Your ideal glass setup

[UtahJimmy]

I'm ready to make the plunge to alpha glass after years of using my 10x42 Viper HDs in my bino harness and on a tripod. I'm thinking about replacing those with 8x on the chest and then go with 15x's or 18x's for longer distance glassing. Definitely thinking Swaro's for the bigger glass, open to suggestions on the smaller. I'd like to buy once, cry once and trying to figure out which sizes to get first. I prefer to get high and cover lots of terrain with my eyes but the 10's aren't cutting it for being able to really identify deer quality other than "BIG". I've got the 85mm Razor but I never take it into the high country due to weight and I'm not terribly impressed with the image quality.

Here's the discussion piece:
If you didn't have a restricted budget, what would you outfit yourself with?
Would you eventually have 8's, 10's, 12's, 15's, 18's, ultralight spotter, & giant glass spotter and then take the ones that fit the hunt you're leaving for? Or are there ones on that list that you just wouldn't use?

What would your "perfect" optics package look like?

 

[Formidilosus]

What would your "perfect" optics package look like?

The issue is that the hunt, and style varies. My “perfect” for the way I hunt, when I hunt, and the animals I hunt might different than for others.
Having said that, for western big game (deer/elk/antelope) generally late season, it’s 8x or 10x bino LRFs, and tripod mounted 15x56’s. If more than one of us is hunting together, the other person carries a spotter (with reticle). As for which 15x’s, I have used them all, and currently use the Swarovski 15’s, however the Meopta B1 Plus is a better bino. I/we are averaging 1.5-2 seasons between having to send in Swaros for maintenance/repair.

 

[Newtosavage]

I'm ready to make the plunge to alpha glass after years of using my 10x42 Viper HDs in my bino harness and on a tripod. I'm thinking about replacing those with 8x on the chest and then go with 15x's or 18x's for longer distance glassing. Definitely thinking Swaro's for the bigger glass, open to suggestions on the smaller. I'd like to buy once, cry once and trying to figure out which sizes to get first. I prefer to get high and cover lots of terrain with my eyes but the 10's aren't cutting it for being able to really identify deer quality other than "BIG". I've got the 85mm Razor but I never take it into the high country due to weight and I'm not terribly impressed with the image quality.

Here's the discussion piece:
If you didn't have a restricted budget, what would you outfit yourself with?
Would you eventually have 8's, 10's, 12's, 15's, 18's, ultralight spotter, & giant glass spotter and then take the ones that fit the hunt you're leaving for? Or are there ones on that list that you just wouldn't use?

What would your "perfect" optics package look like?

Answer will be different for everyone depending on how they see the view from a particular pair of bins/spotter, and that can only be determined through experience.

I just got home from a 3rd season MD hunt and my trusty 8x32 Zeiss Conquest HD's got 90-95% of the use, both on a harness and on my tripod. I spotted legal bucks from over a mile away routinely with nothing more than those 8x32's. On occasion, to size up a buck, I'd get out my Nikon ED 50 spotter, or my buddy would take a look at them through his Razor 13-30x50 spotter. I had a pair of 10x42 Cabelas Euro HD (Meopta Meostars) in the truck but they stayed in the truck the whole hunt. They are nice, but too heavy to take along and my 8x32 Conquests are just so ridiculously sharp that I never felt undergunned with them, especially on a tripod mount.

If I were to upgrade anything, it would be the spotter. But I have no idea what I'd upgrade to as there aren't many better options than the ED 50 that I'm willing to put in my pack and carry all day.

 

[Gone4Days]

Tripod mounted 15x’s and 8x on chest. I don’t use a spotter.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

In order of importance based on how, what, and where I like to hunt:

*12x Swaros ( i love swaro 15s but liked the 12s a little more so they are my go-to)
*30x66 twin kowa spotters
*88mm+ Kowa or Swaro spotter
*10x42 meopta, swaro, leica zeiss
*15x56 swaro or meopta
*8x32 for wife, archery hunts or football games

 

[S.Clancy]

If money were no limit, I would have 10's in the chest and pack a spotter (85 mm) if I needed it. I would also buy 15s but they would primarily be a truck glassing optic cause they, at least how I hunt, are pretty worthless when compared to the spotter/10s combo.

 

[Firestone]

If money wasn't an option, well I would have one of everything and my setup would be a little different for every hunt. If I had to pick one of each, 12x42 nlpure, an ats 25-50×65 for backpacking. Stx/btx for at the truck.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

You said money no object...

So I'd have all three of the 8x-12x NL Pures.

Probably the Full Draw Leupold Range Finder...

And, a kowa 554 and a Swaro BTX setup.

8x and rangefinder for whitetail archery.
10x, rangefinder, and 554 for anything elk
12x, rangefinder, and 554 for alpine mule deer
8x, rangefinder and BTX for things like sheep.

 

[UpTop]

Easy if money is no object. Which is ridiculous. BUT, all the pures. All the tx configurations and both of the new tc’s.

 

[svivian]

Swaro 12x42 NL pures
Skip the 15 power binos and get a Swaro BTX with a 95mm objective
Also get the Swaro ATX with a 65MM objective

you are then set for everything and anything

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Meopta 8x50 range finding binos in the harness and Meopta 15x56 on the tripod is the “go-to” setup for me for most hunts.

 

[S.Clancy]

Meopta 8x50 range finding binos in the harness and Meopta 15x56 on the tripod is the “go-to” setup for me for most hunts.

How are those Meopta range finding binos, they are the Optika right?

 

[Brendan]

For me in order of importance:

Swaro NL Pure 10x42 plus pan head and tripod.
Good Rifle Scopes - Moving to Nightforce for everything that dials, Swaro for everything that doesn't
Good Rangefinder - Currently Run Sig Kilo 2400 ABS for rifle and Leupold Fulldraw 4 for Archery, May Move to just the Sig Kilo 8K
Swaro ATX95 - Rarely gets packed anywhere

What I'd buy next.

15X Binos - Probably Swaro, Maybe Meopta
Compact Spotter - Probably Kowa.

I haven't had a dire need for the lighter spotter or 15's the way I hunt. Binos on a tripod are awesome.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

How are those Meopta range finding binos, they are the Optika right?

Optika LR model. I love them. A little heavy like all RF binos, but once you practice with them and get used to them, I would never go back to separate units. I believe the 10x42 model is a touch lighter but the field of view on the 8x50's is unmatched.

Image is very crisp and meopta colors are true to my eye over Swaro, low light performance is excellent. Durability is proving to be very good as with my 15x56 Meoptas. I left them outside in 18 degree weather with light snow, overnight. The next morning at 5:30 AM I woke up and ranged a deer at 550 yards. They just work which I love, I hate fussing with gear.

Range finding reticle is perfect, a hollow circle so you can still place it perfectly on objects. You can switch it from right hand to left hand operation and the brightness is adjustable. I've ranged deer at 850 yards with no issues, haven't tried on big game any further yet. Water tower on neighbors property is 1,200 yards and hits that with no issues even with heavy Arizona miraging in the Summer.

 

[Formidilosus]

I left them outside in 18 degree weather with light snow, overnight. The next morning at 5:30 AM I woke up and ranged a deer at 550 yards. They just work which I love, I hate fussing with gear.

That’s good to hear. A few years ago I used a couple sets of the original ones from Europe with ballistics in them heavily. They were fantastic in all aspects and I preferred them to every other bino LRF on the market…. Except for when they cold soaked below 28° they wouldn’t range beyond 230m at all and no amount of battery swaps helped. Meopta didn’t have answer for it.

The Leica Geovid Pros are the first bino LRF I have used that I thought equaled the Meopta’s.

 

[SouthPaw]

That’s good to hear. A few years ago I used a couple sets of the original ones from Europe with ballistics in them heavily. They were fantastic in all aspects and I preferred them to every other bino LRF on the market…. Except for when they cold soaked below 28° they wouldn’t range beyond 230m at all and no amount of battery swaps helped. Meopta didn’t have answer for it.

The Leica Geovid Pros are the first bino LRF I have used that I thought equaled the Meopta’s.

My sig 2400 wouldn't work when temps were in the 20s last year on a late season hunt. I had to keep it in my pants pocket so it'd be warm enough to work, drove me nuts.

Anyone have a list of bino or handheld ballistic RFs that are reliable in cold temps?

 

[Formidilosus]

Anyone have a list of bino or handheld ballistic RFs that are reliable in cold temps?

That’s extremely common for Sig RF’s.


The ones that have generally shown to work in cold soaked conditions and that I have seen multiple sets used-

1). Newer Leicas

2). Vortex Fury 5000’s

3). Nikon Laser Forces (have shown to be the most consistent in cold of all)

4). Zeiss Bino LRF’s (though only a few)



Swarovski’s generally work, but tend to show reduced performance- either shorter range, slower read out, multiple times to range to get a hit, or all three.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

That’s good to hear. A few years ago I used a couple sets of the original ones from Europe with ballistics in them heavily. They were fantastic in all aspects and I preferred them to every other bino LRF on the market…. Except for when they cold soaked below 28° they wouldn’t range beyond 230m at all and no amount of battery swaps helped. Meopta didn’t have answer for it.

The Leica Geovid Pros are the first bino LRF I have used that I thought equaled the Meopta’s.

It was a one time test up in Minnesota whitetail hunting. Although they did sit outside all day with me for probably a total of about 70 hours, another 10 hours in a harness stalking woods. Temps were as low as 10 degrees F warming up to the mid 30's F during the day. They were often covered in light freezing rain and some snow that I would have to wipe off the body occasionally. Never once had them fail to range.

 

[100%DIYazCOUES]

For coues hunting , I use either 8x32(archery) or 10x42(rifle) meostars in bino harness, and 15x56 slc hd. Everything goes on tripod whenever possible. Swaro nl pures are the best I’ve looked through if money is no object. The slc hd and meostar hd are still incredible with a slight edge to swaros. I’ve never had any issues with either and I use the hell out of them, probably between 75 and 100 days/year.
As for spotter, I had the big razor but I really wasn’t impressed With it. Yes I could get a little closer look but for the weight, not close to worth it for me.
The btx is amazing though!
Also a great tripod like a carbon pro master or slik, good pan head like va-5 or outdoorsman’s. Maybe a little beefier if I had the btx…
That’s what I’d get.

 

[oryxman]

GPO 12.5 by 50 HD you won't be disappointed