Binoculars?

[Code-Man]

So I got a gift card from my dad for Scheels and I decided I was finally going to get a pair of binoculars that would be impressed with but not break the bank. I looked at a few but the salesmen pretty much suggested on pair of binoculars and they were 350+ dollars. Granted they were really nice I was hoping 150-250 dollar price range. I bow hunt about 80-85% of the time so don't need to see 1 mile but would like to get a pair that wouldn't be 20 lbs hanging around my neck.

Does anyone have some suggestions or recommendations? I do like the smaller styles and granted I know they cost a few more then the bigger ones but 350 dollars for a pair of binoculars? I would really like 150-250 dollar range and brand is not a big deal I'm just looking for something to start looking at.

Thanks

[DonBo]

I have a pair of the bigger 10x40 $300+ Nikons and they are nice, but for bowhunting I always grab my 10x25 Nikons that were not much over $100. Absolutely love them! They are small enough to put in a pocket, brite enough for legal bowhunting light and weigh very little. Did I mention I love them? If/when they break, or I lose them, I won't hesitate for a second to buy another pair just like 'em.

[propster]

Optics are really one product where you can get what you pay for. You'll never find anything with truly great glass for under $500, but you can still get a very servicable pair for somewhere south of that. Most the major brands such as Nikon, Leupold, even Bushnell will offer decent stuff in the price range you're looking at, but you won't be able to get into Zeiss, Leica, or Swarovski. I'd pay more attention to the type of binocular you get. By that I mean size, magnification, etc. Pay attention to the exit pupil, which is the objective lens divided by the magnification. The higher the exit pupil the brighter and more light gathering capability you have, all else being equal. So a 7x50 is better at dawn and dusk than a 7x42. But they're also bigger, so you've got to weigh the pros and cons. For treestand hunting, while it might be nice to be able to slip a smaller pair out of your pocket and not have to lug bigger ones around, do yourself a favor and go for something in the 7x42 or 8x40 class if you can. You'll appreciate the clarity and ability to see when it gets dim. But that's only my opinion. It's the same with all gear - a $200 bow does pretty much the same things as a $700 bow, just not as well usually.

[newfish]

one thing to do is look at a few different brands and few different price ranges. Ask yourself, how durable is this, what is their customer service like, clarity of the glass, how will it work in low light, weight vs size, and overall quality of the binocs. Also, is the price your looking at worth it for that piece of equipment. Cabelas has a good buyer guide to read on the different features in glasses and on the terminology. Or just do an internet search for binoculars and you should find some sites on what to look for when selecting a set.

For me after looking at many different brands and price ranges, I picked the Nikon Trailblazers 8x42 and could not be happier with them. I do a lot of bowhunting too. The Trailblazers perfromed well in low light, close ranges and long distances too. They didn't feel like a cinder block hanging around my neck. All around a great set of glasses. They were right around 150 and to me they see as clear as the monarchs are, which their price range is in the 300s.

I picked Nikon for their durability, quality and customer service. To give you an idea, my dad had a pair of Nikon's that had one of the eye pieces broke on it. He sent them in and Nikon gave him a new set of his binocs because they couldn't fix it. No questions asked, didn't cost him anything. His binocs were 4-5 years old and had a lot of use on them.

Good luck and happy hunting.