Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Best 10x42 binos

I need to try those Leica.

As far as what I have tried, I'd stay away from Swaro and recomend upper end Zeiss or Steiner.

I have used my Steiners the most and they have held up well to everything Wyoming, Nevada, Montana, Idaho and Alaska have thrown at it. I had their Peregrines, but the strap attachment broke after falling off a horse. The optics were fine, but Steiner said the strap attachment couldn't be repaired (why I have no idea) so they sent me a new pair of the peregrine's successor, the wildlife. It has been just as good, clear and bombproof. I have been impressed with them.

What has worked best for your peeping tom addiction? Please include any drop tests from a windowsill for comparison.

Thanks,

😂😎🦫

Likely most of us, me included have not used all of the top end binocs. But I think there’s a pretty good consensus that these three are the best. Which one is best, depends who you ask. I have swaro and like them.

That would be Vortex, for viewing the hot dudes at least.

Deal with it.

I got Vortex Viper HD under the truck seat for those unexpected sightings. They work, but, they fog easily when the money shot is about to happen. Grins

I’m a Zeiss Victory slut with a spare Geovid HD/R 2700 that to my eyes are a smidge better than Zeiss glass.

Laser on the Zeiss is better imo by having a tighter disbursement pattern that provides a faster reading. There was a test done by some lab a few years ago that showed why the Zeiss laser at that time was better...Probably moot today with everything being improved.

My Zeiss bins do push a laze faster than my Geovids in the field.

Personally, you can’t lose much with any of the alpha bins available. Everyone eyes see things differently in my experience.

😎🦫

Never looked through Meopta MeoStar Bins. But, I’ve heard only great things from some who know when quality glass meets durability.

😎🦫

This is the best laugh I've had in a long time
To me Steiner is not even on the honorable mention list
not sure if you were trying to be a comedian but you are one funny guy

Sure liked my 10x42 meostar hd. Sold em like an idiot and immediately regretted it. However i did just snag a pair of the newer style Euro HD 10x42 off ebay awaiting their arrival. If $ was no object id be getting those Noctovids

Not trying to be a comedian at all.
My Steiners' performance (albeit their top end models, not the predator or whatever else) in every way has blown away 3 pairs of Swaro ELs I have had. Not just in ways that lend itself to subjectivity. If you don't like them, then fine. It is all good.

I don't even see the wildlife on Steiners' site now so maybe it was discontinued? They now have the Peregrine listed as an "adventure" model and it is clearly not the peregrine model I had in the past, so that's a bit confusing.

The crux o’ the matter.

If you can afford alphas, take the time & see which ones speak to you.

FC

To me, It seems there are different situations, and therefore different needs. For wide open spaces, the need often is for binos that say when it's time to get out the spotter. And binos such as Zeiss Conquests work quite well for this. If limited to binos without a spotter it might make some difference, but I question Alphas being so vastly superior as to warrant the huge jump in $$$. Just my opinion.

IMO, using a spotter has always been a different style of hunting than most people do. I do some glassing while sitting still and checking out big country and I also carry a spotter in my pack just for this situation. But for most of my hunting, I am moving, stopping to glass for a while, moving , stopping , etc.. and good glass is a must for this and taking out a spotter every time you stop isn't really handy or useful unless you spot something with the binos.... until now my Leupold Porro Prisms were pretty good for this, but I'm 67 now and my eyes aren't doing as well as they used to, so I finally stepped up to some Alpha glass in some Swarovski 10 x 42 EL's with Swarovision... hard to believe the difference in the glass in these and I'm wondering how many guys - even on this forum of looneys- can afford to own more than a couple different Alpha glass over a period of years in order to compare?

I've been lucky in that several of my buddies carry good glass and I've been able to use their glass a few times- Zeiss Classics, Leicas, Swarovski SL's, and a couple others. For the most part my Leupolds held up pretty well to these until I looked through a set of Swarovski EL's a few years ago and decided I had to have some. Just picked them up a couple days ago and the glass is everything I imagined and then some. The last set I had a chance to use didn't have the new coatings they call "Swarovision" or something like that, and it is pretty fantastic glass IMO. But then, eveyone's eyes are different and what works for me may not seem as great for someone else...

Bob

The deal from Doug is a great one. I have spent much time with many 10X42 binoculars. There are no easy answers. Everybody has an opinion about what works best for them. I presently own EL10X42 field Pros, Leica Geovid 10X42, Zeiss Victory FL 10X42s, Vortex Razor UHD 10X42s, Vortex Razor 10X42s, Swarovski 10X42 SLC WBs, and I am getting a pair of 10X42 NL pures.

I do not have the Nocts or the SFs and like both. I will have a pair of 10X32SFs in the near future. They are super handy and just plain nice but they are a different beast. Per my view, the ELs have more eye relief than the others(20MM). The Leicas and NL Pures have the same eye relief(18MM- they say but it seems optimistic). The Zeiss SFs have more relief than the leicas but less than the ELs. (18mm and right there).

The ELs and Nocts both have a robustness of design that is more than the NLs or the SFs. They have changed the EL 10X42 Field Pros and the price has dropped. Nocts are top of the line and are extremely color neutral. For my eyes the ELs gather more light in low light situations. SFs are perhaps just a bit sharper in the sweetspot.

NLs beat all for pure resolution. I say this because I use an old Brunton binocular viewing chart and the NLs are the first binoculars that you can actually use the Spotting Scope index point ( a hidden cougar). While that seems murky, so be it. The NLs do not seem to be as robust as the ELs or the Nocts and are a bitch to focus but once you are there, you are straight there. I am sure that Leica and Zeiss will have a binocular to compete with the NL soon.

They are discontinuing the Swaro SLC 10X42 WB and that would be my choice other than Doug's deal. They are fantastic and are more compact and give a better image than many different binoculars.

I am sure people will jump this perspective and find fault. I am part of the pro dealer staff of Swarovski, Zeiss, Leica, Nikon, Leupold and Vortex and have extensive time with every binocular with the exception of Nikon WXs. I have not had access to them. I can say that if eye relief isn't a great concern that the armored 10X40 W Habicht by Swarovski is probably a sleeper and that the Zeiss Conquest line might be the most durable 10X42 binocular. So research those as well.

Zeiss conquest for durability? How do those compare optically to the swaro or leica stuff?

The Zeiss conquests for me are sharper than trinovids and not quite as sharp as SLCs. YouTube videos with them are legendary!

Ya farmfag has turned into a bitch. That being said, best bang for the buck, and I’d about guarantee 99% of the members here wouldn’t notice the difference especially in hunting scenarios, meopta. Guys like Greg and the real serious coues deer hunters will notice the difference, most wont

Meopta is worth looking through. I’ve compared them to Sworo’s and Leica and no their not as good. But their sure dang close.

Meopta is an excellent brand. Especially their Meostars. Hawke are also extremely good. A lot of it is how well you use your binoculars. The good old boyz in the Yukon used binos that aren't as good as cheap jack specials and they had no problems. I have mopped a lot of concrete floor to get the optics that I have and feel blessed. I used to hate swarovski. However, after much use I like them a lot. Vortex also keeps improving. They are not to alpha level yet but they are getting close. Nikon HG 10X42s have not been mentioned. They go on sale sometimes. They are very good binoculars and I would not feel handicapped using them one bit.

There are the top three and whatever you choose for your eyes you won't go wrong.

Bottom line for me, and If I could do it over again.

I would spend MORE money on the very best alpha glass and less on the rifles I spent it on.