Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics 10x50 Binocular Recommendation

Given my aging eyes (or they're just more experienced), I'm in the market for a set of 10X50 binoculars. I understand they can get extremely pricy, so what represents a great value under, say, $500?

Thanks!

Alpen Teton. I compared them to several while prohorn hunting and found them to have better glass that all the others. There were no high dollar binos there. But then you didn't ask about them.

Edited to add, I was seventy at the time and wearing glasses.

Try a birdwatcher website like the slightly outdated www.betterviewdesired.com.
I gave up on 10X a few years ago because of the limited field of view and the bulk. I replaced them with a decent quality 8X43 set. Since the quality was a step up, I can see more detail with the lesser magnification.

Nailcreek,

One of the best deals on a 10x50 I've encountered is the Kruger Optical Backcountry, for around $275.

I have Alpen Apex 8.5x50's and they are good. Any Alpen from Apex on up would be good. I believe the higher end models come out of Japan. The Teton has ED glass. If you like porro prism the Leupold Rogue's are going to be good, too. Always hard to beat a Mule Deer recommendation. Need to check out the Kruger. I've had Eagle Optics Ranger Platinum 10x50's and while they are good I was looking for more. I believe the SRT model with another coating on the prisms would raise their performance enough to make them a contender. Love the warranty on the Eagle and Vortex models. I think the key is phase coatings, silver or dielectric coatings on the prisms and ED enhances the image but is not a deal killer IMHO.
I normally default to 10x50 but the 8.5x50's have become a real sweet spot for me.
Good luck!

I saw Pentax SP's for under $350. They would be a great choice, too!

Depends on your use.. I would say, as one who uses his binocluars watching stars at night, a Fujinon 10x50 FMT-SX is THE BEST, unless you want to step up into the Swaro, Zeiss etc etc range.

They are big, heavy and has individual focus, but that HUGE, perfect edge to edge window they provide is not beat untill you spend 3-4 times as much!!

I like my Pentax 10x50 DCF SP's.

I would suggest the Opticron Discovery 10x50. It is probably the most compact 10x50 on the market and with a wide field of view (345 feet at 1000 yards) for a 10x binocular at this price point. It typically retails under $300.

http://www.opticronusa.com/Pages/discovery_wp.html