Your hunting binoculars??

[Danehunter]

Formerly aI carried a pair of Pentax 8x42 DCF SP, formerly their best binos and still very good.

Now I carry a Bushnell I Mile 10x42 ARC laser range finder binos. Pretty much the same quality as my Pentax but a bit heavier. I absolutely rely on them for scouting and, when I spot game, for rangefinding. I have them set to my cartridge ballistics and MRAD readout to match the MRAD reticles on my scopes. Unfortunately they have no angle compensation (except for archery mode). I chose 10x for western hunting where distances are fairly long.

My dream binoculars are 10x42 Leica HD-B rangefinders. They have sensors for altitude (air pressure), temperature and angle. Plus you can use either Leica's 12 general cartridge ballistics tables to program them, like my Bushnell's. Or take the Micro-SD card out of them, put it in your computer and program it exactly to your rifle's ballistics, put the card back in the binoculars and all you need is windspeed to know hold-off B/C hold over-over is precisely calculated in MOA or MRAD, your choice.

Eric B.

 

[WBecker]

I've been using the Vortex Viper 10X50 binoculars for the last several years now. Excellent quality glass and they don't break the bank. The Vortex life time transferable warranty, is another plus.

 

[Riflehunter1776]

I carry Swaro 8x30 CL's which are crisp and bright enough to cover legal hunting hours. And also small enough to stay out of the way and not bump around like a noisemaker. My kid has a pair of zenrays, which I'm considering replacing. This year we hunted a few days in hard snow and the ZR's kept fogging up.

So I might be looking at the Vortex or Meoptas in the near future.

 

[Danehunter]

Rifle,
I hear you on the 8x30 binos. They are smaller and lighter than my 10x42 and since they are Swarovski the great glass gives you about the same light transmission as my 10x binos.

Look at Nikon for your son. They also have a lifetime warranty on most glass.

Eric B.

 

[Waymore]

Swarovski SLC 10x42's

 

[stx]

Formerly aI carried a pair of Pentax 8x42 DCF SP, formerly their best binos and still very good.

Now I carry a Bushnell I Mile 10x42 ARC laser range finder binos. Pretty much the same quality as my Pentax but a bit heavier. I absolutely rely on them for scouting and, when I spot game, for rangefinding. I have them set to my cartridge ballistics and MRAD readout to match the MRAD reticles on my scopes. Unfortunately they have no angle compensation (except for archery mode). I chose 10x for western hunting where distances are fairly long.

My dream binoculars are 10x42 Leica HD-B rangefinders. They have sensors for altitude (air pressure), temperature and angle. Plus you can use either Leica's 12 general cartridge ballistics tables to program them, like my Bushnell's. Or take the Micro-SD card out of them, put it in your computer and program it exactly to your rifle's ballistics, put the card back in the binoculars and all you need is windspeed to know hold-off B/C hold over-over is precisely calculated in MOA or MRAD, your choice.

Eric B.

I plan on having a pair of Leica HD-Bs before next season! Great reviews!

 

[ARSHUTR]

My dream binoculars are 10x42 Leica HD-B rangefinders. They have sensors for altitude (air pressure), temperature and angle. Plus you can use either Leica's 12 general cartridge ballistics tables to program them, like my Bushnell's. Or take the Micro-SD card out of them, put it in your computer and program it exactly to your rifle's ballistics, put the card back in the binoculars and all you need is windspeed to know hold-off B/C hold over-over is precisely calculated in MOA or MRAD, your choice.

I plan on having a pair of Leica HD-Bs before next season! Great reviews!

You won't be disappointed! I used my HD-B's for the first time this elk season and they are worth every penny. Ranged animals out to 2K+.....not that I'll be shooting that far. But it's nice to know you have the capability to range at shooting distances instantly and accurately. Plus the glass is wonderful for a RF-Bino. No regrets and I found them for a great price.....

 

[Steel Rain]

Swarovski SLC 10x42's

Same. They work great free hand and even better off of the tripod. Wish I had a 15X set to go with them.

 

[Waymore]

15's would be awesome along with 10's. Sometimes 10's aren't enough but you don't want to use the spotter

 

[Riflehunter1776]

Rifle,
I hear you on the 8x30 binos. They are smaller and lighter than my 10x42 and since they are Swarovski the great glass gives you about the same light transmission as my 10x binos.

Look at Nikon for your son. They also have a lifetime warranty on most glass.

Eric B.

After posting this last night, I started looking around the internet and found a good deal on the Meopro HD; I did a little research and saw many positive comparisons, so I went for them. The top line Vortex and the Kowa Genesis also looked interesting, but were far more expensive. My daughter has an older zeiss on her rifle, so these should match up well with that. I'll have to do the comparisons when these arrive.

 

[BHC]

Sightron, good glass and not too bad on price.

 

[ssssnake529]

I had a pair of the Leica HD-B 2200 edition binoculars. They had one fatal flaw, and that is they stopped working in temperatures below freezing. Optical quality was amazing (every bit as good as my Swaro 10x50 ELs.) The ballistics software was a bit clunky and not very user friendly, but with some work, it provided very good ballistics solutions with custom curves. So, when they worked, they were terrific, but I really got sick of losing the ranging function in cold temperatures. (Not a battery issue, even with a fresh, warm battery, it was a problem.)

I lost them on my last hunt. I replaced them with a pair of Zeiss 8x32 Victory binos and a Sig Kilo 2400. The 8x32 binos are about 1/2 the weight of the Leica HD-B and the Sig 2400 is a better rangefinder (even in warm weather.)

Have not used this new set up for actual hunting yet, but I've got a Javalina hunt coming up in February, so we'll see how it goes.

My dream binoculars are 10x42 Leica HD-B rangefinders. They have sensors for altitude (air pressure), temperature and angle. Plus you can use either Leica's 12 general cartridge ballistics tables to program them, like my Bushnell's. Or take the Micro-SD card out of them, put it in your computer and program it exactly to your rifle's ballistics, put the card back in the binoculars and all you need is windspeed to know hold-off B/C hold over-over is precisely calculated in MOA or MRAD, your choice.

Eric B.

 

[Viper6]

I hear ya about the 10x30 binos being lighter. I use the 10x42 binos that provides me with a perfect set up along with my spotting scope.

 

[ssssnake529]

I picked up a lightweight spotting scope (Kowa 15-45 x 50mm Prominar) and have been taking it on hikes. It may be light enough that I actually take it hunting with me instead of leaving it home like my heavy spotting scopes.

I hear ya about the 10x30 binos being lighter. I use the 10x42 binos that provides me with a perfect set up along with my spotting scope.