To carry or not to carry...15x

[FlyGuy]

I’m struggling with this myself.

I run 8x32 ELs on my chest. Mostly I am archery elk and these are awesome in the timber. I have 15 meoptas and a Kowa 77. I love both of them but rarely carry both of them.

My problem is that the elk unit I drew this year is extremely open. It’s also 9/1 - 9/15, so it is going to be a glassing heavy hunt. However it’s a wilderness unit, so total weight is a big consideration.

I would love to get some 12x EL’s for this hunt, but it’s just not in the cards this year. I started looking around for some used 10x42 SLC HD tho to help get me a little more power. I may go with those 10’s and the big spotter if I can find a good deal - and my final pack weight allows for it.

My other option is to use my 8x and my 55 vortex spotter on the granite peak tripod. This combo is super light and I’ve packed it around plenty, but I’ve never relied on this set up for an intensive glassing type of hunt.

I just keep spinning in circles trying to figure out what to do. (Then those damn 18’s came into the picture with Ryan’s post a few weeks back and really have me screwed up!)





You can’t cheat the mountain

 

[Bowhunter50]

I’m struggling with this myself.

I run 8x32 ELs on my chest. Mostly I am archery elk and these are awesome in the timber. I have 15 meoptas and a Kowa 77. I love both of them but rarely carry both of them.

My problem is that the elk unit I drew this year is extremely open. It’s also 9/1 - 9/15, so it is going to be a glassing heavy hunt. However it’s a wilderness unit, so total weight is a big consideration.

I would love to get some 12x EL’s for this hunt, but it’s just not in the cards this year. I started looking around for some used 10x42 SLC HD tho to help get me a little more power. I may go with those 10’s and the big spotter if I can find a good deal - and my final pack weight allows for it.

My other option is to use my 8x and my 55 vortex spotter on the granite peak tripod. This combo is super light and I’ve packed it around plenty, but I’ve never relied on this set up for an intensive glassing type of hunt.

I just keep spinning in circles trying to figure out what to do. (Then those damn 18’s came into the picture with Ryan’s post a few weeks back and really have me screwed up!)





You can’t cheat the mountain

What 18x Binos did Ryan post about?


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[Totoro]

@FlyGuy, the struggle is real my friend.

My hunt this year is elk in wide open WY country so I see the advantage to 15x.

But elk arent horribly tiny, eo my thinking to save weight with 12x on my chest along with spotter on thr pod and loose the 8x.

However, my inner gear whore says get the 12x anyway!

 

[FlyGuy]

What 18x Binos did Ryan post about?


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Apparently Maven will be releasing some this year, he posted a treaser photo a while back. I think he was doing some prototype testing.


You can’t cheat the mountain

 

[MallardSX2]

Swaro 15X56 and no spotter. You dont need it with these in my opinion unless you are some kinds of super trophy hunter and need to tell the difference between a 180" and a 200" deer....ya...thats not me lol.

 

[MountainLife]

I'm in the middle of switching up my set-up. Last few years I've worn my 10x42el's and packed both my 15x56's and my spotter. I'm finding myself leaving my 15's more and more and just not using them. Going to switch to 12x50's and try to wear them and just pack the spotter. 2 optics vs the 3. The majority of my hunting is open and glassing type areas.

 

[madcalfe]

i just run 10x42 binos and a leica 55wide spotter with a phone scope. no eye fatigue using the phone scope and can take videos and pics of the animal

 

[Buckhorn 70]

I carry a pair of 10x42’s SLC’s on my chest for quick looks and a pair of 15 power SLC’s in my pack with a tripod for better/longer looks. Although I am a once a year western hunter this worked well for me. I hunt with a buddy most of the time and he carries a 80x spotter so as a Team we have it all covered. I do prefer the 15 power over the spotter for the type of hunting we do. The 15’s get me a better look than my 10x42’s for sizing up Muley bucks.

 

[WRO]

I like the idea to Save weight 12 ELs and a spotter

That's what I did, I never miss the 15's anymore, although I do miss my 8's from time to time..

 

[snopro176]

I have a set of 12x50s and a small Leupold gold ring spotter. If I could have any setup I would do a set of 10X50 binos and the Razor 11-33 X50 spotter.

You should see mavens new spotter....

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[snopro176]

Right now I'm running 10x42 vipers and a kowa 77mm but I'm kicking around upgrading to a 8x42, do you guys like the fov over the magnification of a 10?

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[cs68]

I'm wondering the same thing as snopro. I guess it's all situational, and personal preference, but I'd love some input from people with more experience on the matter.

 

[prm]

You should see mavens new spotter....

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Are you referring to the S.2?

I’m interested in one. I was recently looking at the Meopta TGA. Heavier than the S.2 of course. The S.2 might be suitable for what need. I’d be interested in how they each compare to a Vortex Razor 11-33x50.

 

[snopro176]

Are you referring to the S.2?

I’m interested in one. I was recently looking at the Meopta TGA. Heavier than the S.2 of course. The S.2 might be suitable for what need. I’d be interested in how they each compare to a Vortex Razor 11-33x50.

Yes the s.2. From what I've seen from maven, their upper end stuff is king of its class, I'd have to bet it beats out the vortex. Part of me loves to zoom, but a lot of me likes to glass with both eyes. I'd like to see the specs on the 18x b.5's they're about to release..

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[snopro176]

And the 6oz doubler they have is pretty damn decent all things considered, other than digiscoping the 18x's with the doubler would be able to do alot..

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[LongWayAround]

I carry my 15s as my primary binoculars and don't feel like I'm losing anything. To me, carrying two pairs of binoculars makes little sense. If I purchased again, it would be one pair of 12s, but I don't have much reason to do it.

 

[FlyGuy]

Right now I'm running 10x42 vipers and a kowa 77mm but I'm kicking around upgrading to a 8x42, do you guys like the fov over the magnification of a 10?

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It all depends on the application. I prefer the FOV of 8x for the majority of my hunting, which is archery elk in timber or WT in timber.

When hunting wide open areas (either rifle or bow) and looking for bedded animals at distance of say 600+ (Aoudad, mule deer, Etc) then the magnification is more important to me than the FOV.






You can’t cheat the mountain

 

[jdsmith14]

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