# What Binos should I get?



## Rifleman24 (Oct 16, 2018)

I’m in need of some new binos. I realize everyone has different taste and everyone’s eye is different but thought I’d get some opinions. I’m looking around 250-400$ range. Any answers? They’d be for hunting in the field.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

I’ve been impressed with vortex but I’m sure others will have a different perspective


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Vortex Diamondbacks have been good, albiet a tad heavier than other bino's in that class. Leupold has some nice glass too, also Nikon Monarchs etc.



What size are you thinking? That might point to a specific brand / model for that price range.




-DallanC


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

My Nikon Monarchs have been very good for the money. 
I bought through 10 x 50 and they are my "in the truck binos."


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Nikon Monarchs for the price. I'm sure vortex are good but, I cant drink that kool-aid very well, even though I have a pair of vortex 15's (because I got them at half price)


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

My first real good binoculars were a pair of 10x42 Leopold's which I replaced with some 10x42 Swaro's.

If you are looking hard at Vortex check out this refurbished shop that sells them. If they have what you are looking for you can save a bunch of money. 
http://aaoptics.com/Viper_c_31.html

Also check out Camofire every day. They have Nikon's on sale quite often. 
https://www.camofire.com/


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

For $350, I'd look real serious at the vortex viper hd refurbished. As long as they still had the lifetime warranty.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I have both Vortex Viper HDs and Diamondbacks. The latter being more economical. 

Honestly, I really like both and don’t think you’d go wrong with either. The true leg up that the Vipers provide in my opinion is some more “true” definition can be slightly apparent when looking at a straight edge like a pillar or edge of a large building. The HDs reduce the bowing effect that lower quality optics experience along with a reduced halo effect on edges.

And they’ve got an excellent warranty


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

Rifleman24 said:


> I'm in need of some new binos. I realize everyone has different taste and everyone's eye is different but thought I'd get some opinions. I'm looking around 250-400$ range. Any answers? They'd be for hunting in the field.


I'm going to toss out a VERY generalized 2 cents on TYPE of binos instead of specific brands.

Field use? As in hanging on your chest right?

Right away I'm going to say 10X42. I used to use 10X50's, but over the course of the day, they start to become a pain to wear, and the larger objective lenses are only helpful at dawn/dusk. The rest of the day, that 50MM objective doesn't seem to do much for you. That said, 50MM objective can make all the difference in gray light.

8X42's have a wider FOV, and will have slightly greater light transmission then 10X42's, but for the most part, you need (in my layman's opnion) more magnification, so 10X42 end up being the best all around.

Next you have to decide porro vs roof prism. Generally speaking if you pick up a 10X42 porro prism bino's, and then compare them to some 10X42 roof prism, the porro prism will have better clarity and light transmission. However, the downside is they will be slighly more bulky and heavier. Conversely, roof prisms will be smaller and lighter, but when compared to an equal set of porro prisms, they will have less clarity and lower light transmission.

Also, if for example you have exactly $100 to spend, a 100 dollar porro prism will, generally speaking, have better optics then a 100 dollar roof prism. With roof prisms, you have to spend more money to get the clarity of a porro. So if one was to gauge optical quality based on price, you have to spend 200 dollars on a roof, to get the same optical quality of a 100 dollar porro. If that makes sense.

These days most everyone goes straight to the pricey roof prisms. There's not much selection on porro's. Personally I like porro prisms better. When glassing for a really long time, they seem to be easier on my eyes, but then I'm usually dealing with lower end bino's cause I can't afford anything from vortex or swaorzki.


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## NVDuckin (Apr 18, 2016)

For that price I'd hunt the classifieds for some used Vortex Viper HD or Nikon Monarchs.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Go to Cabelas and test drive everything in that price range and get the ones that are the most clear for you.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Gary has a very valid point. See what you like, not what everyone else likes. Get the best stuff you can afford and maybe stretch a little. Athlon is great glass for the price too. I just picked up some Cabelas Krotos spotter that they had on clearance, made by Athlon, for about half price in the spring. They are rated better than the Vortex Razor priced at $1,500, so if you can wait and be looking around for a deal that wouldn't hurt. Right now is usually a pretty good time of year too with lots of promotions going on. 
I have 12x50, but at a little higher price range, and I love them. At a lower price range the higher magnification can be hard on eyes. That is why Gary's point is so important, see what you like and meets your needs.
Best of luck!


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## 300 Wby (Aug 14, 2008)

Within the price range you mentioned , I personally don't think you could go wrong with a pair of Cabelas euros 10x42. In the past these binocs have been reduced to around 499 closer to Christmas. Picked a pair up last year for a Christmas gift for my son as they compared very well to my swaros (EL)


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## Lopon (Nov 2, 2017)

I can recommend binoculars from ATN. I have BINOX-HD 4-16x digital binoculars with smooth zoom, video recording, gyroscope, magnetometer, wi-fi, weather resistant and many other features. Very good choice, especially for hunting! Here you can find full review.


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