Support group… I just can’t help myself!

[Spiral Horn]

Got some real nice older ones in there. The green FLs, the old model Trinovids. Very cool. And are those Dialyts?

Yep. Good eye! Zeiss Dialyt 10x40 B/GA T* Still occasionally use all of them.

 

[JakeW]

I'll join the support group...

I've done a ton of buying and selling over the years and really enjoy looking through glass... it is addicting!

Right now the collection is:

Kowa YF 6x30, Nikon Monarch HG 10x42, Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD, Nikon 50ED and 82ED fieldscopes with the 16x/30x and 13-40x / 25-75x eyepieces along with a couple different size tripods.

 

[Blue72]

when I first started, I could never get a straight answer out of you guys. So I bought them all to try for myself.

I’m glad I did, because it turned out that, the rarely mentioned 7x binoculars are my favorite and all you need

 

[Brian Fahs]

If the optics you carry cost more than the truck you drove to the hunt......you might have a problem.

Yeah, I can relate to this.

 

[JakeSCH]

Lol so far this year I've bought EL 10x42's, 8.5x42's, NL Pures 10x42, and Zeiss Victory RF 10x42....I sold off the EL's so far, I may just keep the Pures and RF's for this season to test out.

I forgot to mention buying Kowa's 883, 553, a VX5HD and Zeiss V4. I literally just bought two new rifles so I can use my scopes = yes I can relate. Lol

 

[CApighunter]

Just bit the bullet and have a pair of Zeiss SF 8x42s on the way to Outdoorsmans for a stud install. Picked up a Kowa 883 back in the spring. Only optics that aren’t alpha tier are my 15x Cabelas Euro that I’m plenty happy with unless Swaro comes out with some 15x NLs…

 

[kwoody51]

It seems my affliction to picking up glass is junior leagues compared to some

I’m staying away from spotters and scopes!

 

[StuckoYota99]

I picked up a set of maven b2 9x45. And those are night and day compared to my vortex diamond back. My only complaint is now j want to upgrade my spotting scope!

 

[Hatchet Jack]

If the optics you carry cost more than the truck you drove to the hunt......you're doing it right

there Brian i fixed it for you

 

[Newtosavage]

Everyone has their "upper limit." Some guys are satisfied with $300 glass. Why shouldn't they be? Optics are such a personal choice that everyone needs to be free to have their own journey. Glad you got what you wanted without a lot of trial and error. Rather, I'm glad you had the budget to start at Conquests. Not everyone can, or will, spend that much on just one of the many tools we use.

My curiosity about "sleepers" and general interest in optics led me through about 20-25 pairs of binoculars over the course of 3-4 years. I started with the obvious stuff - the Vortex Vipers and Bushnell Legends, etc. - and ended up with Swaro SLC's. But then I finally settled on (not for) the Conquest HD's as my personal sweet spot and I haven't been tempted since to purchase more binoculars, which is kinda weird for me.

Just remember, we bring our own individual lenses to this game, so no two people will feel the same way about any one particular optic. That should be expected.

 

[kwoody51]

Everyone has their "upper limit." Some guys are satisfied with $300 glass. Why shouldn't they be? Optics are such a personal choice that everyone needs to be free to have their own journey. Glad you got what you wanted without a lot of trial and error. Rather, I'm glad you had the budget to start at Conquests. Not everyone can, or will, spend that much on just one of the many tools we use.

My curiosity about "sleepers" and general interest in optics led me through about 20-25 pairs of binoculars over the course of 3-4 years. I started with the obvious stuff - the Vortex Vipers and Bushnell Legends, etc. - and ended up with Swaro SLC's. But then I finally settled on (not for) the Conquest HD's as my personal sweet spot and I haven't been tempted since to purchase more binoculars, which is kinda weird for me.

Just remember, we bring our own individual lenses to this game, so no two people will feel the same way about any one particular optic. That should be expected.

This is a really good point!

The more I look through the EL’s and compare to the Kowa I just can’t tell enough difference to justify the cost delta.
Don’t get me wrong the EL’s are nice, super nice! But like you they are more than my eyes need to do what I want.

 

[Sadler]

If the optics you carry cost more than the truck you drove to the hunt......you might have a problem.

Yeah, I can relate to this.

Same! My truck triples in price every time I throw my backpack full of hunting gear in it.

 

[Newtosavage]

This is a really good point!

The more I look through the EL’s and compare to the Kowa I just can’t tell enough difference to justify the cost delta.
Don’t get me wrong the EL’s are nice, super nice! But like you they are more than my eyes need to do what I want.

I don't judge an optic until I've spent literally hours behind them, on a tripod, in varied lighting. Hours behind them on a tripod will tell you a lot about how well they suit you.

 

[Swampcruiser]

View attachment 307281

Yep. I’m also an optics junkie. This is most (I think) of the current stable - and that‘s just the binoculars. A few will shortly be in the classifieds. I just love trying out new optics. Over the years, found a good number that I really like. For me, the great news is - no matter what the outdoor event, I likely have a glass that fits the mission. Right now, my ”go to“ 10x binoculars are my Zeiss Victory SFs, and 8x are my Nikon HGs.

Well, I am jealous…