Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Need a good pair of 10x binoculars

My go to binoculars are Swarovski SLC 7x42, can't ask for anything better, but am looking for something a little more powerful for these old eyes without having to forgo food .
Bought my son some Pentax DCF WP 8x42 about 10 years ago and find them to be excellent also.
I'm through with all the out west hunting I use to do, but want some good glass for the deer woods here.
What's out there for around $300 ?

The things I've found with more powerful binoculars is they have to be of pretty good quality and the more the magnification, the heavier they need to be. One of the reasons why I tend to hunt with either 6X or 8X binoculars most of the time. And that's out west in some really open country.
In a 10X, I'd look at the Cabela's Euro. E

Get some dual power or switch power binoculars. That's the advice Mule Deer gave and I followed it.

Search at say 7X and "see what it is" at 12X.

Search 24 HR for those threads. I have to sign off now but I will check back later to see what you think.

Here are my 7-12 Leupolds. I have some less expensive zoom binocs now too and they seem ok but large. Later.

jbmi:

I recently spent some time looking through these budget 10Xs:

Atlas Optics Intrepid ED 10x42

Vanguard Endeavor ED 10x42

Sightron Blue Sky 10x42.

All were surprising good for $300.

Of the three, for my eyes and hands, the Atlas had the best image and the worst ergonomics. Sightron and Vanguard were similar in view, but the Sightrons were nicer to hold and use.

In the end I went with some 8x32s (Sightron Blue Sky again).

I just got a new Cabela's Euro ED 10x42 in to test, and it is a slight step up from the older model. They also have a great reputation for ruggedness.

If you're looking to save money, the best full-size 10x I've seen lately is the 10x50 Kruger Backcountry. Real-world price is around $270 and the optics are extremely good. Haven't beaten the snot out of them hunting yet, but have used them considerably, and they have worked fine, with no slop in the adjustments.

Kruger is a newer company with the engineering headquarters on Oregon. They build optics with parts made to their specs in Asia.

http://www.cameralandny.com/optics2/steiner.pl?page=steiner2581
Check out these demos from Doug.I prefer to buy optics from a company with a proven reputation

Sightron Blue sky 10x42 or 8x42... for under 300 hard to beat.

You could probably find a pair of lightly used Vortex Vipers for around that price... i have a pair and they are very nice and can't beat the vortex warranty. A guy at work also has a pair of leupold north forks... also quality binocs. Could find either for around 300 i'm guessing and have yourself a really nice pair.

Consider the Nikon 7X to 15X x 35 mm.

They are kind of bulky but have decent resolution.

I would spend more however and get something like those Leu 7-12 32mm's.

Ringman or someone? here liked his Nikons. I have not used mine much.



$114.00

Look at the Theron line sold by Predator Optics. They are pretty good glass for the money. I bought a pair to keep witht the four wheeler and so far am happy with them.

My Swarovski binos are 7x42 too, I just got them back from a service and update and don't want to beat them up again.

Actually, I think you just don't gain much going past 8x in hand held binocs.

Not sure you need anything. Keep your Swaro's and move on.

If you insist, the Pentax like you mentioned are among the best you will get in the price you mention. Had some 10x50's. Let them go when I got some Zeiss 8x42's.

Still for hunting and astronomy the Pentax are pretty darn good.

Just bought a pair of ZEN-RAY 10x43 and for my eyes they are better then my 10x42 ZIESS. So I sold the Ziess. My Ziess were of 1985 vintage but I feel that all glass has made a jump since then.

If you want 10X bino's and want the most bang for your buck IMHO Leupold Gold Ring 10X42's. Can be had for around $500 or so.

Who makes Cabela's binoculars?

jbmi- Meopta makes at least some of them. The Euro ones. Top notch stuff.

look at the Zen-Ray ZRS HD 10x42 for $220. It has light weight alloy housing. It is as bright as my 10x SLC at low light testing.

I have come full circle on the bino for deer hunting thing magnification wise. Started with 7x35s way back and slowly worked my way up to 10x Leicas. But now unless I am hunting big open country I usually grab a pair of 6,7 or 8x medium sized binoculars.

If it might involve critical viewing I will use the 10x. The rest of the time seems like vision deterioration, eye fatigue, and shaky hands off set the advantages of the bigger better glass unless you have a rest or tripod.

Even 10X may not be 'enough' even though it's too much for regular scanning.

Last fall I was walking way back on a farm field and I looked across the highway on another part of the farm and saw some deer there. It could have been 800 yds.

I could not tell if one was a buck with my 8X binoculars or 3-9 scope. I was hunting only bucks.


I got a pair of Leupold Dual Power binoculars that are really neat, handy and light. They switch up to 12X which is excellent to make out distant things.

There are also zoom binoculars which are pretty good but not as handy as those 7 to 12 binocs.

I wouldn't use a pair of those switch powers if you gave them to me. 7x is too little for my liking, and the 12x view sucks, especially without a tripod.

Savage_99,



After trying 6.5X32, 8X43, 13X56, 15X58, 16X50, 10X32, 7-15X35, and a few compacts on the field and woods, if I was limited to one I would go with Nikon 7-15X35.