Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Best small/compact binos for less than $150

Ive got a good set of full-size glass that Ive used for 10 years or so, but since moving east they seem too large to take hunting. So, Im looking for a decent set of compacts for when in the tree stand bowhunting or picking apart some brush 50 yards away for the flick of an ear. Ive had good luck in the past with Nikon binos in this price bracket, not sure how they are doing now days but looking at the prostaff 8X25 ATB. Any others out there folks have tried that I might be missing out on?

http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/13...gle&gclid=CO_3uv206skCFZEXHwodDk4Kiw



6X30s are not bad.....


Out of stock at Midway.....Try here.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/982849-REG/leupold_67715_6x30_bx_1_yosemite_binocular.html

I hadnt considered those but leaning that way now. Was originally looking for 7X but the 6X with the larger lenses might be better for low light. How "bright" are they? Are they too small for an adult?

I have 10X42 & 6.5X32 Minox, but use the Leupold 6X30s when I hunt the woods. They are adult size, bright, and work.

With the rebate now, I dont think you could beat these with a stick. Gonna order a set. Thanks for the info.

Ditto. Not exactly "compact", but not bulky either. They are perfect for hunting timber and the optics are quite surprising for such a low cost. The only problem I have is the right eye cup doesn't want to stay extended. I use electrician's tape on everything, so I just locked them open with some tape. They work great.

I tried a pair at my local gander mountain, just didnt feel right in my hand. Gonna keep looking.

I have the Yosemite 8X30, light, decent strap & good glass. No complaints

Take a look at some compact Pentax as they are very good quality.

I have the 6x30 Yosemite they do a good job in the woods. They have decent glass for the money.

My only compact binos, Link Here
They're inexpensive (discontinued) but aren't cheap, I like them a lot.
Bright clear glass that's surprised the guys I've handed them to, not just me.

A little higher than your price range at $164 shipped, but I'd check these out.

http://www.bigsupplyshop.com/Sightron-SII-Series-Bino-8x32mm-23008_p_18717.html

Sightron SII 8x32 Blue Sky

Ordered 10x30 Yosemites that arrived today. Gonna like these critters even more than the 8x30s I've had for years. $105 shipped, with the $25 rebate.

I have used Nikon Travelites 8x25 for at least the last 12+yrs, maybe longer. While they aren't a high dollar binocular, they work very well for a compact. Nice clear glass, very light, comfortable, and focus nicely. Most places have them for under $100. I bought a pair for my son a few years ago, got them for $60 on ebay, NIB. For woods bino's I really like them. I would say they are comparable to the Leupold of similar style. Much much better than the cheap binos, but certainly below the more expensive models.

I am currently considering a mid-size set also, looking at the Sightrons. Just don't know about doubling the weight, my Nikons are like 9 or 10oz.

Why is Leupold hightlighted/linked in my last post? I went into edit, it wasn't showing that it was. ??? Wierd

LOL, in this post too. ?

Yosemite 6x30 !!

I had those nikon reverse-porros briefly. Unless i am confusing them with another pair or misremembering, I recall the glass being quite nice but the eye relief/box wasnt a good match for me. More a personal/individual issue than a knock on the binos. I recall a rather good image quality and exeptionally light weight and small.

Everyones definition of small, mid size, etc is different, but in terms of physical size i can offer the following:
nikon travelite < bushnell ex 8x28 < yosemite 6x32 < sightron 8x32.

I kept the latter three and couldnt be happier. I am still looking for something in the sub $300 range that offers yosemite level glass and ease of viewing in a package smaller and lighter than the bushnell 8x28.

Frank? Anything new to the market fit the bill in the last 3 or so years?

Good glass canb be quantified, but IME a bino is more a combination of things. Trying them seems, at least to me, to be critical.



Tom (or others) if you happen to be in the Newtown PA or North NJ area let me know. I have the sightron, the yosemite, as well as a couple others in that range if you would like to borrow them and try them out for a bit. Just PM.

Crockett,

Your request is a tough one to respond to. One of the reasons the Yosemite/Kowa YF/Savanna 6x30s are so good optically is because it is 6x Porro prism bin coupled with a 30 mm objective. To get similar optical performance with somethin 28 mm or smaller you would have to lower the magnification as well, a 5x25 for example. Nobody really makes a good quality 5x25 and anything higher in magnification while still maintaining the 25-28 mm objective isn't going to be as bright or as relaxed of a view.

If you throw the roof prism design into the mix them it becomes even harder to maintain image quality in this configuration and price point.

Look at Dougs open box sale list for Minox binocs.