Desert Dan
Lil-Rokslider
Hey guys.
I cringed a little when I sat down to write this up because of how passionate discussions about optics can become. Thankfully this post has nothing to do with which brand to buy but will ask for any and all opinions and experience using two different magnification levels of binoculars as part of your setup you carry while hunting and scouting, and what you have personally found to be the most effective. I have read all I can read about the 10x42 vs 8x42 debate, especially when they're paired with another higher magnification binocular, and I have tried to apply what I've read to make a decision but before pulling the trigger on anything I wanted to put this out there to cast a wide net and see what you all can contribute.
So... at this moment I have no optics at all whatsoever. The shelf is empty. I sold both pairs I had and am upgrading to higher quality. Previously I ran a combination of 10x42 on a chest harness used for quick looks, initial scans and on the move and a 15x56 on a tripod. The 10s were of entry level quality and the 15s were mid level. I really liked the functionality of the 15s and will probably pick up another pair to use in the same way, which btw is for glassing mule deer and coues deer in typical desert sage/manzanita/mesquite terrain in southern Arizona. I will also say that whichever option I go with the glass will be of very high quality but I'm not asking which binoculars I should buy. I will not be adding a spotting scope at this time.
Initially I was heavily leaning toward the 10x42 but Robby Denning's thoughts on good 8x42s in Hunting Big Mule Deer while covering the optics he uses really opened me up to other options and combinations. Based on your experience, and now with other magnification options available, would you recommend the 8x42 or 10x42 with a 15x56 or any other combination such as 9x45 with 18x56, etc? If you have experience or an opinion please explain rather than just saying "I like X and Y." Thank you all in advance and I look forward to reading about your experience with your different configurations, past and present!
dan
I cringed a little when I sat down to write this up because of how passionate discussions about optics can become. Thankfully this post has nothing to do with which brand to buy but will ask for any and all opinions and experience using two different magnification levels of binoculars as part of your setup you carry while hunting and scouting, and what you have personally found to be the most effective. I have read all I can read about the 10x42 vs 8x42 debate, especially when they're paired with another higher magnification binocular, and I have tried to apply what I've read to make a decision but before pulling the trigger on anything I wanted to put this out there to cast a wide net and see what you all can contribute.
So... at this moment I have no optics at all whatsoever. The shelf is empty. I sold both pairs I had and am upgrading to higher quality. Previously I ran a combination of 10x42 on a chest harness used for quick looks, initial scans and on the move and a 15x56 on a tripod. The 10s were of entry level quality and the 15s were mid level. I really liked the functionality of the 15s and will probably pick up another pair to use in the same way, which btw is for glassing mule deer and coues deer in typical desert sage/manzanita/mesquite terrain in southern Arizona. I will also say that whichever option I go with the glass will be of very high quality but I'm not asking which binoculars I should buy. I will not be adding a spotting scope at this time.
Initially I was heavily leaning toward the 10x42 but Robby Denning's thoughts on good 8x42s in Hunting Big Mule Deer while covering the optics he uses really opened me up to other options and combinations. Based on your experience, and now with other magnification options available, would you recommend the 8x42 or 10x42 with a 15x56 or any other combination such as 9x45 with 18x56, etc? If you have experience or an opinion please explain rather than just saying "I like X and Y." Thank you all in advance and I look forward to reading about your experience with your different configurations, past and present!
dan