Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics duovid vs nikon edg or swarovision

Good price! Will be interested in what you think after using them some.

I know you've bought the duovids, but I'll throw in my .02 anyway for anybody else that might be thinking about buying these 3.

I've owned all 3.

There is no doubt that the optics on teh EDG series are spectacular. They offer a beautiful view from edge to edge. I carried these around in the 8x32 variety for a season doing the kind of hunting I do - steep, rough, hard, demanding stuff. At the end of the season, the EDG binos looked like they'd been dragged behind my truck for a few hours. They were chipped all over the place and looked horrible. The front hinge cap was missing. The enamel covering the hinge was beat to hell. Granted, I hunt hard, but I'd never had a set of optics look like this. I sent them back, they sent me a new pair, and I sold them.

The Duovids I owned were great. They were the 8+12 variety. They felt like they were built like a brick and if I wanted to, for some reason, I felt I *could* drag them behind my truck without any damage. My problem with the duovids was the weight. They came in at 36 oz - and that's quite a bit to hold around your neck when you do a lot of vertical hiking. That extra 4X of magnification costs you about a pound.

The binos I use most often these days are Swarovision 8x32s. I also have the swarovski rangefinder binos, but I only use those when I need yardages when hunting. I LOVE the little 8x32 swarovision binos. They offer the perfect blend for me - enough magnification, plenty of light, very light weight and my favorite view out of any bino. Plus they are so dang ergonomic - it's so easy to use this little swaros. I'm in love.

Granted, I'm not comparing the duovids to a 8x42 swaro, but the same thing applies. I also should mention that I didn't end up using the 12x nearly as much as I thought I would when packing the duovids. As others have mentioned, 12x is tough to hold still when hiking unless you have a pretty good rest, and more often than not I didn't. I also find that when I'm scouting or need more X's, I usually have a spotter of some ilk in my pack.

Excellent post with many good points--some of which are why I also own an EL 8x32.

I'm sure they are every bit as nice as the late 90's era 10x50 trinovid binoculars I have spent some time looking though, and if so I will be very happy. The only reason I was considering the other models was because they fell in the same price range and was wondering if they really were that much better than the duovids. I really did want the versatility the duovids give me and am excited to receive them in the mail.

Nice snag, private party or a retailer?

Retailer, sold as new, open box item with warranty. I'm not sure if that means it is a return, refurbish, or a demo, but I don't care as long as it works and is warranteed.

The duovids arrived today. Initial impression is what one would expect from binoculars this expensive.. They are great! Bright, clear, the zoom works perfectly, and no felling of eye strain. I don't find them too heavy at all. In fact, they feel lighter than a pair of 10x50 trinovids.

Still happy with the Duovids? Mind if I ask which retailer you purchased from? I'm thinking of getting a set of the duovids.
Thanks.