Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Need Bino advice newbie to binos

Ok guys take it easy on me. I’ve been hunting out east my entire life and never really needed binos. Sure I’ve had cheapos here and there Simmons bushnell etc. My price range is like 500 maybe 600 if I absolutely have to I have an opportunity to hunt out west next year. I cannot spend more than that so I would like to hear your top recommendations For the price range.And with my eyes I’m looking for 12x. Thanks in advance!

Better get a tripod too, if your going to get 12x. 10x is about the max X most can hold steady. I have gone to 8x most of the time

I have bad eyes and i get the holding steady thing but 8x? Doesn’t do much for me up to 100 yards I can’t see detail well. I should say this is not so much for glassing up game and more for deciding if it’s a shooter or not.

Glassing with a tripod improves the experience more than you realize. Such a huge difference..

It would be my pleasure to discuss different options with you. I am thinking in your budget a Meopta Meopro 10x42 would be an excellent choice.

Athlon Optics Cronus 10x42

Tract Toric Schott UHD can be had under $500 right now. Phenomenal bino.

Thumper-


Thumper - please, please, please - do NOT get a 12x. The more-is-better mentality is the biggest mistake made by optics newbies.

I'd take JG's advice on the Tract - in 10x if you must.

Always best to get something that can be hand held, which is 10x or under.

May I suggest the Meopta Meopro 10x42 HD and todays the day for binoculars

Jump up to the Leica Trinovid HD and love them for the rest of your life!

Extra 10% off through tomorrow, give a call,516-217-1000

Here ya go, can't go wrong with this one:

Bino Deal Link

A good tripod, and head will turn any bino you by into a much better game finding machine!!!!






Take care, Willie

I do appreciate all this advice guys. I see I should stear away from the 12x and Doug I will call you when I’m ready. Right now I am not able to purchase with gifts to buy for others etc..but I’m getting my ducks in order.

I'd spend the money on good glasses or contacts first, so ALL searching for game will be enhanced. Binos are secondary.

I sure like my Trinovid HD 8x42 that I bought from Doug a few months ago. Superb bino!

Whenever you're ready it will be our pleasure to assist you

I think 10x is the ragged edge for a bino to hold. I do much better with an 8x. For hunting in the east I’d go 8x. If you’re getting them to look for some very fine detail go 10x; if looking through the woods for deer or to just count points I’d go 8x. Basically, it would require something very specific for me to choose the 10s over the 8s.

There is a difference in "hunting" out West, and "glassing" out West - and the ideal tools for each are different.

I'm born in the West, and living in the East - hunt both as much as I can.

10x in the East is overkill most of the time in Eastern wooded terrain, 6-8x is about the max that helps in the hardwoods.

Common mistake out West, IMHO - the new guys think they need a Hubble-size rifle scope and binos to see anything.

No - you need to stop and and actually look at the terrain, the difference being that you can see a lot more of it than you are used to - you'll have to train your mind and your eye to stop and actually look at the view, not just pass over it with a quick scan.

Can't tell you how many times I've watched a hunter glass a hillside, and declare nothing is moving, only to point out elk, deer, and bear that the others missed - I don't have any super-talent or eagle eye, you just have to stop and actually look.

I've missed them too, but you are going to have re-train how you look at piece of terrain with glass.

10X with good quality glass is going to get you a mile, mile and half of good viewing - you are well out of any shooting range. but you are still within view and sound range of what you are hunting.

When we are glassing, guess what, the big optic isn't used until we find the animal with the 10x, THEN we get the higher power zeroed in on what we want to see.

You don't need as much glass as you think you do, you have to learn to use it correctly.

358Thumper,

It's really fun to find game with the optics. There are times when I find them with the binos. And even knowing they are there I can not see them with the unaided eye.

Last year I discovered I could not see the wire in the fence 135 yards away using my spectacular Nikon Monarch 5 8X32. I placed them on a sandbag and viola! I could see the wire.
I sold them and bought some 7X30's. I can see the wire again while hand holding them. For that reason I would recommend NOT going above 10X. Larger objectives are NOT
used to impress others. I use 10X50 and 15X58 on tripod to see later or earlier than I can with the smaller glass.

Since you seem to have time try quality 12 x 50s before settling for 10 power. Also search for used East German vintage glass. Just one opinion but older used East German Jenas, Aus Jenas and Zeiss are Right up there in quality as most of the best of new and in your budget.