Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Cabelas Euro HD v Leup GR HD 8x32's

First impressions, FWIW, from a very unscientific viewer are very positive. Very sharp, very ergonomic, lightweight, great build, hinge tightness just right, focuser a touch stiff (it is new after all), wish the diopter would lock but probably won't be an issue. Objective tethers fit very well....maybe Meopta tightened them up a little? They won't shake loose I know that. Rainguard fits great. Looks like a first rate product. I've got a killer pair of 8x32 Gold Ring HD's to compare it to and will post 'em up later.


I spent a couple of hours with both this evening. I just got the euro this afternoon so it was a good way to familiarize myself with it. Remember this is one man's opinion, using 52yr old eyes. I don't know how else to do it, so I'll just lay it out there like this:

Ergos: Euro is smaller, lighter, more compact, eyepieces on the smaller side of what I'm used to, very comfortable. GR is bulkier, larger eyecups, heavier.

Focus: GR is butter smooth and larger, Euro a little tighter (as mentioned earlier). Both work well, slightly easier to get sharp focus with Euro, but close.

Eye Relief: GR is set all the way out and it's just right. I found the Euro's to be a smidge on the short side, but an easy fix. I unscrewed the eyepiece, made up a homemade gasket, and screwed the eyepiece back in. Immediately I knew it worked, no more blackouts whatsoever (it was very slight anyway in the first place), a perfectly easy fix. If the eyecups on the Euro were any smaller I wouldn't like it.

Build Quality: Both are excellent. You can tell it the second you pick them up, work the hinges, focuser, etc. I'd call them both top notch and should last a long time. I wouldn't be afraid to use them extremely hard.

Glass: Obviously an important attribute, but as many here know, and have said many times including myself.....wringing out the last bit of optical excellence is an expensive proposition, and really not worth the expense to me. These two binos prove it again. I'd call the GR view a little "warm" ( I think that's the term). Put it this way, whatever coatings the GR has makes things appear to be ever so slightly less vivid. It's hardly a poor view. In fact I'd call it outstanding. The Euro is slightly brighter though. When I got both images sharp, they are both very sharp, but the Euro is slightly sharper. Splitting hairs but it's there. The FOV is wider in the Euro, but both seem fine to me. The image through the Euro is sharp almost to the very edge, and provides a little flatter image than the GR. I'd guess the ever so slight edge in optical performance in the Euro is simply due to the latest and greatest coatings,etc, as the GR is probably 6-8 year old stuff. Make no mistake though, the GR is outstanding still, and you won't see something through one that you can't see with the other.

Overall, very impressed with the Euro HD. Looks like a home run to me. The only thing I'd change is make the eyecups just very slightly larger. The GR HD will do everything a hunter could ask for also BTW.

I'll try to answer any questions you guys may have if I can. Hopefully this will be helpful to some of you guys.

Thanks for the review. If they equal the 10x Euros that is some great glass in my opinion.

JG', have you used 8X32 Trinovids or Swaro. 8X30? If so how do you think they compare?

I owned the 8x30 SLCneu. Very nice bino for sure, even with focus on opposite end it was no big deal. For me the euro is built just as well, modified eye relief is better with the euro (tried the exact same fix on the slcneu and there's not enough threads to make it work right), euro hd glass a step up too. Nothing wrong with that SLC though, but for my $$$ it's the euro rather easily.

I haven't seen the trinovid 8x32 but I owned and used a 10x42 for 10 years or so. I'd call it the toughest bino ever made, but glass was not what I'd consider to be today's "alpha" stuff.

Good review, I've handled both and like both bins.


I look at the GR as more robust and stout which can make them easier to hold for better focus in the field.

I'm not a fan of light bins.

Great review, I wish Leupold never dropped the Golden ring series. Nearly impossible to locate new ones and was too busy buying guns to have bought a pair myself when they were available.

From time to time you can find GR HD's for around $500. I consider that to be the steal of the century.

My 8x32 HDs were VERY comparable to my 8x32 Leica Ultravid, only heavier.

There's a set of 8x32s on eBay right now for $425. Doesn't say if they're HD or not though.

JG

Thanks for the review. I am close to pulling the trigger on the Euro HD's but have been asking myself why not just go for the Meoptas, is there any difference? Did Cabelas have the Euro HD built to better specs?

No difference in Meopta or Cabelas Euro other than the armoring. Right now tough, Meopta only has a 10x42 HD.