Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics 8x42 Advice Needed

I’m in the market for new 8x42 binocs. Why 8x42? It is my understanding that the loss of magnification, compared to a 10x optic, is only a matter of a few feet at 100 yards and is insignificant due to exit pupil and the relative size of the avg. middle-aged hunter’s pupil when adapted to the dark - please correct me if I’m wrong about any of this. I’d also like to have a lighter bino strapped around my neck than the brick that I currently own (Pentax 10x42 DCF WP), which are pretty danged good binocs, but I know optical quality and construction methods have improved since I purchased my Pentax 10x42s 20 years ago.

I have no interest in spending $2.5K or even $1K. I’ve read a lot of reviews and from what I’ve surmised from my research is that $400.00 – $600.00 will get you damn close to the quality of the very best top-tier glass. Therefore, I am looking for excellent mid-to high-end optics that are not made in China, have fully multi-coated lenses, a magnesium-alloy body, are relatively light weight and have good to excellent accessories. Although I’d certainly like Meopta MeoStars or Leica Trinovids, I’d really have to find a good deal on a used set to be within my price-range, which is about $500.00, and finding used 8x42 MeoStars or Leicas for a good price is no easy feat. I have narrowed my choices to the following, in order of preference:

Vortex Viper (Japan version, if I can find it)
Hawk Frontier ED (UK)
Tract Toric (Japan)
Meopta MeoPro (Czechoslovakia?)

I was leaning towards the Vortex Viper, unfortunately, Vortex moved production to China and, according to multiple sources, they now have a lot of QC issues. It really irritates me that companies who formerly had excellent products make the idiotic decision to sacrifice quality in the name of increased profits by moving production to China, which inevitably results in pissed-off customers and a huge increase in warranty claims. I’ve had too many bad experiences with made in China crap to make that mistake ever again. People complain of bad glare, & edge distortion with the MeoPros, so that leaves the Tract Toric, which does not include a case, and the Hawk Frontier ED, which has acceptable accessories, but they’re not a good as the Viper Vortex accessories. At this point, I guess my choice would be the Hawk Frontier EDs, which has stellar ratings + I found a pair for $349.00, which is a very nice price.

Which would you choose and why, and is there an optic that I may have overlooked that meets my specifications, as I’ve outlined above?

I appreciate my 8x42 Zeiss Conquest HD binos. My other set of binos is some Swaro 10x42 SLCs and the Conquests don’t seem light worlds different. At a minimum I could say the game spotting difference between the two is negligible.

I do prefer the ergos of the SLCs.

If I were to reconsider a purchase of 8x42s today I would get 8x32s.

While I don't have the 8X42, I do have the Hawke frontier ed x 8X32. Good bino for the money to my eyes, but I believe they are made in China. Someone can correct me but I believe most of Hawke binos are manufactured in China and their ed x model is their top modeI believe as well. If you are ok with China they are a pretty darn good buy.

I do have a GPO HD 8X42 bino and they are the best binoculars I have purchased. Great in every way...but they are not cheap.

joelkdouglas: Yep, I'd love to have a pair of Swaro 8x42 SLCs, but I really can't justify $1.5K. I found some made in Germany Zeiss Conquests for $750.00, which might be doable, but I'll have to think about spending that much. Good to know that the difference in optical quality between the 2 is negligible.

MegaVinn: I have some Minox BL/BR 8x32s coming in the mail, which I purchased from a member here on the 'fire. I'll see how I like 'em. Would you mind looking at your Hawk Frontiers and see if there is a "Made in China" sticker on them somewhere? Made in China is a deal-breaker for me. I had someone tell me that the Frontier ED was made in the UK, and I was thinking that this is probably true since the Frontier ED is their top model, but I haven't been able to confirm this yet. Yep, I looked at the GPO HD 8x42 and by all accounts they're spectacular, but 1K is a bit steep, doable, but steep.

High_Noon, I've had Vipers in the past and for the money they're a pretty good choice, in my opinion. Were I buying Vipers today I'd buy from AAOptics.com. They sell fully warrantied "refurbished" Vortex optics. Here's Vipers, don't know if Chines or not, but only $300 bucks - https://aaoptics.com/REFURBISHED-VIPER-HD-ROOF-PRISM-BINOCULAR-8X42_p_536.html

For $300 bucks you may as well give 'em a shot.

Hawke Frontier ED X 10x42 Specifications
Manufacturer Hawke
Binoculars series Hawke Frontier ED X
Made in China
In production since 2018
Warranty 10 years
SKU 38412c
Prism type Roof - Schmidt/Pechan
Variable magnification No
Magnification. 10x
Diopter range -
Lens diameter. 42mm
Exit pupil. 4.2mm
Field of view... 112m/1000m
Field of view (deg.). 6.42°
Apparent field of view (deg.). 0°
Eye relief. 17.0512mm
Close focus. 2m
Twilight Factor 20.49
Light transmission -
Relative Brightness 17.6
Lens coating Fully Multicoated
Length. 140mm
Width. 138.7369mm
Height. 0mm
Weight. 789.8898g
Material N/A
Temperature range -
Filled with Nitrogen
Focusing system Central
Diopter setting position Right eye-piece
Body type Single hindge
Waterproof Yes
Fogproof Yes
Tripod adaptable N/A
Compass No
Built-in rangefinder No
Image stabilizer No
Floatable No

MegaVinn: Thank you for that. Scratch the Hawks, which is unfortunate.

skeen: Thanks - that's awesome. Maybe I can request a Made in Japan set that's been refurbished. You're correct. 300 clams is definitely worth a shot - especially on a Japan set, if they've got 'em. I will call them tomorrow.

I asked but AA won't look for a MIJ pair. I ended up with one though. Chinese production hasn't been going on that long so the odds are good you will get a Japanese pair. Mine looked brand new. They came with the box, accessories and paperwork. Free shipping and no tax as well

TxHunter80: Unfortunate that AA won't let the customer specify a MIJ pair. So what are your impressions of the ones you received? Do they compare favorably w/ "alpha" glass? I know they're fairly close in optical quality and features.

No, the Vipers are not comparable to alphas. The closest on your list would be the Toric. I think it's comparable to binos in the $1k range. Personally, I would buy that one or the Meopro from Doug.

That model Viper has a pretty narrow FOV. Otherwise, they are nice and the MIJ Vipers were the go to $500 bino for awhile. You could do allot worse for $300 but the Meopro is worth the extra $100

TxHunter0: The Viper's 347' FOV is certainly not the best, but not the worst by any stretch. Do you have any experience w/ the MeoPros? Any problems related to the bad glare & edge distortion I've read about? In Chuck Hawk's review of the MeoPro HD 8x42s, they state that "The MeoPro HD 8x42 binoculars are, without any doubt, the finest, clearest and best binoculars that we have ever used or reviewed. Period." They go on to say that's after reviewing Zeiss, Swarovski, Leupold and Nikon. Those last two I can easily believe, but stating that they're better than Zeiss and Swaros is a pretty bold statement. Do you know if the MeoPros are indeed manufactured in Czechoslovakia?

My buddy Scotty and I sat on a hill passing his Meopros and my Swaro SLCs back and forth. I couldn’t tell any difference between them optically. Ergos and weight are different but not optics. Some might think the Meopros are better optically because their eyes are different. To me they are equals.

As for ergos and weight that’s subjective. I like the SLC, Scotty likes the Meopro.

Edit: he might have Meostars not Meopros. Damn good optics.

joelkdouglas: ok. So the MeoPro HD 8x42 is top dog on my list right now. Did you notice any bad glare or edge distortion w/ the MeoPros?

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Nope, glass was just as good as the SLCs. And I think a lot of my SLCs.

joelkdouglas: Thanks, Bud. I thought the glare & distortion might just be "brand-bashing." The MeoPros sound like a great bet.

It appears that the MeoPros are indeed made in Czechoslovakia.

I wonder how the Tract Torrics compare to the MeoPros. Anyone have experience with both?

There were some Tract 8x42 demos on their page earlier sub $500. Not sure if they are still there but they are very highly rated.

Edit***appears they are all gone...

Looks like they still have one model of Toric on demo closeout. 8x42's for under $500.

https://tractoptics.com/toric-8x42-uhd-demo

347’ is narrow for an 8x42. That was a common complaint with that particular model. No it isn’t the worst available but it’s well below average for that class of binoculars. It’s definitely narrow if you want to know how it compares to an alpha. A big advantage of buying an 8x is a bigger fov and you just don’t get it with the Viper. For example, the MIC Viper is 409’ - huge difference

Yes, I’ve owned both and my fair share of alphas. I preferred the Meopro over the Viper. I really like it but that’s an awfully inflated opinion of the Meopro. I would consider the meopro between the Viper and Razor. IMO, it’s much closer to the Razor than Viper. I didn’t have issues with glare but I have read that some do. I think allot of those issues are with the 8x32. For your needs. you put together a really solid list. I think you would be happy with any of them. I’ve never had the Hawkes but they have gotten good reviews