Recommended Budget Binoculars

[NMCoyoteHunter01]

What binos would you recommend for someone on a budget? The absolute max I will spend is $350 and the Maven C.1’s would be my choice but I still need to get a spotting scope and a better rangefinder so a lower price the better. I do like Vortex and thought about the Crossfire HD’s or the Diamondback HD’s but maybe there’s some better options around their price point.

Looking for:
10x42
Brand New, not used (just a preference)
$150-$350

 

[nobody]

Buy the Maven's. Go look through all of @Ryan Avery posts and videos. If I recall correctly, he shared a thread and called them his number 1 recommended bino below $1k. I've compared them directly side-by-side with other optics up to and above $1k, and I agree with him whole-heartedly. If you're on a budget, there's no reason to even consider everything else.

EDIT: Link to thread I'm referencing below. He recommends them for below $500, but says they compete up to around $800. I would personally push that to a grand, but that's just me. for $350, and oftentimes less on fathers day sales, you can't beat them.

The 'BEST' Binoculars

People ask me every week, what is the best binocular for this price range or will you do a podcast on the best binocular. So I want to kind of have a place to steer them to with this post. The fact is no one has any idea what the BEST binocular is for you and the more I hunt with different...

www.rokslide.com

 

[STAGHOUND]

I have a set of vortex diamondback 8x32’s which are around 300 to 350 dollars. I have been using them for a long time now and have had no problems with them.

 

[Hoodie]

Personally I'd skip the spotter (most budget spotters suck) and spend just a little more on binoculars. There are better options than the Vortex for sure.

$300-$400 binos:

Vanguard Endeavor EDII- Incredible edge clarity for it's price point. Solid build quality. Not the brightest.

Theron Questa HD-ED- Company went out of business so this one is only available in 8x42. This is easily the best bino I've ever looked through under $500. Nothing else comes close. Huge FOV with field flatteners that make it sharp all the way to the edge. Very bright. It's $399 on Amazon right now.

The Mavens are also legit. The FOV is a bit tight on them, but their edge clarity is solid. Plenty bright too.


If you get a spotter I wouldn't go with anything less than a Hawke Endurance ED or Athlon Ares. If those are out of the budget I'd skip the scope and add a few hundred bucks to the bino budget. Not a lot you can't do with a good 8x42/10x42 on a tripod.

 

[zacattack]

Meopta has their optika line of binos. I looked really hard at getting a pair, I have one of their scopes and it’s fantastic. I think I found the 10x42s for $300 online.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Give Doug (site sponsor) a call. Tell him your budget and planned uses. He'll be able to steer you in the right direction.

 

[Agross]

Another vote for the mavens. The fov doesn’t bother me at all. I got mine a couple years ago on sale for $280 And love em. I’m actually looking to get another pair.

 

[jmp408]

I'd vote to skip the spotter, as was mentioned in a post above(budget spotters suck). Use the extra $ for your binos.

 

[BugleMeTimber]

I own 3 pairs of Vortex Diambacks now. Two 10x42's and a 12x50. They are really great glass for the price and you don't feel bad about leaving a pair in the truck or boat. I'm pretty hard on optics as I spend months hunting every year and everytime I say I'm gonna buy the razors I end up buying another gun.

 

[nobody]

I have a set of vortex diamondback 8x32’s which are around 300 to 350 dollars. I have been using them for a long time now and have had no problems with them.

If you paid $350 for those Diamondbacks you paid double what they retail for, are you sure they're diamondbacks?

 

[jeremiahosgo]

What binos would you recommend for someone on a budget? The absolute max I will spend is $350 and the Maven C.1’s would be my choice but I still need to get a spotting scope and a better rangefinder so a lower price the better. I do like Vortex and thought about the Crossfire HD’s or the Diamondback HD’s but maybe there’s some better options around their price point.

Looking for:
10x42
Brand New, not used (just a preference)
$150-$350

I am in a similar boat - looking for a good pair of bins for 350 or less. I've talked to a lot of hunter and birder friends about their choices and the Mavenbuilts keep coming up. Audubon wrote up a nice bino review piece with recommendations for a variety of price-range categories. You
might give that a look. https://www.audubon.org/gear/binocular-guide

 

[jeremiahosgo]

I am in a similar boat - looking for a good pair of bins for 350 or less. I've talked to a lot of hunter and birder friends about their choices and the Mavenbuilts keep coming up. Audubon wrote up a nice bino review piece with recommendations for a variety of price-range categories. You
might give that a look. https://www.audubon.org/gear/binocular-guide

I forgot to mention that Vortex glass keeps coming up in these same discussions with friends about their recommended bins, too. And both the Mavens and Vortex appear in multiple of Audubon's gear review recommendation categories, too.

 

[ericacymcdonald]

If you don't need them soon wait for a deal. Check the classifieds on forums regularly, eBay, gear deal forums. Pretty much all my gear came this way, I have brunton epochs 8.5s and zulu7 12s. Both of these are made by kumakara in japan and are right there with the top glass from everyone except swaro zeiss leica. It's made in the same factory as many of the name brands like maven, zeiss conquest, japanese razors, ect but doesn't keep the resale value because the name on the side. Lots of good glass out there without the marketing and you can usually find reviews on bird forums

 

[jeremiahosgo]

If you don't need them soon wait for a deal. Check the classifieds on forums regularly, eBay, gear deal forums. Pretty much all my gear came this way, I have brunton epochs 8.5s and zulu7 12s. Both of these are made by kumakara in japan and are right there with the top glass from everyone except swaro zeiss leica. It's made in the same factory as many of the name brands like maven, zeiss conquest, japanese razors, ect but doesn't keep the resale value because the name on the side. Lots of good glass out there without the marketing and you can usually find reviews on bird forums

Thanks! Granted, Rokslide is the best....aaaaand what are other gear deal forums you recommend?

 

[qwerksc]

Vortex vipers, change yer view, put used glass on yer list, you will not be disappointed.

 

[jeremiahosgo]

Vortex vipers, change yer view, put used glass on yer list, you will not be disappointed.

Thanks. I've liked what I've read on the Vortex Vipers...just don't find (m)any used ones in the <$350 price range of my budget. Looks like the Vortex Diamondbacks are in that price point, though. From all I've read through, it seems like the Maven C1s and Vortex Diamonbacks are both in that $300 range have comparable specs and reviews.

Not sure I could really go wrong with either of them.

 

[Plainsman79]

Another vote for the Mavens-I have the 9x45’s and they’re great. I’m picking up a pair of C1’s for my wife and kids to use this season. As mentioned budget spotters suck. Save your money for a bino upgrade and a solid tripod.

 

[qwerksc]

Thanks. I've liked what I've read on the Vortex Vipers...just don't find (m)any used ones in the <$350 price range of my budget. Looks like the Vortex Diamondbacks are in that price point, though. From all I've read through, it seems like the Maven C1s and Vortex Diamonbacks are both in that $300 range have comparable specs and reviews.

Not sure I could really go wrong with either of them.

I kept my eyes open and picked up a pair for $350 shipped, I been using and beating on em for three seasons now, worth the shopping process. Keep an eye open in the classifieds...all of em!

 

[Michael54]

I bought the c1s and kowa bdii's i sent the c1's back. But the bdii's were $404

 

[ericacymcdonald]

Thanks! Granted, Rokslide is the best....aaaaand what are other gear deal forums you recommend?

This is a good one to keep your eye on https://www.birdforum.net/threads/binocular-bargains.124267/page-219
Also set up an alert on ebay. I just bought the maven cs1 spotter like new in the box for 450 shipped, got my zulu7 new in box for 500