Switching from Swaro slc 15x56 to tract 12.5x50

[Woodman334]

Am I crazy? I’ve had some really good offers on my swaros and I’m debating switching to tract. I run track optics on all my rifles (except one swaro) and I made that switch about a year ago from Schmidt and Bender to tract and haven’t regretted my decision. But now I’m considering switching from my 15 x 56 swaros to Tract 12.5x50. Is this a totally foolish move. I run one set of Bino‘s and no spotting scope. I like to run my kits as light as possible. I hunt a little bit of everywhere from southern Colorado Elk, to Arizona coues deer, Alaska caribou, etc.. Am I making a huge mistake?

 

[Newtosavage]

No. Swaros are great but they aren't the only really, really good glass out there. If your eyes like them, that's all that matters.

Be sure to post your impressions if you do. Those look like a great option for a dedicated pair of truck bins to me.

 

[Woodman334]

No. Swaros are great but they aren't the only really, really good glass out there. If your eyes like them, that's all that matters.

That’s a good point, it’s hard to look past everyone’s lust over the swaros since they are regarded guarded as some of the best. But man the cheapskate side of me looks at the extra cash that could be put towards being out there in the mountains or extra gear that would keep me out there longer

 

[Newtosavage]

That’s a good point, it’s hard to look past everyone’s lust over the swaros since they are regarded guarded as some of the best. But man the cheapskate side of me looks at the extra cash that could be put towards being out there in the mountains or extra gear that would keep me out there longer

It's not just you. Lots of folks think this way too. And for good reason. The contenders are so good anymore that it's hard to pay the premium for the green bins. There aren't that many good binocular manufacturers in the world. Chances are good that if those Tracts are made in Japan, they are coming out of the same plant that makes Mavens and Zeiss Conquest HD's and other really, really good binoculars.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

If it were me i'd find somewhere else to skimp instead of optics. But that's how i like to hunt so i'm using them a lot year round. I bought my swaro ELs used 6 years ago. I could sell them today for the same amount i paid. The moment you buy the Tracts you're losing money if you decide you want to change down the road and probably have hard time finding a buyer. I'm sure they're great but going from alpha to mid tier the distorted edges and smaller FOV bug me especially when I'm glassing 8 hrs a day like on a coues hunt.

 

[Trr15]

I’m not familiar with Tract optics, so I can’t provide any comparison or insight. I would just add that I spend way more time behind my binos than I do behind my scope while hunting. With that said, I’m willing to sacrifice some optical quality in my scope for better/more reliable functionality. Optical quality in my binos is paramount.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

If they work for you, then it does not matter whatever anyone else thinks or says.


While alpha glass is never the wrong answer, they are not necessarily the right answer for all situations.

 

[Browninglover1]

I ran my 12x next to my 15x a little bit this year and if you're not packing a spotter I think the 15x are still a better option over a 12x. Even at 400 yards it was impressive the difference in how easily I could see certain features in the 15x compared to the 12x.

 

[ZackP]

IMO unless you NEED the funds, just keep them. You already have them, and chances are, if you’re like most of us, you have the rest of the off season to save and/or round up other gear you might need.

I’ve been on the fence more than I would like to admit with selling off high end optics. In the end I always come back.

PS if you’re not already running them off a tripod, that would be my first step in your shoes.

 

[idig4au]

Tract? Replacement for S&B? What am I missing as I’ve never heard of Tract

 

[parshal]

Maybe that's why Woodman started the thread?

 

[ZackP]

Tract? Replacement for S&B? What am I missing as I’ve never heard of Tract

They have fantastic glass. Not just at their “price point” either.

They’re highly regarded on the Bird Forums as well.

 

[Woodman334]

Tract? Replacement for S&B? What am I missing as I’ve never heard of Tract

I have been extremely blessed to have a dad who always put high quality rifles & optics in our hands. We always used S&B, swaros, leica, etc. but recently we have Tract a try and man they are great. So good we switched all of rifle optics to them. Price is low, clarity is great, and they are freaking tough!

 

[willfrye027]

Honestly, if you sell the 15s I would save up a little more and get the swaro 12x42 NLs or the 12x50 ELs. I switched from 15s this year and will not be going back. The NLs are incredible and will save you weight and bulk which you’ve said is important. Have not looked through tract but there is just no substitute for top quality glass if you spend a lot of time behind it.

12s are an excellent compromise optically between 15s and 10s…and the NLs really narrow that gap even more. Paired with a good spotting scope you’re not going to miss much.

 

[Spiral Horn]

Been watching the seeming explosion of companies over the past decade or so targeting the mid-grade price-point in the optics market. Cannot blame them, Zeiss Conquest continues with tremendous success, and Cabelas did very well with their past runs of the Euro and Instinct lines made for them by Meopta. To be price competitive or even in some cases undersell the bigger names, some newer companies use a direct marketing approach - Tract is one of them. There are rumors about who makes them, often repeated on blogs and in taverns, but only Tract knows the truth.

I haven’t personally used Tract, but know some aficionados who have and the reports are very positive. IMO Tract, Maven, GPO, MHG, are all very good quality with different +/- in function and design. Just a matter of preferences among this group. The gulf between quality mid-grade and Alpha has diminished but it is certainly still there.

So, do I think a Tract 12x50 will match the optical performance of an SLC 15x56? Even disregarding the difference in magnification, the Tract is a bit overmatched. The 56mm is superior even compared to others within the SLC line. It uses an Abbe-Koenig Prism based optical system, which are superior (in terms of physics) to the standard Schmidt-Pechan Prisms used in other designs. The SLCs are rightly regarded as pretty spectacular with SP prisms, but with AK prisms they are a bit “turbocharged.“ The SLC 15x56 enjoy a sterling reputation for extremely crisp resolution and brightness for a 56mm. The Astro folks love them. The only negatives I’ve ever heard (other than size/weight, which are actually quite good for a 56mm) are glare control compared to the FLs or the somewhat tight FOV - which is mostly because they are 15x.

So, Zack has given some good advice here. Unless money is tight, keep the 15s and buy the Tract. Many times it takes a bit of field time to determine which design is most useful.