Optics upgrade?

[Okokiehunter]

Just looking for thoughts and opinions. I just sold my Zeiss conquests 15x56 Bono’s. Was leaning more towards upgrading to swaro slc 15x56. Or I don’t have a spotter so I could go with a swaro ats 25x50x80mm,or keep saving for a atx w/85mm. I have EL’S 8.5 for my daily drivers. Mainly in Oklahoma mostly a mile and in. Thanks!

 

[Bailer]

Having already had 15’s, you’re in a pretty good position to answer your own question. How much did you depend on them to find game that the 8.5’s wouldn’t have worked, vs times you were struggling to count inches with the 15’s and wishing for more power?

Personally I have 12’s and a BTX. I don’t like glassing with one eye. That said, on my coues hunt there were a couple times I wished I had an atx eyepiece to swap in to check something. There were also distances where 15’s would have been better than either my 12’s or 30.

 

[Brooks]

Ive had the 8.5 EL’s and a ATS 65 and it is a good setup for here in NM. I believe the 8.5’s and a ATS 85 or the ATX 85 would be awesome! I don’t think you would ever need anything else. I see guys every year come out here elk hunting with a lot less.

 

[Brian Fahs]

15s are more of a specialty glassing tool to me. In the right situation they are amazing at finding game when tripod mounted. For a more usable combo I'd go with your 8.5s and a good spotter. Hard to heatthat especially if using the 8.5s on a tripod

 

[Okokiehunter]

Thanks for the info. To many options, not enough money. One thing that was hard for me is switching back and forth (on a tripod) between the conquests and el’s. It took a bit for my eyes to adjust. The conquests is nice glass, but not in the same league as the el’s.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Thanks for the info. To many options, not enough money. One thing that was hard for me is switching back and forth (on a tripod) between the conquests and el’s. It took a bit for my eyes to adjust. The conquests is nice glass, but not in the same league as the el’s.

While the SLCs will be a step up from the conquests without a doubt, you will likely still have the same problem switching between the two. I get a little disappointed every time I swap from my ELs to the SLCs (first world problem I know), but there is nothing better for coues/desert mule deer so I still hang on to them.

 

[Okokiehunter]

Lol very true. “First world problems “

 

[Spoonman]

For a mile in buy yourself a ATS and save yourself some money. Seriously for sub mile glassing the amount of money spent on upper end glass really starts to diminish. It’s not like going from vortex vipers to SLC’s. You are going from really nice glass to a small step up. If you have any friends or a store nearby that you could test different glass side-by-side that would be my recommendation.

 

[Okokiehunter]

Sounds like everyone is in favor of the spotter. Thanks for the help.