What should I do with my Swarovski bins

[Donutetr]

So I picked up a set of SLC 8x42 a couple months ago when I found out they were being discontinued I absolutely love them. I primarily spend most of my time in the whitetail woods and have found the 8x to be perfect for the majority of my hunting. I have had zero complaints and been 100% satisfied with them.

Fast forward to last month. I was in WY for work and walked into a store and made the big mistake of looking through a set of 8x32 NL's. Went outsides and glassed the mountains for a 10-15 minutes. I didn't have my SLC's with me but at the time I remember thinking that I liked the NL's way more than my SLC's.I wasn't sure if it was in my head or if they were actually that much better. Thankfully they were priced a little high at and didn't want my wife to divorce me so I left it at that.

The week before Christmas I was doing a little last minute shopping online and found what I thought was a great deal on a demo set of EL 8x32's. I pulled the trigger on them and had them in my hands two days after. I really don't get the WOW factor with them like I got when I looked through the NL's and to be completely honest besides the weight I think I like the SLC's more the wife agrees.

Im looking for some advice from some of you folks that spend more time behind glass than I do. I know ultimately its a personal choice but I'm looking for input to be swayed one way or another.

I can sell both sets of bins and pick up a set of 8x32 NL's and hope they are as good as I thought they were when I looked through them and have some cash left over. Option 2 is I can sell one set and throw a little cash on top and pick up a set of 8.5 or 10x42 ELs.

I love the 8x for whitetail hunting but I think the a little more mag would have an advantage in the open country.

what would you do ?

 

[handwerk]

I'd keep one of the 8x's for your whitetail woods, sell the other and get some 10x for your open country.

 

[jaytaylor]

I agree with handwerk, I’d just get another pair for the wide open. I have two old pair of Swaros (more than 20 years old) and they beat every other optic I look through. One pair fits in my chest pocket when archery hunting, the 8x30 size. My ‘regular’ binocs are 10x42 SLC’s. Sometimes I have them on a tripod, but mostly I just carry them when rifle hunting or when scouting. My nephew is getting a pair of the NL’s and we’ll see how they are.

 

[stoneramhunter]

i have used the same 10X42 swarovski binaucs for 30 years a little on the heavy side but come that first part of sunup or late sundown with little light they prove there worth. I mostly hunt sheep and i can say that the optics can make or break a sheep hunt.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

If you want to keep the peace at home and also have glass that works well for both whitetail and western hunting, try out the 8.5x42 EL’s. They are fantastic. I tried about 10 different binos this year and they were my favorite. I ended up with 10x32 NL’s, just because of the extra reach and less weight while sheep hunting.
However if I mainly deer hunted and wasn’t worried about every ounce, I’d probably own the 8.5’s over anything else. The 8 & 10x SLC’s and 10x42 EL’s just didn’t give me an immersive view like the 8.5’s did. You should be able to pick up a new pair for around $1800.


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[handwerk]

I agree, the 8.5x42 EL's are great, when I compared mine to 10x swaro's I saw very little difference except I saw less shake, a very user friendly view.

 

[Middleofnowhere]

I currently run EL12x50s and my wife runs EL10x32. I really like her binoculars. I don’t have the cash right now but am seriously considering adding NL Pures in either 8X or 10x with 32 mm objective.

Leica is supposed to release info on a new 32mm bino today. It might be an interesting way to go as well.

Whatever you decide to do, you have two great pair of binoculars you can easily sell to recoup the $$ for a new purchase.

We live in the SoCal desert and have crazy views all around our house. My wife keeps her binoculars on the kitchen counter and uses them daily. I use my 12s around the house on the tripod at least weekly. For us the money spent is well worth it as the binoculars are used for so much more than just scouting/hunting.

 

[Brooks]

I work for an outfitter and from August through January glass for hours on end. I would sell both 8’s and get the 10x42 EL. I bought a pair of 8.5x42 EL in 2004 for $1400 and sold them in 2019 for $1300.. I bought the 12x50 EL after I sold my 8.5’s and no way would I want them over the 12’s ! Long distance, short distance they are 100% ! Take care of Alpha binos and you will get your money back if you ever sell them.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Here's my two cents.

No single optic is ideal for all hunting scenarios; anyone who tells you otherwise is blowing smoke up your ass. You either have to accept the usage limitations of your existing optics or start to build an optics arsenal. Domestic harmony is an important yet often overlooked consideration.

Keep your SLC 8s for your primary hunting. In the short term, use them on a tripod for when hunting "out west". You'll still be better off than most folks running higher magnification yet cheaper binoculars (some exceptions may apply).

Save your money and buy a quality pair of 12s or 15s for when hunting "out west".

 

[hawkman71]

The fact that yours are being discontinued isn't really of concern, right? Warranty will be honored. If it's simply GAS (gear-acquisition syndrome), I understand.

 

[Donutetr]

The fact that yours are being discontinued isn't really of concern, right? Warranty will be honored. If it's simply GAS (gear-acquisition syndrome), I understand.

No I know Swarovski will cover them should anything happen… I think I’ll sell one of the pairs I have and go for the 10 or 12x.

 

[roosiebull]

You could always sell both and get the 10x42 NL… about the same FOV as your 8’s, but the wow factor of the pures

You have options, you’ll be able to get a good amount of your money back out of the binos you have

If you are selling both to get the NL, you will have compromise somewhere… i personally would be ok with that compromise though

I got the 12X nl’s, and have some 8x slc’s… plan on keeping the 8’s, but if I never swap binos for archery season, I’ll ditch the 8’s… I think I want them but have a feeling they won’t get used… last year I just kept my 10.5x kowa genesis in my harness all year rather than switching to the 8’s for archery season, they worked good enough close up, and I like having the extra magnification when glassing further away…

 

[Iawalleyeguy]

I would sell your SLC's to me and get the NL's it just makes the most sense!

 

[elkguide]

I bought a pair of 10X42 SLCs when I was guiding in Wyoming, where they really did shine. I was concerned that they would be too much glass when I was hunting back in the eastern whitetail woods. I now own both the SLCs and a pair of 10X42 ELs. I don't find them to be too much for my hunting in the whitetail woods. My only question keeps occuring in that some days I think that I see better with the SLCs and some days I like the ELs better.
To my eyes the 10s cover everything well so if I were you, I would sell both 8s and buy a pair of 10s. As to which ones, (SLC vs. EL vs. NL) that decision should be up to your eyes.

 

[Donutetr]

I bought a pair of 10X42 SLCs when I was guiding in Wyoming, where they really did shine. I was concerned that they would be too much glass when I was hunting back in the eastern whitetail woods. I now own both the SLCs and a pair of 10X42 ELs. I don't find them to be too much for my hunting in the whitetail woods. My only question keeps occuring in that some days I think that I see better with the SLCs and some days I like the ELs better.
To my eyes the 10s cover everything well so if I were you, I would sell both 8s and buy a pair of 10s. As to which ones, (SLC vs. EL vs. NL) that decision should be up to your eyes.

I tend to hunt in fairly thick stuff with very tight shooting windows so I have always opted for 8x. But I may try and borrow some 10’s and give them a try.
I have to agree I’ve been comparing my SLC’s and my EL’s and sometimes one looks better and sometimes it’s the other. From what I’ve read they should be the exact same lens with the same coatings. But aside from the field flattening of the EL’s there are other noticiable differences that are very much visible to my eyes depending on the day. I may end up keeping both and buying 10’s outright.

 

[elkguide]

The reason that I was concerned about "seeing" in the thick with 10s came from using a pair of lower quality glass in 10 power but what my eyes see is that with the alpha glass, I'm still seeing clearly.

It is true that the 8s are easier to hold without any movement but I don't tend to find myself trying to focus for a lengthy period while still hunting. I don't know where you are but here in Vermont, we have some pretty nasty stuff and even in the wide open west, I many times find myself in some pretty close, dark timber and I really find the 10s to answer what I didn't see or thought that I saw.