I'm considering adding a pair of 15's to my stable & I'm wondering what everyone's opinion are of the various "budget" models out there. My current binoculars are 8.5x42 Swarovski EL's and my spotter is also a Swarovski... am I asking for disappointment with anything but?

You can't go from the Ferrari as your everyday driver and hope to enjoy a Toyota. Nothing wrong with the Toyota but after the Ferrari anything less with be a critical disappointment

My wallet was hoping you wouldn't say that

I am extremely impressed with my Tract Toric 15x56 bino, even compared to my 10x42 Geovid HD-R. I'm not saying that I prefer the Toric across the board, but it does excel in some ways (edge-to-edge clarity is truly excellent). Not apples to apples comparing a 15x to a 10x, I know, but I doubt you'd be all that disappointed by the Toric. No experience with other options, like the Meostar for example, but the feedback I've seen leads me to believe that they are also great.

I also have the Tract 15X56 binocular and they are excellent and I've owned Swarovski 15x56 binoculars.
The Tracts are very impressive

I have the Meoptas and they are fantastic glass. Next to my buddies 15 swaros I cannot tell a difference with my eyes.

Op, there was a new thread started over on Rokslide about Maven's debut of their C.4 - 15X56. They're new so don't really see any reviews yet, but for a budget 15x, it's something to look at.

https://mavenbuilt.com/collections/binoculars/products/c-4-15x56-18x56

I will throw another wrench into this. Do you really need a 15? Had a pair, and typically if I needed more than my Leica 10x, the 15 was not enough and went straight to the spotter.

Finally sold the 15's and do not miss them one bit.

I can assure you that the top end 15's from Meopta and Maven, and likely the Tract's are right up there. You will likely be very pleased compared to the Swarovski 15's. I've got about 50 days in the field since late August using the 15's from Meopta and I very much enjoy them. If I thought I was missing stuff, I wouldn't be using them.

IMO, splitting hairs, the Swarovski is better than the Meopta, but it’s not $750 better.

I have a narrow IPD and I find the Swarovski easier to get behind. Have switched mostly to 12’s for this reason.

Thank you, gentlemen. I probably don't NEED the 15's, but I would like to try them out... main purpose would be locating mule deer in open country. The Meostar 15x56's look appealing, but the price point of the Maven, and even the Tract are, obviously, more attractive. I'm in no hurry, so perhaps I'll hold out for a sale, or find a used pair of Meostar's or the Swaros.

Amen.....real world experience does not lie, and GregW knows his way around the field as good or better as anyone here. I'll add to it by saying save your money if all you can afford is an Athlon Cronus, Viper HD or Kaibab, or Santiam (all 15x BTW).

Oh I agree fully. The Swarovski is the best, but...

Swaro is generally clearer than the ithers but nowhere near as reliable in -20 degree or rainy, wet weather.

EL or SLCs and their HD spotters anyhow. Maybe the Pures are different.

If Swaro comes out with 15X Pures I likely will give it a try.

They'd by no means be budget 15X binos though.

Yes, it’s a big but.

The 15’s IMO are close. The Swarovski 12’s blow the Meopta 12’s out of the water IMO, but are still good. Have you compared the 12’s?

Eta; talking EL vs B1. NL’s are another class.

I tell myself 20 times every night before I go to sleep I don’t need NL’s.

I strongly agree with this.

Do 15's need a tripod or can they work hand-held?


Okie John

The Swaro 12x50 and the 10x50 were the best bins in the world, until the Pures, IMO...

Agreed.

To take full advantage of them, yes.

TinyCOCK uses them without and it obviously works for him.

If you are doing long range glassing you need a tripod, regardless of the power of the binos, otherwise you simply will not capture their potential.

I've been using the 15x56 Tract Toric and I have to admit that they are notably better than I expected. For around $1k I am more than impressed.

ILya

Thanks. Same with 12x?


Okie John

If you are going to get a pair, I would certainly listen to Greg. He probably uses his 15's more in a season than I use all of my optics up here in a year. I was in his neck of the woods last January and spent an awful lot of time with my 10's, on a tripod.

I compared my Minox 15X58 side by side with a Swarovski 15X56. After several minutes of back and forth I rated the Swarovski at 100 so that I could give the Minox a number that would mean something: 97. It was that close.