You went from high quality 15’s to NL Pure 12s… Get in here!

[mxgsfmdpx]

Need real world opinions from hunters who find and kill game every year and have actually made the switch from 15s to NL 12s. I’m tempted to do so even though I have nothing to complain about with my 15 x56s. I just keep hearing over and over how the NL 12 pures really are the next level for glassing.

I hunt coues deer in Arizona every year which is like trying to find a Great Dane with horns that can camouflage perfectly into its habitat. I also do some out of state big country hunts for deer, elk, and antelope (mainly Wyoming). I also hunt California which can be anywhere from glassing big drainages to sitting in the woods for a week straight. My 8x50s cover my whitetail hunts in Minnesota…

I have Meopta B1 Plus 15x56 which I actually prefer the image and long range edge to edge clarity over the SLC 15s. These are what I use on a tripod and don’t even carry a spotter these days.

I also carry a pair of Meopta 8x50 range finding binos with I also use on the tripod and for hand glassing/ranging.

Wondering if making the switch NL Pures is the right answer for my hunts? I spend a whole lot of time behind my binoculars even in the off season. I think the biggest advantage is catching game in the peripheral vision while glassing which is very important for hunting coues. Also, with coues deer being so small, the 15s really can help determine it that’s an antler or another damn ocotillo or jumping cactus. Wondering if the 12s will be enough for that?

As you can see i am quite torn. Does anybody rent NL pures to try out? I’m helping a buddy on a coues hunt in two weeks and would love to give them a try.

Thanks for any feedback and experience on this.

 

[Brianb3]

Curious as well. Had 15s. Went to 12x50 els but am also curious. Thanks for the post


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[fisherman983]

I switched from 15s to el 12x50s so not quite the same and don't feel bad about it. Better glass, lighter on my chest, easier to hand hold.

I'll be switching to nl pures when I can sell mine and afford the pures

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[cali_hornhunter]

Following! I’ve been trying to figure on how to ask this question myself. I have el 10’s and pack the swaro 15’s and a spotter for pretty much all mule deer and Coues hunts. I’m really considering just moving to nl pure 12’s for a cover all basis and my spotter

 

[Kenn]

This year I used 15X56 SLCs and 10x42 NLs, and the 15's were clearly the winner. I just bought 12X50 Meoptas and I'm anxious to see where they fit in. I think you would find that your 15s are much better for what you want. I love my NL's but the clarity is not dramatically better than other alphas, and I include the Meoptas in the alpha category.

 

[Dioni A]

Need real world opinions from hunters who find and kill game every year and have actually made the switch from 15s to NL 12s. I’m tempted to do so even though I have nothing to complain about with my 15 x56s. I just keep hearing over and over how the NL 12 pures really are the next level for glassing.

I hunt coues deer in Arizona every year which is like trying to find a Great Dane with horns that can camouflage perfectly into its habitat. I also do some out of state big country hunts for deer, elk, and antelope (mainly Wyoming). I also hunt California which can be anywhere from glassing big drainages to sitting in the woods for a week straight. My 8x50s cover my whitetail hunts in Minnesota…

I have Meopta B1 Plus 15x56 which I actually prefer the image and long range edge to edge clarity over the SLC 15s. These are what I use on a tripod and don’t even carry a spotter these days.

I also carry a pair of Meopta 8x50 range finding binos with I also use on the tripod and for hand glassing/ranging.

Wondering if making the switch NL Pures is the right answer for my hunts? I spend a whole lot of time behind my binoculars even in the off season. I think the biggest advantage is catching game in the peripheral vision while glassing which is very important for hunting coues. Also, with coues deer being so small, the 15s really can help determine it that’s an antler or another damn ocotillo or jumping cactus. Wondering if the 12s will be enough for that?

As you can see i am quite torn. Does anybody rent NL pures to try out? I’m helping a buddy on a coues hunt in two weeks and would love to give them a try.

Thanks for any feedback and experience on this.

@Rent Outdoor Gear is your answer is you want to try them.

I've owned pretty much every binocular Swarovski makes. 10x slc 10x El 12x El 15x slc 10x NL pure and 12x NL pure. The 12x NL pure is special! It has the field of view of the 10x options but better image resolving than I could get with the 15s. I'm able to pick out objects farther based off image alone. Couple that with a significant field of view gain over any 15s 12s and some 10s and I can spot moving game much easier. They are as good as everyone says they are.

 

[handwerk]

Great question. For me I have Geovid 10x42's in my chest pack at all times, that won't change. I think where the NL 12's would really shine if that was the one bino you carry. I do have the 12 NL's and have some Leica 15's coming so I'll soon find out what's best for me. I also have a 65 MM swaro spotter I take as needed.
The 12 NL's are very nice but I'm thinking in my case 15's might be a better fit for a second bino in my backpack.

 

[Steve O]

I’ve had a lot of good binoculars. I preferred my 10-15 Leica Duovids to the 15 SLCs every time I compared with friends on trips. My NL 12s allowed me to sell the Duovids without any regret. I lost the location of the AZ desert ram in my avatar for 4 days. I found him at right around 2.5 miles with the NL12s and was able to positively confirm it was the exact ram I was looking for without my spotter. NL12s are pretty damn special.

 

[hereinaz]

Among my crowd, I think the move from 15 SLC to 12 EL was debatable which was better, probably no huge difference. I preferred my Leica 12 ultravids to 15s.

Sounds like the 12 NL pure are better by enough to justify moving from the 15. Clarity trumps magnification in my opinion.

I haven’t even looked through any NL pure, but everything I hear about them, I would do everything to buy a pair of 12 NL if it came with a rangefinder.

My buddies who have looked through pures want them but can’t justify the price, yet.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I swapped from 10x ELs and 15x SLCs to just the 12x NLs. It’s been a full year and I haven’t really missed the 15s. I hunt coues as well but not every year. That’ll be the real test and what I’m worried about most, but for everything else I like them. They’ve been perfect this year for several mule deer hunts, bear, elk, and caribou. Two of the mule deer hunts were open country that I would typically have the 15s and didn’t feel under gunned, was still picking them out bedded.

 

[kota]

My progression was SLC 15, to NL 12, to EL 10. I think it depends on what your companion optic is, hunting style and how much weight you want to carry. Really happy with the EL 10s and BTX I have now, which I use for open country mule deer.

For me, 12x and 15x are about the same. Great at locating game on a tripod but not enough oomph for big country and too much wiggle for me to glass well free hand. I still needed a spotter to judge at distance and pick brush apart past where 15x starts to fall off. I also needed 8-10x for freehand glassing when trying to relocate bucks on a stalk. It doesn’t take much wiggle for brush to look like antler tips, and vice versa. YMMV.

Were it me, I would keep the 8s and look at the BTX instead of the NL 12s. You already have great glass. Yes the NLs are great, clear, bright, amazing field of view etc, but they (optically) aren’t going to help you see more game than you already do. You are going to need to make a significant change to get that.

The biggest advantage will be the confidence you will have, which will make you glass longer and harder, But don’t expect it to be a big change to what you already have.

 

[6.5x284]

Man any other animal I’d say yes. I ditched my 15 SLC’s for 12 NL and the clarity allows me IMHO to find the same animals. I did a couple seasons of side by side scouting and the clarity and FOV actually helped me find more I’d bet. But Cous are small. I’d get the 12 NL regardless and try to get a used 18x. The 3x jump to 15x doesn’t make enough difference but I bet 6x would put it back in your favor with 18x. I ran BTX for awhile but honestly didn’t find them worth it over 15-18x, for me I still need a spotter (in the BTX case a STX/ATX eyepiece) to determine anything beyond frame anyway and I was disappointed how quick they got dark (this was pre 115 obj being a thing).


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[mxgsfmdpx]

@Rent Outdoor Gear is your answer is you want to try them.

I've owned pretty much every binocular Swarovski makes. 10x slc 10x El 12x El 15x slc 10x NL pure and 12x NL pure. The 12x NL pure is special! It has the field of view of the 10x options but better image resolving than I could get with the 15s. I'm able to pick out objects farther based off image alone. Couple that with a significant field of view gain over any 15s 12s and some 10s and I can spot moving game much easier. They are as good as everyone says they are.

Thanks a bunch I’ll reach out to them and give them a go.

I’ll post my findings in this thread here after spending a week behind the NL side by side with my 15’s.

 

[Eastonsgrandpa]

I think the best combo is the NL 12 and STC spotter. Barely more weight with both than 15’s and they compliment each other phenomenally.

 

[Browninglover1]

The difference between 15x and 12x was VERY noticeable to me and two hunting partners. All 3 sets of 15x56 (Minox, Vortex, and Swaro) showed a much larger/magnified image than my 12x NL Pure. It made seeing details easier even though the images weren't necessarily as sharp. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but all three of us could see it regardless of which 15x we were using and even observing that none of the 15x were as sharp as the NL Pure.
Now, where the 12x shines, it's still a high magnification with a MASSIVE field of view and a stunning image. They weigh significantly less than any of the 15x56 and thus are more likely to go with you everywhere in the field. That larger FOV could also help you pick up movement in larger areas that you may miss with the 15x. However, if I'm grid glassing for bedded animals, the 15x would be the tool of choice every time for me.

 

[BRTreedogs]

What about 12s if you are hunting 1500 yards and in?

I have 10 els and 15 slc.
But in Oregon there isn't necessarily alot of long range glassing, at least where I am.

And alot of times with the 15s im just like man everything is to close. I feel the fov is just to small

 

[4090Sharps]

Thanks for posting this, I'm following closely. Have an STC inbound right now, and am somewhat on the fence as to whether I should buy a second STC now for a big eye STC setup, or if I should put that off for a pair of NL Pure 12x42 to carry on my person and add other STC later (or not).

 

[6.5x284]

Thanks for posting this, I'm following closely. Have an STC inbound right now, and am somewhat on the fence as to whether I should buy a second STC now for a big eye STC setup, or if I should put that off for a pair of NL Pure 12x42 to carry on my person and add other STC later (or not).

I was told STC can’t do big eyes by a vendor. Have you heard otherwise? I have a STC and it would be great if possible.


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[nnmarcher]

I was told STC can’t do big eyes by a vendor. Have you heard otherwise? I have a STC and it would be great if possible.


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There have been a few pictures posted in this thread (starting around post #88). I think the vendor making them is Adam’s Adapters on Instagram.

Why not more DIY “big eyes”?

Why don’t I see more folks creating their own big eyes? Am I missing something? It seems like you could throw together a couple older razors and have a solid value “BTX like” set-up. Please school me on what I’m overlooking, other than weight.

rokslide.com

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[dirtytough]

I used to carry 10’s, 15 SLC’s, and an ATS 80. I barely ever used the 15’s. I just didn’t spot much more with the 15’s than I did with the 10’s. They were always in my pack but hardly ever came out.

I got the NL 12’s and can’t imagine using something else. I want to pick up a pair of the TA’s but the thought of downgrading viewing experience is hard to get past.