Maven C.1 10x42 Binocular Review, By Jim Carr

[Justin Crossley]

@Jim Carr spends more time glassing throughout the year than just about anyone I know. When his daughter started hunting he needed a quality pair of binoculars for her without breaking the bank. He chose the Maven C.1 10x42 and gives some quick thoughts in this review.

Maven C.1 10x42 Binocular Review

 

[nobody]

Jim's analysis is right in line with what I tell people. Are they Swaro's? Absolutely not, but you have to jump up a loooooooooong ways in price to get anything appreciably better! My dad has an older pair of Bausch and Lomb 10x42 HD's of some kind (cost him about $600 back in the early 2000's), and he hates that my C1's run circles around his. In my opinion, best glass for less than $1k without question!

 

[snel6424]

I think the Maven C1's would be THE binos to get <$1000 if the dang FOV wasn't so narrow!

 

[nobody]

I think the Maven C1's would be THE binos to get <$1000 if the dang FOV wasn't so narrow!

This is interesting, and something I considered when I picked mine up. But then I realized something... The C.1 may have a narrower field of view relative to other optics, but the field of view it does have is 100% useable. Meaning that the 314 foot field of view (10x per their website) has 314 foot wide field of view that is completely serviceable.

Compare that with a Vortex Viper 10x42, and the viper has a 341 foot wide field of view, but every pair of Vipers I've looked through has a super fuzzy and "bendy" outer edge that accounted for probably 10% of the field of view. So of the 341 foot wide field of view, only 90% of it was useable, or about 310 feet wide. So while the effective FOV on the Viper is wider, the useful FOV is much narrower, realistically in line with the C.1's. Someone explained this to me on another forum, and after comparing the C.1's side by side with my friend's Viper HD's, I say it's completely accurate. Just something to consider, since so many of these low-mid price optics have such poor edge to edge clarity trying to get wide fields of view. That extra width doesn't do any good if it gives you a headache!

 

[snel6424]

This is interesting, and something I considered when I picked mine up. But then I realized something... The C.1 may have a narrower field of view relative to other optics, but the field of view it does have is 100% useable. Meaning that the 314 foot field of view (10x per their website) has 314 foot wide field of view that is completely serviceable.

Compare that with a Vortex Viper 10x42, and the viper has a 341 foot wide field of view, but every pair of Vipers I've looked through has a super fuzzy and "bendy" outer edge that accounted for probably 10% of the field of view. So of the 341 foot wide field of view, only 90% of it was useable, or about 310 feet wide. So while the effective FOV on the Viper is wider, the useful FOV is much narrower, realistically in line with the C.1's. Someone explained this to me on another forum, and after comparing the C.1's side by side with my friend's Viper HD's, I say it's completely accurate. Just something to consider, since so many of these low-mid price optics have such poor edge to edge clarity trying to get wide fields of view. That extra width doesn't do any good if it gives you a headache!

That is an excellent point and not one I had really considered. It makes it really difficult to compare binos though, without having both in your hand to compare. Maybe companies need to advertise a "usuable" FOV lol!

 

[countryScott]

This is interesting, and something I considered when I picked mine up. But then I realized something... The C.1 may have a narrower field of view relative to other optics, but the field of view it does have is 100% useable. Meaning that the 314 foot field of view (10x per their website) has 314 foot wide field of view that is completely serviceable.

Compare that with a Vortex Viper 10x42, and the viper has a 341 foot wide field of view, but every pair of Vipers I've looked through has a super fuzzy and "bendy" outer edge that accounted for probably 10% of the field of view. So of the 341 foot wide field of view, only 90% of it was useable, or about 310 feet wide. So while the effective FOV on the Viper is wider, the useful FOV is much narrower, realistically in line with the C.1's. Someone explained this to me on another forum, and after comparing the C.1's side by side with my friend's Viper HD's, I say it's completely accurate. Just something to consider, since so many of these low-mid price optics have such poor edge to edge clarity trying to get wide fields of view. That extra width doesn't do any good if it gives you a headache!

This explains some of the issues I've been having with "high rated" binos that don't seem to get the job done. Same with spotters. Considering big upgrade in binos rather than spotters.

 

[Spence1875]

Anyone worry about warranty issues? I know the glass is good. But a lot of these Asian made names show up, seem to be good glass, great price , good warranty, then poof they go away. No warranty or service.

 

[nobody]

Anyone worry about warranty issues? I know the glass is good. But a lot of these Asian made names show up, seem to be good glass, great price , good warranty, then poof they go away. No warranty or service.

They're not a random Asian company. Yes, the C1's are made in the Philippines, but the B series is the ONLY made in the USA binocular in the world. Even "Made in the USA Leupold" builds anything that's not a scope in China. The guys that run Maven are in Lander, Wyoming, and all their B series are fully assembled and tested there, and all other optics are also tested there before shipping. When I first started looking at them, I called to ask some questions and ended up leaving a voicemail. At 7:30 PM Mountain Time, my phone rang and it was one of the owners, returning my phone call. I could tell he was busy as we were talking, and he said he was assembling Binoculars to fulfill some pre-hunting season orders. They are a small, mom and pop type operation that is scaring the big boys TO DEATH, and I see them hanging around for a long time. The guide industry has largely started to convert to the Mavens even, so they've got a good enough following there realistically to help keep them in business without all of us converting over as well. I would never worry at all about them going anywhere. I would worry about Vortex disappearing before Maven personally, at least Maven sells a decent product.

 

[Spence1875]

I will give them a look then, always a Leica guy but they are get nuts on prices.

 

[huntuk]

Appreciate the detailed review.

 

[countryScott]

Awesome inputs, thanks! I'm getting more an more interested in their products. Looking for spotting scope 1st, then upgrading binos.

 

[tonechaser88]

I can't wait to get my hands on a pair. Its 100% for me. I'm looking into the 12/15/18 B series.

 

[AaronMColeman]

I have the C1 a buddy has the B series. His are clearer and easier to see in super low light. But that’s really just the first and last 5-10min. Other than that they run side by side mostly.

couple buddies with vortex (I forget the naming system but maybe $100 more than maven). Maven is clearer and I don’t notice one bit of FOV difference.

oh and the guy with the B series often doesn’t take them out due to weight. Not a huge deal but regardless of budget I think I’d go with the C1 all the time. I now have 3 full seasons with them and love them to death.

 

[roughnecknine0]

I keep hearing great things about Maven. I have a pair of Dback 8x42 as my first ever real pair of binoculars and like them a lot. My girlfriend has gotten me into big game and waterfowl hunting and right now we share my binoculars or borrow her dad's EL's or Vipers. I was going to get her a pair of 10x50 Vipers but now I think I'm going to try and find a deal on Maven 10x42.

 

[Dhamar]

I bought a pair of C1s last summer and really enjoyed using them compared to my old binos. I was able to compare with the Vortex Viper and preferred the Maven. I believe Maven has a test program where you can try out the glass and send them back if they aren’t what you want.

 

[countryScott]

Yes on the test program....I'm considering that. Great idea to get real product testing into our hands. Doubt they'd do that without believing in their product.

 

[68Plexi]

Demo program from Maven is great! Be careful though, it could get expensive. I had them send me the c.1’s and b.1’s to try. Really wanted to love the c.1’s at their price. Guess which ones I ended up keeping? $$


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[countryScott]

Demo program from Maven is great! Be careful though, it could get expensive. I had them send me the c.1’s and b.1’s to try. Really wanted to love the c.1’s at their price. Guess which ones I ended up keeping? $$


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ha! Great point.

 

[ChasingSqwach]

I used the Maven C1's this year and i was pleasantly surprised for the price. The guy I hunted with this year had vortex Razors. We swapped and there was a slight edge to the razors looking into shadows but the mavens weren't terribly far off. I do like the shade of the mavens more than the vortex. Vortex has a grey hue when Maven seemed to have a warmer lense color. I would be interested to try the B2's.

 

[lifelister]

Very nice review! Maven interests me more and more every day