Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Low cost binos

At $99 these beat the h*** out of anything in that price range plus they're not made in Chy-Na!!!

Honestly, I've been nothing but impressed with Vortex stuff.

Last December my buddy had a pair of $250 Vortex 12x50s while we were out in west Texas. Compared side by side with the guides Swarovski 12x50s, we couldn't tell the difference.

I know, fundamentally the Swarovski is better, less eye strain better clarity at the edge of daylight but for a week or two a year hunting.......

At $99 they beat the shít out of everything else even twice as much. After using these for a couple days, I’m about to order several more.

I hunt with $300 Glass. The rainforest doesn’t care how expensive glass is.

older pair Diamondback 10x42's

Work well......on the kitchen table 24/7

Out the back door

Sightron, Nikon, Vanguard, Vortex, maybe Leupold. These are fairly well known. Look into the birding community for reviews and such.

I own and have owned alpha binos and of them the Swarovski and Nikon were the best for my eyes. Still your paying for diminishing return on performance above the $1k range. Even the $500 ?dollar mark gets you a lot of performance.

Right now in the truck I'm using two discontinued binos for scouting open brushfields and hillsides. One is an 8.5x45 Weaver and the other is an Chinese made 8x40 S7 Stryka. Both are great optically. Each has certain pluses and minuses versus each other but they allow me to pickup game and details just fine and each was in the $300 range. In other words they really get it done affordable format. The downside is these are discontinued so service us nonexistant for these two. Still that does t stop me for going for it.

The point is you don't need to purchase apha optics to get into the game. Pick up a pair of Athlon, Vanguard, Nikon, or Vortex and go with it. The big deal is going and using them, putting time behind them.

Nikon monarchs are solid.I still have my first pair monarch 3 10x42. Under $200. If you go vortex, at least a viper. Don’t waste time on diamond backs.
I will tell you, from experience and it took me More than once to learn. Double your budget and get 4 times the glass.
My tracts kill my daughters monarch 7.
Buy once, cry once.

I have had a Vortex Diamondback 10x that has done just fine for me. I paid less than $150 for them (don't remember for sure).

I'm a Meopta guy but for that price I had to order a pair just to see . Got the 10x.

I have a pair of 10x42 vortex and I love them

I got the Sightron 10x32's, and having looked through them a few times out the back yard my first impression is that these will be useful, although perhaps relegated to knockaround truck/boat/tractor/kitchen window duty. Which is what I bought them for anyway.

IMO in this price class ($100) my compact Leupold/Kowas seem to be better optically.

Every tool has its place, but for out west/Alaska and where a lot of long range spotting is necessary, I conclude that even though the magnification is 10x this is not the right tool: these are not mini-big eyes.

Nor is the magnification level of 10x suitable for eastern deep woods and close range work.

Horses for courses, right?

When it comes to a budget binocular, a good rule of thumb (from my experience) is to go the lesser magnification route.
10x32 in anything is quite a compromise - even the alpha-level stuff if lower light and/or FOV is paramount for utility/application.

I'm with you Scott. 10x32 is a very tough configuration, at least for me it is. Wondering what these SII 8x32's compare to optically?

JG-

I have a SII Blue Sky 8x32 that spends its life on the kitchen window sill.

The SII is great in the eye relief category - especially for those wearing glasses.
The sweet spot is pretty large but has a hint of warm/red bias.

I don't have much to compare it to in the lower price ranges but I'll say that the bino performs well beyond the pittance it commands.

I aint buying anything made in China.

As far as bang for your buck, the Sightron SII Blue Sky is as good as it gets. Made in Philippines, not China, and can be had for around $100. Very good value!!!

Back in the day, Jack O Conner could have had any glasses he wanted.
But what he used were Bausch & Lomb Zephers.
Today you can find mint condition B & L zephers on Ebay for about $100.
Buy a pair and compare them with anything you like.

Dang Skippy. See Nikon Action EX series. Can even get a 7x35 if you want. Dang size has become a myth.

I've got a pair of Leupold Yosemite 6x's that ride in the truck and have for several years. Loaned em to several folks who were as impressed as I was with them and nothing better for kids IMHO.

I love my Swaro's but I ain't leaving them in the truck nor am I loaning them out.

I’ve been using the compact Vortex Diamondback 8x28 for years mainly because of the long eye relief that they have and I get a full image when wearing glasses. That was the main reason for buying them but the image is clear too.



Since you mentioned the SII has great eye relief I went and looked at the specs and they’re as good as the Diamondback. I’m wanting to move the heavy Pentax binos that I keep in the old farm truck, to the house and replace with something lighter/ more compact. I’ll look at the SII a little closer and maybe give them a try. Thanks.