Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics "$149 Chinese binoculars..." From the Binocular Test Volunteers thread

Would I like to see some U.S. made optics at a good price? Sure. But it's not happening this year. I did just get a pair that meets that goal, a like new (95%+) B&L Zephyr 8x30 in the leather case. But they were made in 1955 or so. (and they are still a good bino)

As to the price, I remember a LOT of folks saying $100.00 Chinese built binos were not worth looking through. Then some bought them and they found that they are good. Not great, but good. The Leupold Yosemite comes to mind.

A lot of folks do not have the ability to "save on other things and buy (fill in name of euro-glass here)". That $149.00 may be all they can get, and are stretched to do even that.

Feedback at a low price is as (or even more) important as at the high end. A high end optic will almost always be good, while the low end runs from true trash to nice.

Dino in Reno

Excellent point and a good post.

Spend the money, cry once. Don't spend the money, and cry forever...

Way too much common sense for the optics forum.

Neil

There are quality budget optics made other places besides China. One doesn't have to support the Chicoms, even if on a budget, and if Americans would support good products being manufactured outside China, companies would start getting the message. I realize that not every person agrees with that philosophy, but I personally don't want to have to tell my kids and grandkids 40 years from now that I'm sorry I sold them out because I thought I HAD to have something made in China.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of first class optics. I own two Leicas and bought two spotters at the same time last year for about $2000. So I think that shows that I'm not shy about spending money.
I also own and hunt some pretty cheap stuff. While my Leica 12X50 BN may be riding in my pack, guess what often hangs around my neck ? An $80 Leupold Yosemite, 6X30.
I've got some other "cheap" binoculars that are pretty impressive as well. The 6.5X32IF Minox that I bought for $179 is another. Yes, I can see a very small difference from a sitting position between it and my Nikon LX, 8X32. But it sure doesn't give up much. And, which can be helpful, the 6.5X32 Minox can be set for anything over 150 yds and never needs refocusing. Where the Nikon needs to be refocused when I change from 400 yds. to 800 yds. At the end of the day, guess which one has given me an eye strain headache ?
I admit that the cheap Leupold doesn't give me the detail I'd like to have at 1.5 miles. Can't even begin to see the antlers on a really big elk, for instance. But I can see him clearly enough to have no doubt he is a really big elk.
Which brings me to my point. Cheap binoculars can be very useful and well worth the money. Especially in the lower magnifications.
I'd like, very much, to try out a Zen Ray ED. Maybe I'll have to cough up the what, $200-$300 ? But that's another story. E

$149 Chinese binocs are probably good for watching my neighbor's dog take a crap on my lawn, but for a hunting trip?

From what I read on this forum, most binoculars have a lot of content from China no matter which country of origin it was stamped with. Maybe the only exception is Swaro, Zeiss and Leica. Just buy the best glass that's allowed in your budget, whether it's $50, $200, or $2000.

If one cares about such things, and a number of people on the Campfire do, it is a cop-out to say since most optics have pieces made in China that it doesn't matter where the optic is made. There is a difference between sending 100% of the price of manufacturing to the Chicoms and sending 5% or 10% of the price of manufacturing to the Chicoms.

My impression is a lot of glass for optics is produced in China, which I suspect is due to less stringent environmental standards in China than in the West (What's the problem with breathing a little lead, right Comrade?). If my suspicions are reflected in reality, once China gets their environmental standards up to Western standards (in actuality, not just in lip service), a lot of optics companies may have trouble getting the glass they need.

I suspect, on the basis of no evidence whatsoever :-) that a significant difference between the low priced stuff and the high priced spread is the level of quality control. In other words, if you buy a Swarovski, Zeiss, etc. every sample is going to be high quality with no exceptions, or if a bad sample slips through, it will be replaced to the buyer's satisfaction. On the other hand with the low priced stuff, you may get a good one or a mediocre one, or even on occasion a dud, because part of the reason for the low price is they don't check every sample. At least, that's my speculation, I could be wrong.

Such as............let's hear some ideas.

Where do you draw the line on products with ties to China ? There are an awful lot of small parts being used in the manufacture of almost everyone's product.

JG,

Burris Fullfield II and some Nikons for hunting scopes
Bushnell 3200 10x40 mildot for a "tactical" scope

Some of the Vortex and Minox binocs
Pentax binocs

I'm sure there are others, but those are ones I'm familiar with and come immediately to mind.

RDFinn,

A tag with Made in China on the product is the most obvious and reasonable place to draw the line. Beyond that it is difficult, if not impossible, to ferret out where the various parts are made. If it has a Made in China label on it you can be fairly sure that 100% of the manufacturing price is going to the Chicoms. If you have info that the majority of a particular product is made in China but doesn't have a Made in China label on, by all means, please share that info.

I predict there will be tens of thousands of hunters for the next 5 to 10 years who will cry because they don't even have the [bleep]' $149.00. I'm not one of them, but I know several who are skimping on shotshells for turkey season because they can't afford the expensive high-performance shells.

Shotgun shells are items that are used once (disposable, if you will). One binocular can be used for a lifetime if the owner cares for it. On the issue of turket shotshells - the prices have gotten out of hand. People were killing turkeys with regular shotgun shells long before the specialty shells arrived. Shotgun shells costing $3 each are a little extreme, and I can see the tide turning with a lot of people going to the regular magnum shotgun shells cost probably about 1/5 of what a lot of the specialty turket shells cost.

Back to topic - A binocular can be a one-time purchase if the right choice is made.

How many of these "poor" hunters have no problem dropping $500 on a truck payment, or $50 on beer every weekend?

None, though my sample size is quite small; it's limited to 4 other families, our little circle of close friends. Two of the families have one vehicle, a 5 or 6 year old Kia Mini Van in one case, and a 10 year old Honda Civic in the other.

The mother works in both of those families as the fathers are unemployed. The father in each family has managed to arm themselves and two kids each with Remington 870 shotguns. The shotguns have to make do right now for all hunting duties and home protection. When they lost their jobs, and it became apparent they weren�t going back to work anytime soon (Google Maytag in Southern Illinois), they sold what they could, and that included rifles and scopes.

Both families are on relief, called a link card, and it can�t be used to purchase anything but food. They will drink a beer occasionally, but they aren�t able to buy; they have friends that share with them at family BBQs and dinners they�re invited to. Running the streets at night and hitting the bars are not even on the radar.

The other two families each have two vehicles. Both parents work in both families, and child care eats up their �$50.00 on beer every weekend,� and about $300.00 more. Their vehicles are not new and their payments may be $500.00 combined.

These two fathers have managed to hang on to a couple of auto-loaders and a small collection of rifles each, but no firearm either owns would sell for over $300.00, and in most cases considerably less. These guys are pretty much like me and my two friends above. We might drink 2 or 3 beers twice a month at multi-family get-togethers and BBQs.

If you�re drinking $50.00 worth of beer every weekend you need to get some [bleep] help - I hear AA works wonders; so, [bleep] your broad brush statements and your sanctimonious suppositions too.

Agreed - if you have the money to make that purchase.

Agree, but even in these tough economic times, there are a lot more Americans who are spending over $300 a year on sodas, beer, coffee, cigarettes, etc. than are in the situation your unemployed friends are in. In the situation your friends are in, I doubt they are looking to buy a binocular at all.

On the other hand, for those who aren't struggling just to put food on the table and keep a roof over their families' heads, it boils down to priorities in most cases. Would the person rather have a soda or cup of coffee from the coffee shop five days a week or have a decent binoc?