What's your Ulralight Optics Strategy? Just got the Maven 8x30 and loving them

[Trial153]

I don’t why you wouldn’t cut weight and bulk in optics if you can get the same performance in a smaller lighter package.

 

[Wyobohunter]

I ordered my customized 6x30 Mavens the other day. I went with 6 power because I was looking at the interstate from my garage (1.25 miles away) through my 6x rangefinder. Using a sedan as reference I should have no trouble identifying elk at that distance. I’m really not a trophy hunter and I mostly hunt “any elk” seasons. Just finding elk is enough for me. 6x30 keeps my exit pupil at 5mm for better low light performance. Also has a very wide FOV and I have read great depth of field. No shakes either. I’d rather look through lower power less shaky glass. If I need to step up I’ve got my Zeiss 8x40 and my little Leupold 15-30x50 spotter and a very lightweight modified tripod.

The other advantage of lightweight glass is lightweight ways to carry the glass. No bino chest pack thingy or elaborate harness required. I made and tested a simple 550 cord harness with my 8x40… not bad, it’ll be great with the 30mm glass.

I personally don’t understand the obsession with 10 power handhelds. To each his own.

 

[Wyobohunter]

I get the idea but honestly glass is the least place to cut weight in my eyes unless I'm hunting in very thick country such as coastal Washington

The value of distant glassing can't be overstated enough...people get by because they don't know what they don't see

Sure 8s would be perfect for running ridges and calling non stop but what are you gona do if they arnt playing back ?? The more options you have the more successful youl be and I'm out there to kill stuff...not be light or hunt one specific way

Just my thoughts, hope this helps

My thoughts are… There are no sacred cows, not even glass. It’s all about finding the right balance for me. Being very light and mobile is a hunting strategy and does not exclude other strategies. Especially if you only need to find critters and don’t need to see up close detail for judging trophy quality. Lower power glass can cover more country, faster, with brighter views and will appear more stable.

If I add anything 10 power it will be 10x50 for tripod use. IMO 8 power is about the max that is sensible to hand hold and I’d still rather look through my 8’s on a tripod.

I insist on 5mm exit pupil.

 

[Elkangle]

My thoughts are… There are no sacred cows, not even glass. It’s all about finding the right balance for me. Being very light and mobile is a hunting strategy and does not exclude other strategies. Especially if you only need to find critters and don’t need to see up close detail for judging trophy quality. Lower power glass can cover more country, faster, with brighter views and will appear more stable.

If I add anything 10 power it will be 10x50 for tripod use. IMO 8 power is about the max that is sensible to hand hold and I’d still rather look through my 8’s on a tripod.

I insist on 5mm exit pupil.

I just boil everything down to success and putting animals on the ground...self admitted I'm more of a "trophy" hunter but honestly my trophy hunting techniques and meat hunting techniques really aren't that much different...I want to be as efficient as possible in covering as much ground as possible and knowing I'm not over looking animals....with lower powers it's really hard to spot bedded animals (for me) at over 1000 yards...dawn and dusk sure, go for that field of few and cover the feeding area but the other 90% of the day I've found I really gotta pick things apart and that takes magnification & clarity

Just my thoughts, end of the day you gotta do what makes you successful..not me

 

[Wyobohunter]

If we all did the same exact thing we’d be stepping all over one another.