Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting What do you consider a 'happy median' backpacker bino. ?

Am on my second season with Swarovski NL Pure 10x32's. Really outstanding glass. I know they are expensive but this is a lifetime investment and I really doubt you will ever have cause to second guess your purchase.

The 32's are less bulky and lighter than my previous go-to glass which was Swarovski 10x42 SLC's and the optics are even better. You can spend hours behind them without fatigue ... try that with smaller or cheaper glass.

Aside from boots, I do not think there is a piece of equipment which is more critical to your hunting success than fine glass. You will be a more successful hunter pairing the best binoculars available with a mediocre rifle/scope than the other way around. Spend your money where it really counts.

The same thing I pack shallow into a wilderness--my 7x30 SLC's. Or 8x30 SLC's.

Although, after spending few hours over the course of two days looking through and comparing to some other alpha and semi-alpha binos the newish Zeiss 8x40 SFL's have my attention. 22 ozs. $1800 (or maybe less from Doug). Might be one of the biggest bang for the bino buck I've ran across in a very long time.

I had a chance to spend only a few minutes with a 8x32 NL Pure. Great FOV, and the view is as good as I expected. But they are heavier and larger than the 32mm EL's they replace. I kinda' consider that a step back. I would like to be able to compare them to the Zeiss SFL's.

Alpinecrick

I agree with you on the weight / size increase going from the EL's to the NL's. I wish they had been able to hold the line and still give you the increase in FOV and optical clarity you get from the newer NL's but it was not (yet) to be.

Still the NL's are smaller and lighter than my older 10x42 SLC's and do offer appreciably better optics than the older / heavier glass at a fair weight and size savings. Dropping weight and bulk of my kit has become even more important to me with my second full knee replacement ... anything to keep out there.

I did borrow and hunt a pair of the smaller CL's but found they were not even remotely in the same league as the EL or NL glass. Not worth the trade-off to me.

Steiner NATO issue Commander II from 1988 re armoured x2 since due to a rough life. None finer

Swarovski 8x30 CL is my Goldilocks Binos….

I’m loving my x35 Retrovids. Compact, light and excellent optics.

John, guessing you meant 7x35’s?

I ordered a pair yesterday.