Does anyone ever move away from Swaro's

[Buddro]

I've been in the potential market for a new spotter for western hunting. I have always had trouble seeing clearly through optics and frankly didn't carry any at all for many years of hunting but as I get better tags and less fit I find myself less willing to go check the animals out up close. Currently I an using a pair of leica hd-b's for all of my glassing needs and I love them but with a big tag this year I am considering spending the money to get a spotter for picking and judging animals across mountain ranges. I have narrowed my options to the 60 mm swaro ats and to the leupold golden ring hd. Pretty different options I know but they are the two that I feel make since for me.

All of my hw has me thinking, without respect to my own personal situation, how many people buy swarovskis and decide to go back to the razors and leupolds or even switch to other alpha glass. Why? And do they have any regrets?

 

[Buddro]

I suppose I should get specific, Lots of people who own lower tier glass try out alpha or even use their buddies glass some on a hunt and feel theirs is better. I am always happy to read anecdotes and other peoples opinions, but I want to know specifically about people who owned alpha (particularly swaro) and felt it was worth the time/effort/money to switch to what would be considered lower tier and why.

 

[Heath Hansen]

I wouldn’t necessarily say I switched to a lower tier, but I had a swaro and upgraded to a Kowa 884 and have never looked back. To my eyes it’s significantly brighter and clearer than the swaro I had.

 

[Dcrafton]

I wouldn’t necessarily say I switched to a lower tier, but I had a swaro and upgraded to a Kowa 884 and have never looked back. To my eyes it’s significantly brighter and clearer than the swaro I had.

I would agree, I own the 884 with the wide angle.
But I do own the 10x42 els.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Buddro]

What swarovski's were you guys running?

 

[Beendare]

Yeah, I like swaro [edit;not swear]...but have used or owned all of the top glass. I like my 8x Nikon EDG's a little better than my Swaro 10x SLC's....those Nikons are my favorite.

I was recently in the market for a 15x bino and went with the Meoptas over the Swaros....I literally couldn't tell the difference and the Meoptas might be a titch better at 1/2 the cost. Ergo's are better on the Swaro 15's though.

Swaros are great....but there are other good options.

_______

 

[sneaky]

You should just get a 553/554 Kowa spotter and keep the HD-Bs and forget about the 65 Swaro or anything from Leupold on the spotter side

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Ndbowhunter]

I have no opinion on spotter ranking lists

that said I don’t use one, but if a friend wants to carry one in I’m all in.

 

[BluMtn]

I would say once you have looked through an Alfa glass for hours on end the odds of you wanting to use anything else is not going to work. It would be similar to driving a Ferrari 812 Superfast for 6 months, then having to drive a Chevrolet Spark for the rest of your life. Not saying you can't do it , but that Ferrari is always in the back of your head.

 

[JDB9818]

I wouldn't say I stepped down or back from Swaro necessarily, but I had a pair of 10X42 EL's and last year stepped back to 10X42 SLC's. I'm getting older and I was just not liking the field flattening quality of the EL's compared to the SLC's. After making the switch I'm very satisfied.

I had the Meopta 15's and while I thought they were very good I just thought the Swaro 15's were just a tick better to my eyes. So now running those Swaro 15's.

As far as spotters go, I had a Swaro ATS 65mm but it just didn't do much for me. I got a Kowa 88mm spotter last fall and I think it is pretty damn good. I'd say I'm definitely a Swaro fan but I'm super happy with the Kowa.

I think it awesome that there are so many great glass options available now.

 

[Newtosavage]

I have - twice. I've owned two mint pairs of the newest SLC's over the past 4 years. They didn't make me any thinner, better looking or more attractive to my wife. I had the second pair side-by side on tripods for hours trying to justify the cost vs. Zeiss Conquests, but just couldn't see it. Everyone's eyes are different. To me, the Zeiss were as good or maybe even slightly better at center resolution, esp. in the twilight hours.

On this forum, that's heresy, but it is what it is. I'm not brand loyal and have been known to drag around re-branded Cabelas Outfitter HD's that cost me $175 on the used market, because I know they are made on the same line as Zeiss Conquest HD's, and have the same glass, and give me the same information at 1/5th the cost.

Currently, I'm using Leupold BX-4's and IMO they are the equal in image quality, contrast and resolving power to the Conquest HD and SLC's, but they are lighter and more compact and handle much better.

I'll let the big names carry the big name glass.

 

[Wapiti1]

I'll be honest, I don't like the center focus wheel on the Swaro spotters. I prefer a top mounted two knob coarse and fine system like you see on Kowa and Leica. So, I own Kowa and Leica scopes. Glass wise, I can see differences between my scopes and Swaro scopes if they are side by side, but those differences are really nit picks. I consider them all equal tools for the job.

IMO the Kowa 77mm is the best all around deal you will find. You can find it for $1899 right now and that is all the scope you need. Maybe not the best at everything, but it ticks a lot more boxes than the vast majority of scopes out there.

Jeremy

 

[Cody_W]

The Leupold is going to save you a fair bit of weight if it is a concern, but I switched to a 95mm ATX last year even as an ounce counter this weight penalty is worth it for me. IMO.

 

[idahohikker]

I have - twice. I've owned two mint pairs of the newest SLC's over the past 4 years. They didn't make me any thinner, better looking or more attractive to my wife. I had the second pair side-by side on tripods for hours trying to justify the cost vs. Zeiss Conquests, but just couldn't see it. Everyone's eyes are different. To me, the Zeiss were as good or maybe even slightly better at center resolution, esp. in the twilight hours.

On this forum, that's heresy, but it is what it is. I'm not brand loyal and have been known to drag around re-branded Cabelas Outfitter HD's that cost me $175 on the used market, because I know they are made on the same line as Zeiss Conquest HD's, and have the same glass, and give me the same information at 1/5th the cost.

Currently, I'm using Leupold BX-4's and IMO they are the equal in image quality, contrast and resolving power to the Conquest HD and SLC's, but they are lighter and more compact and handle much better.

I'll let the big names carry the big name glass.

Just my perception but you seem to trade optics like the playboys in my college hooked up with different chicks every weekend. It’s fun and I have a little of the same temptation on the glass side not the women side. You may be settling down though.

 

[Rich M]

Did you consider renting if just for 1 hunt?

I'm thinking about it for a hunt next year.

 

[Newtosavage]

Just my perception but you seem to trade optics like the playboys in my college hooked up with different chicks every weekend. It’s fun and I have a little of the same temptation on the glass side not the women side. You may be settling down though.

It's an illness, I admit. I have yet to find the perfect binocular. Every one, no matter the price, has it's issues.

So far, the BX-4's annoy me the least and provide an image that I find no fault with. If they had a (very) slightly wider FOV, I would proclaim them as the best all-around value in bins I've come across. Maybe they still are.

One thing I could never get used to on my Swaros was the sticky/chalky feeling focus wheel. For the ONE THING you actually USE on a pair of binoculars, it seems like Swaro could have done a much better job with the focus wheel. I have $150 Bushnells that have much better focus wheels than SLC's do. But I'm picky about smooth focus wheels.

 

[Buddro]

So it looks like the majority of people moving away from the swaros are going to kowa's. I spent some time looking into the 553s last night, I may keep an eye on those but at the end of the day I'm not sure I'll get a chance to look through them before I buy them and I'm definitely not buying without sampling. For that matter I still need to find a place to check out the Golden ring.

Of course my girlfriend uses swaro glass so I may look a little more attractive to her sitting behind the ats.

I wouldn't consider renting, too much headaich for my unfortunately hectic lifestyle but it would be smart to rent and take various scopes scouting with me to help my decision.

 

[C Bow]

I really enjoy reading this thread. I have ask some old hunters what they thought on this subject and how they were successful without good optics and was amazed at the answers I still like to hear others opinions and thoughts on the subject it is hard to argue with success

 

[Trial153]

This what happens to me

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk

 

[BluMtn]

Ir you want to get the 411 on optics start searching the birding forums. Those guys and gals don't take any BS from anyone. They probably do the most in-depth reviews on glass there is. And if they say something is good you can rest assured that they are probably right. Swaro somewhat caters to the hunting crowd, but the birders are more neutral in how the look at glass.