What objective lens should I go for my first nice pair of binos?

AgentP

Lil-Rokslider
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Jul 16, 2024
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So I have some diamondback hd 10x42s I used last year for elk hunting and will be using this year for elk and mule deer. I’m thinking of getting a pair of Meopta meostars because I found a crazy good sale. The question is do I get 10x, 12x or 15x? I already have a pair of 10x but I know better quality will make them more usable. I worry about getting the 12’s since they are so close to the 10s and might not be usable in thick timber. And then the 15s can only be used on a tripod. Any thoughts? I found the meostars for half of retail, are those worth it? Or should I get a used set of Swarovski EL’s?
 
I would get 15x off a tripod and if you have used Swaro money do that.

I use my OK Sig 10x32 for close stuff and your Diamondback will do. Don’t skimp on the Eye of Sauron glass to look over middle earth. I come from the perspective of looking for tiny deer in the desert. Elk is a different thing of course.

So, a good 12x UHD can do most of what the 15x does if you want to save weight and have more versatility. You can hand hold them, but they don’t work great for that.
 
I also prefer to have a pair of 10's and a pair of 15's. There's not a lot that 12's do that I wouldn't go one notch up or down so my 10's are my lighter-weight regular-carry item and my 15's are my serious-scouting option.

One downside to 15's is you have to pick and choose bino harnesses. Many won't fit glass that big, or have a very tight squeeze.
 
1st question is, are you satisfied with your 10x42’s?

I would take them to a store where I could compare them to other 10X42’s or better yet borrow from some friends and compare them in real outdoor dawn/dusk conditions for how you hunt.

Go from there
 
I’ve had 10s, 12s and 15s and finally settled on 12s as my do-it-all bino. More reach than 10s and really not much more difficult to keep stable while holding in hand. 15s have their place in big open country, but not much I cant do with the 12s.
 
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