Vortex viper HD 10 by 50s vs. 15 by 50s

[backcountryguy]

I'm interested in what everyone's thoughts are on this. Both are the the same size and weight and price. the 15 by 50s seem like a no brainer to me? Am I wrong?

 

[tstowater]

Really depends on your intended use. If you are carrying a spotter, than I would stick to the 10's. If you aren't, the 15's have some merit. The 15's will likely loose field of view and low light resolution relative to the 10's. If you are in open country vs. thicker stuff, that makes a difference. Are you planning on carrying a tripod or some other method to hold the 15's. Guess, I and others more qualified persons might want more information before really weighing in.

 

[backcountryguy]

I will be carrying the Viper Hd 65 spotter and glassing off a tripod. I mainly backpack hunt the high country. I should probably be asking myself is field of view more important then magnification in finding animals. I have a pair of 15 by 50s coming in the mail and I'm a bit worried I bought the wrong binos.

 

[a3dhunter]

I have had both (non hd), the 10's were better glassing on the same side of the mountain, but glassing across canyon the 15's were excellent.
I was not able to hold the 15's steady without an aid such as trekking pole or tripod, so their versatility was diminished for me. The 10's were better all around for me.
Hunting in areas with a lot of glassing across canyon and longer distances the 15's are hard to beat in my opinion.

 

[littlebuf]

If your looking for a backpacking bino and you pack a spotter , then neither

 

[stephen b]

If your looking for a backpacking bino and you pack a spotter , then neither

Totally agree with this if you are going to carry a bino and spotter at same time. In that case I would get a bino less than 50mm

 

[boom]

i find 15x's impossible to hold steady. carrying a tripod would be a deal breaker for me.

my friend just bought the 10x..amazing bino. they are so light compared to my 10x50's.

 

[5MilesBack]

Every time I look through the Viper 15's it just looks like someone has turned the lights out around me. They just aren't very bright at all for me, and annoyingly dark. It's as if they were made with a filter over the lenses.......at least that's the way I would describe it. Pick up a pair of the Swaro 15's next to them and it's as if someone just turned the lights back on. Yes, the Swaro's are a lot more money, but I certainly couldn't settle for the Viper 15's. I ended up with the Minox 15x58's which are much brighter to me but I won't be packing these things around with me either.