Binocular conundrum!

Jo83ben

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Dec 19, 2020
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Looking for binocular advice! I have vortex 10x42 diamondbacks currently, and now have a 1500 dollar Amazon gift card to use. I also recently picked up some vortex viper hd 10x42 for 300 on Black Friday.

I hunt in Oregon, with a good mix of open mountainous big country, drier high desert area, and coastal thick forest. Archery and rifle. Sometimes on the move and lightweight and sometimes glassing for spot and stalk.

I’m looking for upping my glass to either really high end 10x42s for all purpose use (something like Swarovski SLC or meopta meostars), or adding a tripod and 15x56 bino set up for longer glassing sessions.

Now the question is...do I return/sell the vortex vipers and apply the 300 bucks towards my 1500 gift card for a 1900 budget to work with, and use that for meopta 15x56’s or something similar, or do I keep the vipers for a good pair of 10x42’s, and use the 1500 for a decent 15x56 and tripod?

Basically my options are
1: keep diamondbacks as primary binos and add high end high power binos
2: keep the vipers as better primary binos and add high power binos (just 300 less budget for it)
3: skip high power binos and get high end 10x42’s like SLCs.

No need for spotting scope as my hunting partner has a razor already.

Yes this is first world problems, but with lots of choices it’s hard to say which route to go. I won’t bother getting into which binos to get yet...(sig Zulu 9, meopta, Swarovski, and so on)


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Joined
Oct 14, 2017
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Boston Ma
Return them. Factor in the outdoorsman pan head and a slik or promaster Carbon tripod and whatever you have left get the best glass you can afford. Without a good pan head and tripod setup you’ll never maximize whatever glass you decide on. I love my Meostars
 
OP
J

Jo83ben

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Dec 19, 2020
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So I do plan on getting a tripod with either of these options. I will likely get the meopta carbon fiber one which’s runs 299, comes with fluid head and ball head, phone mount, case and weighs 4.5lbs. I’m not sure there’s a better deal than that??


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ghostrider272

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May 8, 2020
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Talk with Doug at Cameraland. Tripods were on sale and he is great on the optic brands you are talking about.
 

sndmn11

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Mar 28, 2017
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Morrison, Colorado
I feel like if you tried to buy optics on amazon, your be leaving a few hundred dollars on the table. 10x42 SLCs are $1799 there, I'm sure you could find a better price at one of the forum sponsors.

I'd get in touch with Maven and see if they would sling you an on Amazon 10% discount, get Maven B5 18x, potentially sell/return the Vipers add a little bit more to the kitty and grab some B1s if you can get a discount or stretch the budget. Otherwise I'd keep the Diamondbacks or Vipers if they are heads and tails ahead of the Diamondbacks.
 

mtwarden

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Always fun to spend someone's else's money :D. As you're in a wide variety of terrain (and different hunting strategies) I'd look at Maven's 8x30's for the dark timber stuff and their 11x45's for open terrain and off a tripod.

You'd be pretty well covered from dark timber to wide open desert.
 
Joined
Jan 18, 2015
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Just few more thoughts. The Swaro SLC are very good glass. Not exceptional. I have late model 8x42 SLC's. I also have some Leica 8x30 non Hd Ultravids and I give the clarity and and definition nod to the Leica's. Not by much but a little. They are both great glass.

You can buy used SLC's in the neighborhood on here for around $1300.
So no need to blow your whole budget to buy new. Can one bino do it all. Sure. And the 10x42 is the best all around. No one disputes that. My preference is an 8x for all around use. I also picked up a used Meopt 12x to use off of a tripod. No they are not Swaro but I have 1/3 the price invested in them and while they are not Swaro. They are very good and will perform well in the capacity I have them for.

So my point is sure you can buy brand new and blow your budget on one bino. That is one optin.
Another would be to buy a lightly used high quality bino. Have money left to expand your ability to do other things that could help your capabilities with out sacrificing anything in terms of the quality of your optics. All within your budget. Give or take a few bucks. Merry Christmas.
 

TheGDog

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Jun 12, 2020
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OC, CA
Go with option #3 first.

I very recently had my DiamondBack 10x42's have an eyecup just fail and come apart so sent it in for warranty.. and used it as excused to upgrade at the same time.

Keep an eye out on here. I picked up some used ZEISS Conquest 10x42 HD's for $750 and they're bleepin' awesome! I like them a degree better than the Vortex Vultures 15x56 I also happen to have.

Will end up selling the Vultures. They're aren't really a help over the 10x42 alpha glass. You'll see what I mean when you compare an alpha glass 10x42 against a lesser grade 15x56.

I'm currently contemplating getting some kind of a 15-45x65mm Straight Spotter setup. Or maybe that Maven 12-27 x56 straight model. I have the 11-33x50mm Razor Angled. And it's cool and everything.. but like it's zoom after like maybe... about 22x? You start to have the sharpness of the image fall off dramatically and also gotta be really all up on the glass at high zoom, and with glasses that's problematic. Also a Straight Scope would pack better for me. I got more used to Straight after spending time behind my 15's.

But yeah man.. the biggest thing about the alpha glass is that the depth of field is reDONKulously better. When I first looked thru the ZEISS I was perplexed because I thought it was showing me the same magnification as the Vultures. But turns out what it was is the improved clarity, the edge-to-edge.. and the depth of field... all of them together providing your eyes and brain with so much more data in the FOV! And! They significantly lighter than those heavy Vultures.

If I was you... I'd sell the vipers, (and keep the DB's as a backup pair actually, just in case) and then buy the ZEISS/Alpha and a good and light tripod, if you don't already have one.
 
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MT
Return the vortex junk, save to 2k$ and watch the classifieds for a pair if 10x42 swaro el sv and dont look back.
 
Joined
Dec 19, 2020
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2018-2019 I hunted with a pair of vortex diamondbacks. I got swaro SLC 10x42s this year and I can't believe what I was missing. Even without more magnification my ability to see things at distance is so much better it is unbelievable. I also got a a tripod with the outdoorsman stud. I prefer to use them off the tripod.
SLCs may not be the best glass you cAn buy, but from the diamondbacks it is an incredible difference.
 
Joined
May 22, 2014
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Another vote for the swaro. Keep an eye on the classifieds and be ready to buy when a good deal pops up cause they move pretty quick. As far as a tripod take a look at the sirui carbon fiber tripod with va 5 fluid head. I’m super happy with that tripod and it’ll save you a pound over the one you mentioned.
 

Graves14

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Jul 23, 2015
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So I do plan on getting a tripod with either of these options. I will likely get the meopta carbon fiber one which’s runs 299, comes with fluid head and ball head, phone mount, case and weighs 4.5lbs. I’m not sure there’s a better deal than that??


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I’d consider a Sirui backcountry combo. It’s a really solid carbon fiber tripod and a VA5 pan head which is a phenomenal fluid head for $299. The whole package weighs 3lbs. Buy it from a site sponsor like S&S archery, use the code “Rokslide” for 10% off and use the savings to buy a phone scope.
 
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I second the opinion of #3. Make sure you have quality handheld optics. You'll spend most of your time using the 10x. It's worth the initial investment and can last you many years. As others have/will say, buy once cry once.

There are other options out there besides the SLCs too. Zeiss is surprisingly good for the money. There's plenty of info on Rokslide about 10x comparisons.

As for tripod, consider suriu carbon fiber with va-5 fluid head. Very solid setup and pretty light. Don't forget to budget for the tripod plate and the bino adapter for it to be mounted. The outdoorsmans bino adapter is the only way to go imo. That will set you back $100 for the stud and mount.
 

mtwarden

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Another vote for the swaro. Keep an eye on the classifieds and be ready to buy when a good deal pops up cause they move pretty quick. As far as a tripod take a look at the sirui carbon fiber tripod with va 5 fluid head. I’m super happy with that tripod and it’ll save you a pound over the one you mentioned.
I’d consider a Sirui backcountry combo. It’s a really solid carbon fiber tripod and a VA5 pan head which is a phenomenal fluid head for $299. The whole package weighs 3lbs. Buy it from a site sponsor like S&S archery, use the code “Rokslide” for 10% off and use the savings to buy a phone scope.

that's the route I went as well; I do have KDC Granite Peak (8 oz) when I'm really paring things down- but the Sirui carbon tripod/VA 5 is definitely a good way to go if a lot of glassing is in store
 
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I second ordering from S&S archery. I'm using a Promaster tripod with a ball head. The pan heads and pistol grip heads look nicer to use, but this head is lighter and it saved me $100-$300 to buy a tripod that came with the head. The tripod also converts for use to a monopod.
 
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If you are looking for good reviews, youtube optica exotica, the guy knows his stuff and is thorough. I'll say it once and say it again, go with Swarovski, plain and simple the best there is without question
 

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