32 el. I had no idea they went up that much in price. I bought brand new pair in 2014-2015 and they were 1340 bucks. Crazy how expensive they have gotten.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

That’s my bad. You’re correct I have the 8x32 el. I had no idea they went up that much in price. I bought brand new pair in 2014-2015 and they were 1340 bucks. Crazy how expensive they have gotten.

Holy shit, I wish I could buy new EL 8x32’s for that.

 

[Toadman]

Holy shit, I wish I could buy new EL 8x32’s for that.

Yeah you can barely find used ones for that price it seems.

 

[Kor]

The Sightron 8x32 blue sky as mentioned above is a nice low cost alternative. I have it in both 8x and 10x. They are light and nice to handle. Provide nice views during daytime but not nearly as bright as the conquest hd that I have for lower light levels.

 

[Toadman]

I ended up going with the Maven B3s (8x) with the Rick Young harness and clear lens protective caps so I could remove the flip up ones.

I like the B3s a lot. And with the Rick Young harness there are so many ways to wear it and It doesn't bounce around all over my chest.

They appear to be as clear as those Leica Trinovids I checked out and the near focus is pretty good.

Thanks all.

 

[Tahoe1305]

I ended up going with the Maven B3s (8x) with the Rick Young harness and clear lens protective caps so I could remove the flip up ones.

I like the B3s a lot. And with the Rick Young harness there are so many ways to wear it and It doesn't bounce around all over my chest.

They appear to be as clear as those Leica Trinovids I checked out and the near focus is pretty good.

Thanks all.

Can you send me link for caps? I don’t like the stock ones either. I use the same setup. It’s a great minimalist setup.

 

[Toadman]

Can you send me link for caps? I don’t like the stock ones either. I use the same setup. It’s a great minimalist setup.

Clear Lens Filters

Buy clear lens filters for your custom optics from Maven Outdoor Equipment Company. Use these clear lens filters to protect your objective lenses.

mavenbuilt.com

The B.3 ones work great, we will see if they hold up. The part I don't like about them is that the end sticks out a little bit extra and the protrusion is now a 'serrated' metal and not a soft rubber. It's still a better choice for me though since I can't stand the ones on my 10x50s.

 

[Tahoe1305]

Awesome thx!!