I have a Toric 8x42 in my formerly Copenhagen stained hands, and have been fiddling with them for a mere 30 minutes. Quick impressions, that's it:

1. VERY sharp optics and very bright.

2. Colors are neutral and very bright

3. Build quality is outstanding, as everything that is supposed to twist or turn does so, very, very smoothly. Armoring fits very well and is very grippy, diopter works well, focus mechanism is very smooth. They have a very nice feel to them, not too light and not too heavy. Eyecups stay put in any position, but truthfully I wish they had a touch more resistance to them when twisted. Eyecup that meets your face is very smooth.

4. Appear to be a touch brighter (as expected) and touch sharper than the Cabelas Euro(Meopta) 8x32 HD, which is a fantastic binocular in itself.

5. Interesting that it came without a case of any kind, but has nice ocular and objective covers, and a standard strap. No big deal to me since I use a ACG bino pack or harness.

That's all I can think of at this moment. Did I mention how bright and sharp this thing is?

yeah but.......



Looks like I will be holding off on any 8x32ish until...

Thanks for the FIRST hand account.

By the way how the heck did you get to see them?

I bought them Tuesday and they got here today. Never had an 8x42 so that's the one I bought.

Wow now you have my interest as I know you have used a lot of quality optics and know what you are talking about. The price of these bino's paired with reports like these make them very attractive.

Do they look like they can be mounted to a tripod with an adapter like the Outdoorsman's bino adapter?

Who names these things?

huntsman was already taken.

Kinda like the names of all the new drugs advertised on the 6 o'clock news.

I figured Tract was urban youf for "we conTRACT to have these built"...

A name that doesn't have some sort of a trademark associated with it - general industry or not, is actually a bit of a challenge. And particularly when lawyers are involved - poo poo'ing everything with even a whiff of risk associated with it.

Johnny, so lemme get this straight - you ordered a bino to experience it firsthand rather than speculating on its performance? This is far too rational and pragmatic for the optics forum.

Thanks for the initial thoughts - it sounds pretty dang nice.

How is the field of view in comparison to other optics? Is it > 420' at a 1,000 yards?

Hi STS, yes sir, they are tripod mountable via the 1/4" threading.

I can answer that quickly....not anywhere near 420', more like 38'. Irrelevant to me though. This thing has WAAAAAAy sharp glass.

Correct, like 90% of everyone else does.

How much out of pocket?

lol

JG, I've used a good quality 7X50 for years but have always wanted to try an 8X40/42. powdr

I'm probably going to add stuff as I get to it, and because I'm 55 and will forget if I don't...

Build quality much better than anything I've seen from China, and on par with the Meopta HD and Leupold GR HD, which is a huge compliment.

Glass is brighter, crisper, and sharper than my 10x42 Gold Ring HD, which is a huge compliment. Can't see more detail with the GR, which is a surprise because of the 10x vs 8x differential.

Glass is brighter, a touch sharper than my 8x32 Euro HD, which is a huge compliment. Sorry if this is repetitive.

Depth of focus is very deep. I can focus on a target 400 yds away, and a target at 200 yds away is in focus as well. Impressive. Speaking of focus, I hate a binocular with a fast focus. Seems I can never hit sharp focus the first time around because it takes going back and forth very, very slowly to hit the sweet spot. The Toric is not a fast focus, therefore it is very easy to "ease" into a very sharp and focused view quickly, without much repetitive effort.

Field of view remains sharp out to near the edge. Not SV like, but excellent anyway. Maybe 90% of FOV is very sharp.

Only nit I can pick so far is that you have to work at getting the binocular set up right to begin with, fiddling with the eye relief and IPD is mandatory for getting the best view. When you hit the sweet spot, the view is really outstanding.

I'll address this like this........Everyone here at 24HCF is offered a discount by Trevor @ Tract from another thread. I bought mine like everyone else can. My thoughts and experiences are not for sale and cannot be bought by Tract, Swaro, Leupold, Meopta, or anybody else. I call it like my eyes see it, period and am not afraid of what anyone thinks, afterall it's just optics, it ain't life or death like some make it out to be.

I'm not insinuating anything towards you Rifles and More, just wanted to get this out there for the record, as they say.

They're obviously aiming for the younger more virile market; if they were going after me its be "over in milliseconds" or "stop looking and change your shorts".

Seriously thanks for this report JG I really appreciate you take the time & energy and definately consider your report of a great deal of value!

Thanks for that answer; it addressed my ASSumptions.

Thanks for the review and sharing your experiences.

-Dustin

So, how much out of pocket?

Thanks for the review, they sound like they would be worth a try.

$654.00-5%=$621.30

$621 for a bino that may be on par or better than a Meopta, Razor HD, or Conquest makes me interested. I don't use 10x's that much, the majority of time is spent behind either Swaro HD 15x binos or a Meopta Spotter. So I'm not in a bug rush to drop $2000 on "Alpha" binos.

Appreciate the sale JG and thanks for passing on your thoughts. Get a pic up this season from a Mulie hunt

TRACT_Optics,

I didn't go to your site and check the binos so I don't know. What is your return policy?

ringman,

I went through the very labor and time intensive process of entering tractoptics.com and then clicked on terms and conditions for you.


Buying a high-end optic online has its challenges, you obviously can’t hold it or look through it. So, if you get it and it’s not the optic we said it was, then contact us within 30 days and as long as it’s in like-new condition in the original packaging, then we will exchange it or give you a full refund. You will be responsible for shipping it back to us and we will do everything we can to make it right.

SKane,

Thanks very much. I have been woefully disappointed a few times. That, of course, means I have been pleased with some of my purchases. I am surprised at how much stuff I have.

The last time both when I looked through the optic and when I was going to return it I was disappointed. The guy said, "You did read out site carefully didn't you? You realize there is a 20% restocking fee?"

Needless to say I will not do business with that guy again.

Ok, it has a FOV of 380' at 1,000 yds, and has a strong sweet spot to about 90%. If they are as sharp as stated they are a good deal. Comparable binoculars quality wise are probably Pentax DCF ED's at about $1,000. The Tracts sound like a great deal if they are as sharp as stated.

Sorry for the delay Ringman. And thanks Skane for posting that. Yep, 30 days to return it...no restocking fees or anything in that nature. Just want you to have the best optic for the job.

What would your warantee be if these binos fail or are broke?

Hi AZElk,

If anything fails/breaks due to craftsmanship or material we'll replace that right away. If there is damage due to any events like that, send them back, and we will work with you to get a replacement. We certainly want to make you happy and we know things just happen sometimes, and we'll correct it.

So there is not a no-fault warranty?

No different then Leupold's warranty, if they break due to build/material they fix them but if you drop them and break them you pay.

That's bull schitt.... I've dropped them, cranked them to death, kinked them with rings, had them get thrown off a horse, had one get banged up in a car wreck, and landed on more than one during nasty spills while hunting. Leupold has never charged me so much as return shipping.... but that's only a sample of about a dozen. I had a 12 year old set of Cascades that had their ass kicked for 10 years... seriously... they got lent out and abused by an uncountable number of pards. Sent them to Leupold when the focus finally went tits-up. After 10 days a brand new 10x42 Cascade bino showed up in the mail.

I had a Vortex spotter snap in three pieces.... had a brand new one in less than two weeks.

$650 for a binocular.... with a marginal "lifetime warranty".... from a company that hasn't been around as long as Pokemon Go.... seems like a pretty sketchy roll of the dice to me.... regardless of how good the "optics" are....

Mmmm, no.




Dave

Leupold, Swaro, and Vortex are probably the only guys out there that will almost always fix stuff even though the owner has beaten the piss out of it. Meopta appears to be much on the same page too. More of a goodwill thing, but they do come through for their owners. If this floats your boat, stay with these brands. Tract may or may not, who knows?

As with any new product, time will tell as to how the public takes to Tract. The Toric has more to offer though than just great glass. Build is excellent, much better than a Vortex Viper and better still than the Razor HD.

deleted. Double post.

Thanks for the comment. My apologies for not making it clear. With Tract if anything fails on the scope or binocular due to material, craftsmanship, recoil, we will replace it, hands down. If a optic is accidentally dropped and glass is damaged, etc, we will work with you to replace your optic at a very DEEP discount. Were not going to send you a repair charge. We're going to get a new optic in your hands for a cost you wont bat an eye at.

I've sold all those brands in my days at Opticsplanet, Ive seen the big boys replace things for free and Ive also see repair bills sent. We are a new company and we want to earn your business and will work with you to get any accidental or sadly, purposeful, damage resolved and keep you a satisfied customer.

My Gold Ring Spotter was dropped at the range, sent it in and receive a bill from Leupold for the new eye piece. I still buy Leupold but they do not have a no fault coverage.

https://www.leupold.com/resources/leupold-gold-ring-full-lifetime-guarantee/

Leupold® Gold Ring™ Full Lifetime Guarantee

Leupold Optics are built for a lifetime of performance at the highest level, plain and simple. Other companies offer lifetime warranties because they know the optics they’re selling you are going to break, fail, or fall short of expectations. At Leupold, that’s not how we do business.

With the Leupold Gold Ring Full Lifetime Guarantee, if your Leupold product doesn’t perform as promised, we will repair or replace it for free, whether you are the original owner or not—forever (excludes electronic components)
Do not confuse "No fault" with lifetime Guarantee.

As Leupold states their web page "if your Leupold product doesn’t perform as promised, we will repair or replace it for free,"

No fault would be for any reason but that is not what they are promising but they will repair at a cost if you break it. My GR Spotter got knocked off the shooting bench and bent the eye piece housing so it would not adjust. It has been 7 or 8 years ago but I recall it cost me $165. The Gold Ring HD spotters were running $1150 or so back then a lot cheaper than replacing it.

I doubt they treat people from CA the same as they do the rest of us.




Dave

Alpen also has the no fault guaranty. I don't approve because it cost more up front for all of us. I've had a few and really like the 10X50 and the 8X20 pocket binos.

that was really funny

Is the warranty transferable to a second hand buyer?

I agree with JG, and he is good to go on his observations, and
he only calls it how he sees it.

He does not play favorites.

Yes sir.

Nope it was my fault it broke and I paid the price...

Only a Bernie supporter would expect to be free and funny I never pictured Deflave as a Bernie guy

I don't ask for schit.

People just tend to love me and treat me accordingly.




Dave

So I decided to call Tract and chat with them about their Toric 10x42's. I'm in Montana and left my bino's at home. After a long talk ordered the 10x42's. Two days later they were here. First impressions are very solid, bright, crystal clear, well made. I like them. They are made in the same factory as many of the other bino's out there lots of celebrity hunters are pimping.

I would agree with the claim that they are better than the Razor HD 10x42's - which I owned for two years. My last two pair of 10x42s where Zeiss Victory HT's and Swaro SLC HD's. These compare very, very well, especially when you consider the price difference. Are they better? I guess probably not when you get down to the nitty gritty but for around $650 they are a damn steal! I tend to spend the majority of my glassing either behind Swaro 15's or a spotter, so I really didn't or need to drop $2,000 on "Alpha glass." So far I have really enjoyed them on my Montana trip. Was able to spot a heard of Elk today from several miles away while up on a hill. Wife spotted three mule deer on a hill a mile a way with them.

Again, I like them, I really like them considering the price.

Any experience with the Meopta/Euro HD to compare them to?

STS,

Appreciate the sale and thank you for posting your thoughts and comparison. Glad you had a good time up north as well!

I have only used a Meopta spotter and it is excellent.

I have the Meopta MeoPro HD binos and they too are excellent. Just a slim difference between the and the Euro (Meostar) ones at Cabela's. Very, very slim.

These Topics do bear a resemblance to Meopro HD's. In the Meopta line I much prefer the Meopro ergos to the Meostar. If these offer the trim feel of the Pro's with glass at or above the Star'si may have to make some room in the budget...

Now this gets my attention. Sounds similar to my Pentax DCF EDs. Might have to give these bins a try. Thanks for the report, JG.

No problem. I agree with you on the Pentax ED's......great stuff.

I will attest to that. You are an awesome person and I don't even know you.

So I'm in the middle of my last day at Kowas Safaris in Namibia . In camp there are a couple pair swaro SLC wb, a conquest HD, and a Leupold Mojave HD pro guide. These Toric are head and shoulders the best binocular here.

BTW, Kowas is a must do for anyone heading to Namibia.

JG,
Thanks for the quick update. Enjoy the last bit of your safari!

JG,

Can't wait to see the pictures! Hope your Torics served you well over the pond and made it an even more incredible trip!

...and hopefully, bringing home some great animals!

JG-

Bet you had a fun trip. Quick clarification- so, in your opinion the Toric's were head and shoulders above the SLC's?? That is certainly saying something.

Thanks

Yes sir Llama. These were the previous HD SLC models, the all green one and the slcneu, both 8x42's. Thanks for the kind words.

Tract Toric is made in Japan, no?

I've followed JG over a cliff at least twice and landed happily on my feet both times.

How is the CA control?

I'm probably not a great guy to ask about that because I rarely see it, or rolling ball for that matter. I cannot see any in the Toric (CA) either. Where the Toric really, really, shines IMO is in the control of glare, which is outstanding.

To be perfectly honest, I bought a demo pair of Swaro SV in 8x32 from Natchez a couple weeks before I left for Namibia with the intent on taking them with me. I felt glare control was way below par, the interpupillary (sp!) distance very finicky, and the focus mech was not real smooth. I sent them back before I left an took the Toric, and am glad I did.

I'm not representing these to be an equal to the Swaro SV's in 10x42/50, which I own, as they have no equal IMO. They aren't far off though, and better than any sub $1800 glass I've ever used or owned.

Yes sir, coming out of Japan

So far I really like my 10x42's. So much so that I'll probably get a pair of 8x42's too. I'll do a more comprehensive write up after my hunt is over.

Yeah, but there are optics out there pricier than Leupold that have essentially the same warranty as outlined by TRACT. And a lot of them are wildly popular here at the fire.

I guess that this really underscores just how good Leupolds warranty is, if that is your essential criteria...

Did you ever get time to put a more in depth review of these Tract binos together?

How do the Toric 8x42 compare to the older Leica Trinovid 8x42???