Best all around hunting binocular

ndbwhunter · May 21, 2015

I think my 1999 nikon monarchs have taken one too many falls from the stand, and it's time to buy a new set. I'm looking for something that's as good for elk hunting as it is for midwest whitetails. I'm not looking to break the bank, so anything over a grand is out of the question (I'll get all my dads swaro gear some day anyways).

I would prefer something in the 8-8.5 x 40-42. I really don't need anything bigger than that, as I usually have the spotter with me anyways.

Which manufacturer and model would you chose, and why?

Jeff Martin · May 21, 2015

Zeiss Conquest 8x42 for $920 would be awfully hard to beat for just under a grand. $1200 would open up a ton of choices as you likely know. If you would consider 8x32, you could get higher end for less money and not sacrifice but improve from the Monarchs. The you would have choices like Meopta, Vortex, etc....(and I mean the best glass from those brands)

https://vimeo.com/channels/optics/43365269

RCA Dog · May 21, 2015

For $1000, I think the Zeiss Conquest is the best choice right now.

6mm Remington · May 21, 2015

Here you go! Snap them up!

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/show...-in-West-Germany-699-00-(Excellent-Condition)

mrbillbrown · May 21, 2015

I've got a similar search going on myself. I'm looking hard at the Vortex Viper HD's in the 8x42 size. Priced between $500-600 it seems to be great glass got the money.

Interested to hear some of the more experienced guys opinions.

ndbwhunter · May 21, 2015

mrbillbrown said:
I've got a similar search going on myself. I'm looking hard at the Vortex Viper HD's in the 8x42 size. Priced between $500-600 it seems to be great glass got the money.

Interested to hear some of the more experienced guys opinions.

I've been looking at those as well. I'm not quite ready to pull the trigger on anything quite yet. Once I decide what I want I'll shop around and find the best deal.

gwm · May 21, 2015

I have Viper HD 10x42 and they are much better than my wife's monarchs and my old Pentax. I am probably going to upgrade her optics to either Vipers or Talon HDs. Can't beat the warranty. Greg

Steve C · May 21, 2015

I just got a new Maven B3 8x30. It costs $500. You will not beat it for less than $1,500...that includes the Zeiss Conquest too. Like the bigger B 2 it way over performs its price level. It took me some time for how good the B 2 is to finally sink in. The B 3 does not let the side down. It has an advertised light transmission of 95%. I have had it side by side with a couple of the alpha glass that have been tested at 92% or thereabouts. They are no brighter than the Maven, so the advertised level can't be off much. I have a bunch of good 8x30-32 glass and the Maven is obviously the brightest of the bunch.

However it is not as bright as a comparable quality 42 mm glass, so a bigger 42 or so would be better if real low light performance is a concern for your use.

The new Leupold Mojave series is good glass too. The Pro Guide HD is really nice, but you are getting to the $700 range there. The larger Mavens, the b 1 and the B 2 are $900 and 1,000, but worth the money. The B2 is pretty big so might not fit a lot of people. The Mojaves are pretty compact, not much larger than the upper end of the 32 mm class size.

Trial153 · May 21, 2015

Zeiss Conquest is the best glass I found under a grand. Tried a bunch in the 400-800 range and they weren't close the conquest . Compared the conquest to vipers and Cabelas HD euros...the Conquests beat them out also.

Ramshead · May 21, 2015

+4 on the Zeiss Conquest. Bought them after extensive research and could not be happier.

lintond · May 21, 2015

I was able to get vortex razors 10x42 for under $1k from cameralandny. They are having a sale now. Mine were demo models but I bought with confidence knowing vortex has an awesome warranty.

rileybassman · May 21, 2015

Plus 5 on the zeiss conquest hd. Bought the 10x42 for myself this year as well as viper hd 10x42 for my wife which is also nice. Comparing the two, the vortex is quite nice and can mostly keep up, but the zeiss wins. Especially when you can get a demo pair for around 800. No brainier.
Euro hd is also very nice and may have slightly better glass, but as far as the whole package the conquest hds are tough to beat.
Bomber warranty too.

Shrek · May 21, 2015

rileybassman said:
conquest hds are tough to beat. Bomber warranty too.

I don't know how much warranty dealings you've had with Zeiss but I had to send the same scope back twice for the same problem and two of my friends did also and they took their sweet time and gave no communication other than they had received it. I'm not positive if it was eight weeks or nine weeks the first time but it was ten the second.Friends had eight and nine week turnaround on their conquest scopes too. Zeiss warranty service made me a Swarovski customer and the service I just received from them earlier this month for severe damage I did to a scope made me a customer for life. Constant contact from the most pleasant woman to deal with and two weeks from the time I sent it to having it back in my hand. Zeiss warranty is no selling point imo.

rileybassman · May 21, 2015

Hmm interesting. I had a scratch on the lens of a demo pair I bought, and they had a brand new pair at my house within two weeks... I didn't have to pay a dime for shipping. Their customer service and communication was great the whole time.
Made me a Zeiss customer for sure.

Glad you found what is working for you

Shrek · May 21, 2015

All of my experience was with Conquest scopes with bad erectors. Mine twice and two of my friends a lot of bad scopes and slow service. Glad you had a better experience.

dotman · May 21, 2015

Red Hawk Rifles out of Grand Junction, CO has the best deal on Demo Zeiss Conquest HD's which are way better then their non HD predecessors, google them or look under the deals thread close to the classifieds, they have or had them for $650.

dotman · May 21, 2015

Here is the direct link 8x42 http://www.redhawkrifles.com/products/zeiss-binoculars/demo-zeiss-hd-conquest-8x42mm-binocular

10x42 http://www.redhawkrifles.com/products/binoculars/zeiss-hd-conquest-10x42mm-binocular

I have had conquest HD's since they first came out, I prefer them over the vortex razor and the meopta HD's especially at this price.

15x56 http://www.redhawkrifles.com/products/zeiss-binoculars/demo-zeiss-hd-conquest-15x56mm-binocular

Ryan Avery · May 21, 2015

Huh, this tells me that you must look through glass before you buy. This is how I would rate the glass in that general price range.

Meoptas
Mavens
Vortex Razors
Conquest

I have tested all four in the field. If I had to buy a pair right now it would be the Mavens.

Not a fan of Zeiss's CS either.

Steve C · May 22, 2015

Glad to see a Maven vote besides mine. I posted my first binocular review some ten years ago. In the ensuing decade, it has come to the point where it takes a LOT to impress me. Maven did that in a big way with the B 2 and the B 3. One of these days I'm going to get my hands on a B 1.

You Conquest guys need to stay away from the Maven line

. I like the Conquests a lot myself. The Maven is the better glass. I had every intention of going with an 8x32 Conquest until I saw the Maven B 3.

dotman · May 22, 2015

Steve C said:
Glad to see a Maven vote besides mine. I posted my first binocular review some ten years ago. In the ensuing decade, it has come to the point where it takes a LOT to impress me. Maven did that in a big way with the B 2 and the B 3. One of these days I'm going to get my hands on a B 1.

You Conquest guys need to stay away from the Maven line . I like the Conquests a lot myself. The Maven is the better glass. I had every intention of going with an 8x32 Conquest until I saw the Maven B 3.

I sold my 8x42 conquests and picked up the demo conquests in 8x32, paid a tad more then the Mavens. I almost gave the maven a shot based on some of the things you have said but mainly because of the weight diff. I ended up sticking to what I know my eyes like. The vortex razors to me are no better then the conquests, the meopta hd's are a tad better but freaking a pig of a bino.

Maybe I'll give the Maven a try next year but I will say the conquest hd's are more then adequate for this guy

.

Like Ryan said all of our eyes are diff so best to test yourself or find a smokin deal because all of the binos spoken of that I have used are great and I would us any of them.

Steve, what are the big diff you see optically from the Maven B3 and the other 8x30 class optics? Mainly diff from the conquest hd's

. Is it mainly low light performance? I'm no expert but what my eyes see out of the conquest HD line is a pretty dang clear and great natural colored image but I'm also not as picky about edges etc of the bino and the center image is very crisp on the conquests. You have tons of time and I know are way way better at picking out flaws, so I'm just wondering if the diff are mainly from an experts view of analyzing binos all the time or if it is a huge swing.

Best all around hunting binocular

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