Swarovki Binoculars

[dwm]

Are they cheaper if you buy them in Germany?

Are there import restrictions, taxes, or tarrifs if purchased in Germany and hand carried back to the US?

Which do you recommend, the 10x42 EL or the 10x42 SLC and why?

Thanks, I may know someone that is going to Germany soon and might be willing to pick me up a pair.

Doug

 

[preacherman]

Doug... don't know about "Germany" thing... but I prefer the "EL" model... much lighter & "possibly" superior lens coatings etc, though I'm not sure about that... also, there's no such thing as a bad pair of Swaros... hope this helps... Larry

 

[uncleB]

dwm,
I dont know if they are cheaper in Germany,Swaro is actualy made in Austria.
I have owned a pair of 10x42 SLC's for years ,last year I sold them and bought the 10x42 EL's after spending countless hours looking through both I dont think the EL's are worth the extra money.
UB
p.s.the EL's are a little lighter but not enough to worry about. I like the focus wheel better on the SLC's

 

[MagMan]

dwm, If your looking at the SLC's be sure to check out the Cabelas Euro binoculars. I originally wanted the Swarovski's, but when I put the two side by side (indoor and outdoor) I couldn't justify the extra $300. Everything appeared to be identical to the SLC's.

 

[älg]

If the guy buying the binos is a non EU resident he may have a chance to recover VAT at the airport or even later, but i don´t know how they work this out specifically in Germany. Best thing is that he asks wherever he is buying them. Just bear in mind thah when they are exported to the US there´s no VAT either; a different thing are the taxes that the US and whichever state they are sold in may charge on top of the base price.

I´d suggest he checks a place to buy them before going, unless he plans to spend a good deal of days there.

The new Swarovs as UNcle B says are lighter, not too much diference in quality in my opinion, and you may find a bargain in the older SLC model.

I´d also think about the 8 x30 ´s , depending on the use you are going to give them.

 

[Brown Dog]

I have the 10x42 ELs. Awesome. If you get the SLCs, you'll spend the next few years wondering whether you should have gone for the ELs..... 'buy the best, cry once' applies here!

 

[uncleB]

magman,
while the Cabela's Euro bino's are very good for a mid-priced bino (they are made in the Czech Republic by Meopta)
but suggesting that they are identical to the SLC's is a bit TOO big of a stretch,they are actualy more than $500 cheaper than the swaro's though.
UB

 

[Michael Eichele]

[ QUOTE ]
I have the 10x42 ELs. Awesome. If you get the SLCs, you'll spend the next few years wondering whether you should have gone for the ELs..... 'buy the best, cry once' applies here!


[/ QUOTE ]


Ditto!

Wouldnt trade my 10x42 EL's for any other. Way brighter and clearer.

Also, if you get imports you will not have near as good a warrenty as if you bought direct from the US of A. US repair centers have a MUCH better warrenty policy and will even loan you a pair if yours ever need to be sent back to Europe for repairs.

 

[uncleB]

[ QUOTE ]
I have the 10x42 ELs. Awesome. If you get the SLCs, you'll spend the next few years wondering whether you should have gone for the ELs..... 'buy the best, cry once' applies here!

[/ QUOTE ]
Brown Dog,
that is exactly what I did (only when I bought my SLC's they didn't make the EL's yet) so when they came out I had to have a pair of EL's ,yes they are awesome but to me I dont know if they are $500 more awesome than the SLC's they replaced that were also awesome.
UB

 

[MagMan]

uncleB, [ QUOTE ]
suggesting that they are identical to the SLC's is a bit TOO big of a stretch

[/ QUOTE ] Your right I probably should have said something like they are very similar. Or perhaps that it would have been like taking the Pepsi Challenge.

[ QUOTE ]
they are actualy more than $500 cheaper than the swaro's though.

[/ QUOTE ]
I may need some help with my math $1050 - $800 = $250 not $500 (I thought I would go a little high and say $300.)

I never said I would buy Swarovskis at Cabela's. I wouldn't spent $250 or even $500 more because I seen no difference. Just my OPINION.

 

[col48]

I'M THE SAME AS YOU MAGMAN
i have a set of Leupold pinnacles,and have tested them side by side with a set of swors and i will not be spending the difference on them.
i paid £250 for the Leupold's and my m8 paid £882 for the 8.5 x 42 they are better but not £600 better.

 

[uncleB]

MagMan,
I was just going from cabela's prices, the EURO's that you like are $799 the 10x42 SLC's are $1329 that is $530 .have not seen them for $1050 in quite some time. sorry you got your undies in a wad over it.
UB

 

[WunderDog]

To address the original question - if you buy items of over a certain cost in the EU (and Swaro ELs certainly qualify) then you can get the tax returned to you when you leave by showing your non-EU passport and the item to prove it is leaving the EU. This can usually be done in the airport when leaving - at least in the Netherlands where I have done it most often. The first problem with this, is that US Customs requires that you pay duty on items purchased out of the country. If you get caught not claiming something that you should have paid duty on, you will pay fines and could have the item confiscated. In addition, I most often bought things in Europe a few years ago when the exchange rate was great for us to go over there. Now our dollar is so weak that often there is little if any advantage in terms of price.