Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Which 15x bino!?

To a follow up on my previous topic. Which 15x bino is the best to get. I have $650 give or take dollars.
I'm gonna order demo/open box models from cameraland to save a bunch and put towards a tripod and adapter

I like the 15x50 viper hds. And also the 15x56 vulture hds. I really like the fact the vipers are light weight.
But they'll be mounted to a tripod more often. Do weight isn't important

I see enough difference in store to stuck with the vipers. BUT outside will the 56mm make a huge difference gathering light??

What other brands should I look at?

From trying several I sure would not go with the 15X50. If weight is a problem use a bino holder over your shoulders and around your chest.

Out of the 4 I have been able to get my hands on in local stores. The 15x50 is by far the best.... vulture hd 15x56 is second best BUT not close second.

The only other one I've found in my price range that even came close is a Basspro shops brand. Oculpus I think is the brand name and under $300.
It was every bit as clear as the vulture hd.

bankwalker,

Good to hear. You need to get what your eyes like. By far I think you should get the 15X50 since it is so much better and will be lighter.

These days the quality of optics is improving so fast that a far greater effort must be put into seeing the real differences. Set up a test sheet and actually look at the glasses side by side and you may be surprised how different things are under identical conditions.

The optics guy at the local Bass Pro a week or so ago tried to tell me their brand was being made BY Vortex... I am perfectly willing to accept them being made by the same manufacturer in the same plant, etc, but I doubt Vortex is actually making them...

Double your savings and get the 15x56 slcs...

Like buying a bad pair of boots.

Vortex can't possibly make them because they don't make anything, not even their own stuff. I like GregW's advice. Buy Swaro not only because it's as good as it gets, but if/or when you decide to sell you'll get most of your money back. You'll take a beating trying to get rid of certain other brands.

I can't buy expensive. No job at the moment and I've saved my pennies for a year to be able to make this purchase. Anything on the $500-650 range will be a huge investment and huge improvement over my current binos.

What kind of hunting are you doing sir?

The areas I hunt are steep mountains. No hiking...just driving logging roads. Most of the spots I sit and glass are 350-1300 yards. But 80% of that is 400-600 yards.
My 8x binos work ok for it to pick apart and find animals. But when I'm looking at 500+ finding bedded animals is a little difficult depending on light.

Last year I used my cousins cheap Simmons 20-60 spotter and it was great once I found the animal. It was horrible for finding them though.
I'm blaming the cheap glass though.

I'm not trying to count inches of antlers though. Just find game and know if they are legal.

Also alot of bear hunting. On the bear aspect I shot my first bear last year. Close to 300lbs. So now I will be after equal size or bigger. So quality glass will be needed for judging bear.
I hunt all the same types of areas for bear as I do deer.

If you're glassing less than a mile and mostly under 800 yards, a quality 10x or 12x on a quality tripod with a quality head (very important) IME will be a better tool for you than a pair of low quality 15's even for bedded animals if you are at least a decent glasser -

For 650 or under I'd go Minox (get the x 56's, not the x 58's) but I'd save the coin and go Swaro still -

Greg is right in your price range minox is as good as you will find. I used a pair of x58's for years and could see everything the swaro guys could

There's no way I could afford more expensive. It took me a year to save for what I have now. And I'd would be extremely happy with the upgrade I can afford now.

I bought a pair of the 15X50 Viper HDs. I only kept them about 3 weeks. Their main problem was the focus was very touchy and the focus wheel was gritty. It was damn hard to get a good focus at 500+ yards. This was of course from a tripod. I called Vortex and discussed it with them. They agreed that the Viper is "challenging" to focus easily at different ranges. They gave me a screaming deal to upgrade to the 15X56 Kaibab binos. The Kaibabs were much better but still were lacking in crispness and clarity. I sold them recently. I'll probably try the Meoptas next. I do not recommend the Viper HDs!

Bob

I recommend being patient and wait for a little better pair to show up used and jump on them.

Bob

GregW where are you finding Minox for that price.
Cameraland has Minox German bl 15x56 for $899 new or $774 open box/demo

I can relate to being frugal. My daily driver is 23 yrs old with 240K, no A/C, cruise and a stereo even an old dude would be ashamed of. Our house is 900 sq ft.

I do insist on the best optics I can't afford. I'd sell enough guns to get the Swaro 15s if I didn't already have 'em. Binos are the hunting tool you'll use more than anything else.

The clarity and especially the warranty of the upper end glass made me a believer.

Does anyone use or has used the Nikon 16x56? Outdoor life gave them a great review. They are $800+/- if I remember correctly.

GregW,



What's the difference in the two other than 2mm? What makes the 56 better?