15 or 18 power binos?

[Captnky]

Looking at getting my first pair of high powered binos for an upcoming high country mule deer hunt. They will be mounted on a tripod. Which power do you prefer and why?

 

[Atlas12]

18's if you're also taking a set of 8x's.
15's if you only take 1 set and a spotter.

 

[Anozira]

Good question, subscribed to hear the answers as well. I bet robby denning could offer some insightful knowledge. He has spent a lot of time behind glass.

 

[Brian Fahs]

15x slc hd.

 

[Wapiti1]

15's for their FOV and exit pupil. 18's are too much, IMO. At that point, a spotter is better for its extra reach.

I also need a small pair for stalking. Like a set of 8 or 10 X 30's. The terrain over by the deer is never what it looks like in the glass. I need the small pair to constantly pick apart what is in front of me while stalking in.

Jeremy

 

[passinggas33]

I guess I’m under a different mentality than most on this question. If you are buying them specifically for a “high country mule deer hunt”, I would assume you are hiking in. I personally would be leaving the money/15s and their weight at home. I would be taking a good pair of 10x or 12x on a tripod and a good spotter. I feel like generally you will find what there is on a mountain with 10s or 12s and then zoom in on them with a spotter to figure out if they are a shooter or not. I find myself with 15s still pulling out the spotter to figure out if they are a shooter and don’t think the weight penalty is worth it.
But with that being said, if you are dead set on taking bigger glass, I would agree the 15s are a great option. Love my meopta meostsrs. But again, I don’t take them on backpacking hunts when I am already taking a spotter. I find it redundant and a waste. Coues deer though is a completely different story...

 

[Captnky]

I guess I’m under a different mentality than most on this question. If you are buying them specifically for a “high country mule deer hunt”, I would assume you are hiking in. I personally would be leaving the money/15s and their weight at home. I would be taking a good pair of 10x or 12x on a tripod and a good spotter. I feel like generally you will find what there is on a mountain with 10s or 12s and then zoom in on them with a spotter to figure out if they are a shooter or not. I find myself with 15s still pulling out the spotter to figure out if they are a shooter and don’t think the weight penalty is worth it.
But with that being said, if you are dead set on taking bigger glass, I would agree the 15s are a great option. Love my meopta meostsrs. But again, I don’t take them on backpacking hunts when I am already taking a spotter. I find it redundant and a waste. Coues deer though is a completely different story...

They are not specifically for a high country trip. I typically make a trip out west per year chasing some sort of critter we don’t have in the Midwest. The rest of the year the glass will be for around the house and glassing from the truck. Will be totted around and used on various out west trips for years to come. This years trip id have the new glass and my 10x binos. Hunting partner will have 10x binos and a spotter.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

What is your budget?

 

[JakeSCH]

I've owned both and side by side I do not feel that you are loosing much power with the 15 compared to 18's, but you are gaining FOV / exit pupil. That being said I decided to sell the 15's in favor of the 18's this up coming season out of curiosity.

Demo a pair of Maven B5 15x and 18x and see what you like better.

 

[Dioni A]

I've got the 15 swaros 15 Zeiss and 18 razor UHD I'm going to compare and do a quick write up on after this weekend

 

[sndmn11]

I played this game the other day. Maven 18x B5, and Opticron 15-45x MM4. I wrote something up about the spotter here https://www.rokslide.com/forums/threads/opticron-mm4-60-thoughts-after-a-year.161079/

The reason we got the 18x Mavens was because my wife wanted something to glass open country with. My opinion is that 15x and 18x are the same size/weight, and the view on this specific model is great. I believe they will be fantastic for that purpose. Here are some pictures comparing 15x, 18x, and 45x. I also believe that you can accomplish a lot with a phone skope attached and zoom in on the image with the phone.
45x zoomed in with phoneskope


15x Opticron


45x Opticron


18x Maven


18x Maven


15x Opticron