What binoculars should I get for a first time hunter ?

[S-3 ranch]

Steiner predator 10 x 42's

Steiner is tough to beat!
next level German glass would be Swarovski
imo German glass is #1 ( prove me wrong )

 

[Oregonboy]

leupold bx-4. made in japan, locking diopter, great low light glass.

For your budget, I think these would be perfect.

 

[Spiral Horn]

imo German glass is #1 ( prove me wrong )

in today’s global economy that “German Glass” could come from anywhere the main providers have a plant that makes the requested grade.

Is it Schott, Ohara, or someone else? In fact, Schott has been making optical device glass outside of Germany for decades. I grew up not far from the Schott Plant in Pennsylvania that opened in the late 1960s. Today, Schott has plants in over 30 countries. So that lauded Schott HT glass in your favorite binos may have just as easily come from the USA, Indonesia, Philippines, or Hungary vs Germany. The manufacturer defines and controls quality — in today’s world “where it’s made” is fading in importance.

 

[Seamaster]

The Nikon Monarch 7 in a 10x would do very nicely at that price point. I use mostly Swarovski binoculars, and my wife uses the Nikon. She could have any set of binoculars, regardless of price, and she chooses the Monarch 7. I look through her binoculars occasionally and they truly are very good, and quite a big bargain at that price.

 

[Rich M]

If you hunt whiretails get 8x4, out west 10x

Diamondbacks are a great bang for your buck.

Even the $175 Leupolds outshone my $500 Leupolds. They picked out bedded deer better. Go figure.

 

[Huntin Fool]

I think vortex vipers are hard to beat for the money, if you wait until Black Friday cabelas usually has the 10x42 on sale for around 350$

 

[FrankAbagnale]

I’ve really enjoyed my Zeiss Conquest 10x42’s. You can buy them used online for a little more than $500. Very happy with them. Switched from Vortex Diamondbacks.

 

[Blue72]

another Vote for 10x42 on a tripod to extend your views

I really enjoyed my Nikon monarch 7, Maven C1, and Kowa BD2….don’t think you can go wrong with any of them

 

[SpringM1A]

I have used several different brands and have learned the following. Buy the best you can afford as this seems to be an area where Buy Once Cry Once really seems to be true. FWIW I use a set of Meopta Meostars 10x42 for hunting and NRL 22 matches. I find the FOV works well for hunting and 22 stages where the targets are spread apart and close to really far. The glass is fantastic good color and resolution. For PRS matches I use a set of Tract 15x56. My eyes don’t get as tired as using a spotting scope and the FOV works really well. I have used them to spot out to 1200yds and could see trace and impacts really well. I had a set of Athlon 15x56 and for the money they were good but I was unhappy with the chromatic aberration. Could have just been my eyes but I have no issues with the Tract. I have looked through 15x Swaros and Meostars and the glass is unreal as is the price.

 

[TheGDog]

I’ve really enjoyed my Zeiss Conquest 10x42’s. You can buy them used online for a little more than $500. Very happy with them. Switched from Vortex Diamondbacks.

Same here! An order of magnitude better.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

leupold bx-4. made in japan, locking diopter, great low light glass.

This, best binos under a grand and better than some that cost more. There’s a $100 rebate going on them now too that put the 8x42’s at $500. I’ve had a set for years that I got for $300 from Cabelas on Black Friday.

I was going to order a set of Swaro EL’s or NL’s (have had several EL’s) and give my BX4’s to my girlfriend but just ordered another set of BX4’s from Euro Optic because the Swaro’s simply aren’t worth 5x the price over them.

 

[Altoonabcm157]

If you hunt whiretails get 8x4, out west 10x

Diamondbacks are a great bang for your buck.

Even the $175 Leupolds outshone my $500 Leupolds. They picked out bedded deer better. Go figure.

I agree with this, I do 90% of my hunting in the east and 10% in the west so the 8’s worker better for me, if I did 90% out west then 10’s would be my choice but beyond that I start to consider them better suited for a tripod although still useable off hand.

 

[SoCalDeer]

Same here! An order of magnitude better.

Wish I found this thread before I bought the vortex diamond backs.

I’m on my second season with the vortex and definitely wish I would have gone with something better.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Wish I found this thread before I bought the vortex diamond backs.

I’m on my second season with the vortex and definitely wish I would have gone with something better.

Break them, send them in for warranty, sell the new pair.

 

[TheGDog]

Break them, send them in for warranty, sell the new pair.

Ya know.... talking... about "Fight Club"... is the quickest way to get "Fight Club" shut down for everyone.
Things like this are the reason they came up with DM's.

 

[Mojave]

8x42 All day long

 

[Newtosavage]

Steiner is tough to beat!
next level German glass would be Swarovski
imo German glass is #1 ( prove me wrong )

You're not wrong. Lucky for us, there are other manufacturers that make better glass than Steiner at a fraction of the cost of Swaros.

 

[Newtosavage]

Wish I found this thread before I bought the vortex diamond backs.

I’m on my second season with the vortex and definitely wish I would have gone with something better.

Never hurts to have a decent backup pair. All you gotta do is leave your best bins somewhere and all the sudden those D-backs don't look so bad after all.

 

[SoCalDeer]

Never hurts to have a decent backup pair. All you gotta do is leave your best bins somewhere and all the sudden those D-backs don't look so bad after all.

That’s the plan. Just need to get my wife on board.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Ya know.... talking... about "Fight Club"... is the quickest way to get "Fight Club" shut down for everyone.
Things like this are the reason they came up with DM's.
View attachment 458199

I wouldn't use vortex products if someone gave them to me. So I really don't care if people lose "THE BEST WARRANTY EVER!!"

So yeah.