If I were you, I would buy a cheap pair of porro prism binoculars preferably lower power like the Kowa YF 6x30's for $100 or Leupold Yosemite which is the same thing, great glass btw. I would then keep the extra $200 and save for another year or two. Then I would start shopping for a quality...
I'll join the support group...
I've done a ton of buying and selling over the years and really enjoy looking through glass... it is addicting!
Right now the collection is:
Kowa YF 6x30, Nikon Monarch HG 10x42, Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD, Nikon 50ED and 82ED fieldscopes with the 16x/30x and 13-40x...
SOLD
2006 Swarovski EL 8.5x42's
I have had these for a couple seasons. They have been terrific but I am spending a lot more time in the high country and recently got a 10x bino.
The really cool thing about this pair is that although the metal shows signs of use, they have been fully...