High Power Binos vs. Spotter

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Jan 14, 2019
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I currently run 12x50 binos and a 20-40x60 spotter. I find myself rarely pulling my spotter out because where I hunt around here I’m not trying to look miles away. So my question is does anyone think I would get more use out of a higher magnifying bino like 18s or 20s or something else? I think 15s are to close to my 12s.
 
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Which model of 12s are you running? Clarity of glass (mostly) trumps magnification. I rather have a pair of alpha 12s/15s than beta 18s .

For the bulk of my glassing, I use SLC 15s. If I need clarification or need to better judge an animal, then my STX comes out. I'd only glass full time with my STX if something happened to my SLCs or if I break down and pick up the BTX.
 

Jimss

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What's your style of hunting and country you hunt? What distances are you glassing and field judging game?

If you do much spot and stalk hunting you may find it next to impossible to hand-hold binos over 10x. If you sit in a blind or hunt from just one point I would think your current set up is pretty good. I mostly use binos to cover a lot of country fairly fast and my spotter for sizing up game. If you field judge animals at long range you will likely find that 15 and 20x isn't enough! If you are hunting country similar to AZ coues country larger binos may be just the ticket for spotting bucks in fairly large areas that all look similar for hours and hours at a time. You'll still need a spotter to field judge them. You may find that spotter saves miles of having to hike closer to field judge with lower power binos.
 
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BigCountry344
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Which model of 12s are you running? Clarity of glass (mostly) trumps magnification. I rather have a pair of alpha 12s/15s than beta 18s .

For the bulk of my glassing, I use SLC 15s. If I need clarification or need to better judge an animal, then my STX comes out. I'd only glass full time with my STX if something happened to my SLCs or if I break down and pick up the BTX.

I have the Burris Binos and a Bushnell Spotter
 
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BigCountry344
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Jan 14, 2019
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What's your style of hunting and country you hunt? What distances are you glassing and field judging game?

If you do much spot and stalk hunting you may find it next to impossible to hand-hold binos over 10x. If you sit in a blind or hunt from just one point I would think your current set up is pretty good. I mostly use binos to cover a lot of country fairly fast and my spotter for sizing up game. If you field judge animals at long range you will likely find that 15 and 20x isn't enough! If you are hunting country similar to AZ coues country larger binos may be just the ticket for spotting bucks in fairly large areas that all look similar for hours and hours at a time. You'll still need a spotter to field judge them. You may find that spotter saves miles of having to hike closer to field judge with lower power binos.

Either poking through timber or just getting to a good vantage point and looking across a couple hundred yards. I live on the coast of California and it’s pretty brushy in some spots and not mile long valleys to look at.
 

WCB

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I personally would get more use out of 12x. Reason is I can realistically use them glassing and while on the move (which I currently do). I hunt almost every terrain you can come up with from upper midwest woods and swamps, Desert, and wide open prairie. I find no reason FOR ME to have a higher powered bino. 12x is plenty to spot animals and do a basic judge if it looks promising I just pull out my spotter (60x). I don't feel that 20x binos is enough to be a single unit and cover short and long range judging. As stated above you might want to keep in mind when you are actually stalking or having to glass areas up close the 20s will probably actually hinder you.
 
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My current go to most used optics are as follows.

Swarovski 10x 42 el sv in my chest rig. I do not hunt without them period. They are about as much as I care to carry on my chest. I have a stud installed on them and use them on a tripod or window mount them in the truck when possible. Anyone who claims to hand hold 10x 42 or larger glass and use them to full potential have never experienced the true benefit of tripod mounted glass.

Swarovski 15x56 slc hd in my pack or truck. I do not use these unless tripod mounted period. These are phenominal game finding machines. They are without a doubt my favorite optic I own. I have owned several 15-45× 65 spotters over the years and sold them all. The resolution and comfort of viewing of the 15s had me leaving the spotter in the truck.

Kowa 884 with 25-60wa eyepiece. This spotter is phenominal. When I have to get a more detailed view at very long range this gets it done. It is big heavy and ugly. I have called it many names when lugging it around due to these qualities but its view has never disappointed me.

I can not stress enough that you should buy the highest quality you can afford and learn to use them properly. As stated above quality trumps size in optics always.
 
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I have 15s and want to upgrade to 18s. My set up is 9s, 15s, and a 20-60x66 Kowa spotter. I personally wouldn’t want anything bigger than 10s on my chest and nothing smaller than 15s for the tripod. Spotter only gets used for pre season scouting. Typically glassing anywhere from 1/2 to 1-1/2 miles of broken granite and thick timber patches, mule deer hide extremely well. I found this buck on the move at about a mile through the 15s and watched him bed under a log on the edge of the timber. If I didn’t catch him on his feet, I’d never have found him bedded with the 15s.
63FFA1B4-3321-482A-B2A3-12B1D69112FA.jpeg
 

tdot

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From what you've described. I'd sell both your current optics and buy the best 12x bino that you can find and set them up to use on a tripod.

You can still run them on your chest. While not ideal, you can hand hold, if necessary.

15x and 18x need open space to become effective, imo. I wouldn't consider either unless you were consistently glassing open spaces at a distance of 1000 yards or more.

If you do alot of still hunting, where a 6x or 8x would be beneficial, then if maybe consider the 15x as a second set.
 
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BigCountry344
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Jan 14, 2019
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Can anyone recommend a 18x and up? I was looking at the Nikon monarch 5 20x56.
 
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I couldn’t decide either... 30x66 dual spotter big eyes complements the 12x50s well. This setup kicks ass and also does a great job of making sure my pack isn’t too light. I’ll pull one off and just pack a single spotter if I’m trying to go lighter.

91482BF6-9EF4-4A0E-BE9B-39D6521AADAA.png
 
Joined
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I couldn’t decide either... 30x66 dual spotter big eyes complements the 12x50s well. This setup kicks ass and also does a great job of making sure my pack isn’t too light. I’ll pull one off and just pack a single spotter if I’m trying to go lighter.

View attachment 167672
Damn hatchet jack. If the Indians had that setup 150 years ago we would all be living in a teepee
Nice setup.
 
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Dec 4, 2018
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what about the Leica Duovid 10+15x50?

I love mine. The drawbacks are FOV at 10x is more like what you find on a 12x bino, and the glass is not as premium as the top of the line choices these days. I’ve heard different things but it’s ultravid glass of some variety (BR, or HD). I would compare it to Zeiss conquest glass.

I still think the ability to quickly switch between powers and not having to lug around an extra set of 15s is worth the compromises. For example when glassing a hillside I’m often on 10x. I see a deer and I can zoom in to get a better look at its antlers. I see a suspicious object and quickly zoom to verify if it’s a rock or a deer. I come across a very “deery” looking patch of cover I quickly zoom in to pick it apart with 15x. I finish glassing that hillside and want to look at something farther away, beyond 1000 yards, and the 15s make quick work of it. All that without digging through my pack and switching between two different binos. It makes for very efficient glassing. Plus they fit perfectly in my Kuiu harness and can be carried all day there without any discomfort. The only thing I would consider looking into are Swarovski 12x50s which might be a nice compromise...but I worry about extra shakiness when hand holding them and also not having the full 15x which I have found incredibly useful.
 

ZackP

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Can anyone recommend a 18x and up? I was looking at the Nikon monarch 5 20x56.

I can’t seem to sit behind a spotter all day. I like 8’s or 10’s on my chest for quick work. 15’s or 18’s for long glassing sessions. Smaller spotter for judging if big bino’s won’t do the trick. Monarch’s are good but I would recommend the Kaibab in 18’s over the Monarch. They can be found second hand for a good deal and I can personally tell you Nikon’s CS is the worst I’ve ever dealt with. 3 1/2 month wait for my FIL’s bino’s, I had to continuously call for updates.
 
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BigCountry344
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Jan 14, 2019
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I can’t seem to sit behind a spotter all day. I like 8’s or 10’s on my chest for quick work. 15’s or 18’s for long glassing sessions. Smaller spotter for judging if big bino’s won’t do the trick. Monarch’s are good but I would recommend the Kaibab in 18’s over the Monarch. They can be found second hand for a good deal and I can personally tell you Nikon’s CS is the worst I’ve ever dealt with. 3 1/2 month wait for my FIL’s bino’s, I had to continuously call for updates.

Ah that’s a bummer to hear. Kaibab are always a good choice but I heard Nikon really stepped up the game so I figured at 20x those might be the ticket.
 
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