Swaro vs Meopta is the juice worth the squeeze?

[SkinnyPete]

I'm seriously considering upgrading my optics suite. Right now I've got a 65mm Vanguard Endeavor HD, for what it is, it's a darn good spotter, but it's not the best. My binos are Vortex Talons in 10x and I have the Vultures in 15x....

I'm not a "backcountry, pack in" hunt guy. Where I hunt just isn't conducive to it. Granted, a 2-4mile in and out/roundabout day may happen, but most of the time it's a mile or so from the truck, and a sit and glass, then put the sneak on em.
It seems like Meopta is great stuff, just heavier than most. But it's built in the eastern european model of "strong like bull", and bombproof. Looking at the MeoPro 80mm spotter, and the 10x42 binos... maybe, even the MeoStar's...
Swarovski is the "A" game... but it comes at serious cost. I'd be looking at an ATS spotter from swaro and some 10x SLC's.
I'm questioning if for what I do... is it a good investment to go Swaro, or will Meopta do everything I need?

 

[BRTreedogs]

Just gotta go to a cabelas, sportsman's etc that will let you take them outside.
I think the glass is sufficient for the cost difference.
But the 10x42 bino ergonomics just didn't work for me. They instantly felt gross and uncomfortable and the swing just didn't work for my eyes.
I instantly knew I wanted nothing to do with them.
Obviously that will be dead opposite for others.
Gotta handle them.

 

[Napperm4]

At the SLC / ATS level you’re really going to be splitting hairs in my experience. Maybe a few minutes of daylight on either end of dawn / dusk in favour of the swaro binos.

The real difference to me especially on the binos would come down to ergonomics and how I’m using them. Either will be heads and tails above clarity and light gathering from the vortex models you have now.

For an alternative to the spotter, if you’re happy with the vanguard as it is and looking for brighter, consider stepping up to the 82 vanguard. Not a swaro or meopro for sure but it’s well above a razor. Really depends there on what you’re trying to accomplish - going in for a closer look to determine inches, vanguard is good enough.

Trying to count nostril hairs 2 miles out at midnight - upgrade needed.

I have a vanguard 82 that I use as my loaner scope. I used it for a few seasons during my step up phase. They’re a lot of bang for the buck and I didn’t see a huge performance upgrade in clarity without a substantial amount of coin but the bigger eye is significantly brighter than the 65.

I’d consider an upgrade to the SLC, save a few bucks on the spotter by running the vanguard unless you really “need” more and put the rest into a good tripod head and mount. Only reasons for the swaros being the ergonomics were better for me, I loved the compactness of them and the resale holds a bit better.

 

[Bowhunter50]

I agree with what Napper said above.

I have a vanguard 65 spotter as well and last year I upgraded from Leupold Mojaves to Swaro SLCs and started mounting them to a tripod. Now I mainly use my swaros off a tripod and just use the spotter for a closer look at animals I’ve already spotted. A lot of the time I don’t really need the spotter because the swaros on a tripod are that good. With that said I’m planning on buying an ATS 65 with the wide angle eye piece before the 2020 season.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gr8fuldoug]

May I suhhest the Meopta Meostar S1 75 in either Straight or Angled with the Meopta 20-60x eyepiece? We've got demos for only $999.99. This would be a great way to go and save you $$$$

Please give us a call, 516-217-1000, to discuss this

 

[SkinnyPete]

Thanks for the input guys.
I should have said in the first post (but I didn't want to put up a book) that I'm already using a tripod to glass from. I do probably 80%+ of my glassing from my tripod with the binos.
Last year I bucked up and got a Schoenfeld carbon fiber tripod and the Vanguard pan head that S&S used to reccomend to everyone. It a rock solid setup and I'm 100% happy with it. (I had a Manfrotto RC head on it, but the head weighed as much as the tripod! Lol, so I went to the lighter vanguard head.) I also have the outdoorsmans bino mount system setup for both the binos.
It almost sounds like I would be better served investing in better binos than a hotter spotter, since I spend SO much time with the binos up and just use the spotter for once in a while detail work.
It would be super nice to just have $7k to upgrade everything...

 

[Shrek]

The Meopta Meopro 80mm is a mediocre scope but the Meostar S2 82mm with the 30-60w is a world beater for the money. The Meopro line their mid market product and their Meostar line is as good as is made. I’ve owned the S2 , ATS 80hd , and now an ATX 95. If I didn’t own the ATX and money was a factor I would own an angled S2 Meopta.
I have never regretted a dime I have spent on Swarovski or Meopta Meostar.

 

[elkguide]

Swarovski binos are a valuable investment. I use mine about 95% of the time. Once I've spotted something IF I can't make a determination that it's something that I need to go after, then I break out my spotter but usually the Swaro binos tell me what I need to know.

 

[Myronman3]

i compared the meoptas to the swarovski’s side by side.

the meoptas didnt POP to me, like the swarovskis did. not slamming on the meopta, they were good.
i’m a working schlub....my money doesnt grow on trees. so i am all about a deal. but i wanted the best i could get, and i went swarovski.

another often overlooked fact, is how they hold their value. if you buy used, you probably will never lose a dime on them, should you decide you want to sell them. what do the meoptas resale go for?