Augmenting my current setup

[jhayes6405]

Hello all,
For the past year I have run a combination of late 90's 8x30 SLC and razor 65mm spotter. I really like this low weight setup, but feel they both leave me wanting a bit more magnification or clarity (respectively). As well, I'm hoping to start more hunts in open sage areas and shed hunting in the spring. So, I'm set on getting a new set of binos, but am unsure which direction to go.

I never leave the house without the SLCs in a bino harness. I like light and small, both in the binos, and the harness, as I'm a medium t-shirt sized guy. At first and last light, the 30mm objectives just don't gather the light I'd like though. Although for archery hunting I really enjoy how small they are, especially when hiking up and down mountains. I also enjoy when I'm hiking and winded, but see a deer on a far ridge, the 8x power and low weight of the glass makes it easy to overcome my hard breathing and get a quick look.

So, should I upgrade my 'daily' carry glass to something x42, or add a third binocular that bridges the gap between 30mm binos and spotting scope? If adding glass, weight isn't a huge concern as I would do a lot of glassing from the truck, but also would want to be able to hike them around, so that rules out x56 glass as I try and keep packed weight low. Thank you for any recommendations, I'm really stuck on which way to go here and figured I'd see what the collective minds think.

Joe

 

[Browninglover1]

If you can find an 8x32 EL in your price range you will be very happy with the increased performance in glass quality compared to your 8x30SLC. I carry my 8x32 EL's in my chest rig and an 82mm spotter in my backpack and that combination never has me wishing for a 10x binocular.

If money wasn't an issue, I'd run my 8x32 Swaros on the chest, 15x56 in my pack, and the 55mm Kowa on backpacking hunts; I'd just swap the Kowa for my 82mm Meopta if the country I was hunting didn't require too much walking.

 

[jhayes6405]

......never has me wishing for a 10x binocular.

If money wasn't an issue, I'd run my 8x32 Swaros on the chest, 15x56 in my pack, and the 55mm Kowa on backpacking hunts; I'd just swap the Kowa for my 82mm Meopta if the country I was hunting didn't require too much walking.

I've thought a lot about the el 8x32 and if their performance outweighs that of most 42mm. The Kowa is that good huh? I tried the little razor 50 mm spotter and thought it was garbage, can 55mm gather that much light to support the zoom?

 

[Browninglover1]

I've thought a lot about the el 8x32 and if their performance outweighs that of most 42mm. The Kowa is that good huh? I tried the little razor 50 mm spotter and thought it was garbage, can 55mm gather that much light to support the zoom?

I don't know if the 8x32 outperforms the 8x42s from other manufacturers but it's definitely a beautiful optic.

I have no first hand experience with the Kowa but here's a review you may enjoy: Kowa TSN-553 Prominar Review - Rokslide