best range finding binoculars

[DSMITH1651]

Thinking that a pair will remove one step in the shot process. I would also like to cary one less thing in the field.
So what ones should I be looking at and why?
Thanks
Duane

 

[rharfo]

Read a good test in Petersons Hunting last year. Leica was the winner with the Bushnell at the bottom. I bought the Swarovski. I have a few Swarovski scopes and think the quality of the glass is top notch. I played with all the brands at the Harrisburg outdoor show. I didn't need the Leica ballistic app.

I also found that it was a pain to drop the bino to use the rangefinder. It's so easy to watch a animal, call the yardage and watch your kid smoke it. Just sayin.

I got mine at a discount demo price from riflescopes.com paid 2625 shipped. They appear to be brand new. All paperwork and box came with.

Good luck.

 

[trazman]

I use Leica geovid 8x56 and I love it! It is really rugged, optics are one of the best you can find and you get reliable measuring out to 1300y...

 

[gebhardt02]

I use the Zeiss 10X45 RF binocular. Easily gets me distances to 1K and with a few attempts have ranged to past 1600 with them. Optics are superb and the laser is really good.

Geb

 

[Chopperguy]

I've been using Leica Geovids, 10x42, since they came out. They've hunted 4 continents, mountains, swamps, desert and rain forests. Still going strong. (My wwife has them now.)

Leica has sent me a couple lens covers over the years. It's the weakest part of their system. A call to them always has new one in the mail for free.

Last year some of the armor wsa starting to come loose. Again, great customer service. I sent them in, all fixed up and even complete check up and no charges to me.

You can still get 10x model without ballistic program. It's about $500 less than the new ones with ballistic programming capabilities. However, the non ballistic new models DO have an angle measuring capability. That's a feature that is worth it for me.

I have run my Leicas next to hunting partners with other models. I seem to get more consistent and capable ranging under more conditions than they have. Leica is supposed to have a beam dispersion that is narrower and better able to distinguish targets better.

My experience and observations do confirm that in my experience. I made the plunge into the new HDS-B last fall. Used them all hunting season from MN woods to the prairies and mountains of WY, CO & NM. VERY happy with them. I do need to figure out the ballistics eventually. For now, I use the range, angle, pressure and temp feature with my data cards. Works well for me.