I’ll bring this up now because I have just gone through the process of choosing a new set of binoculars to be used exclusively in the truck and the Ranger.  You know what I mean, you’re driving along and you stop to check something out that “doesn’t look right” and find out that it is a rock so you throw the glasses back up on the dash and continue on only to do it again in a couple hundred yards.  These binocculars need to be good, solid general purpose models that can take some abuse but are not so nice that you break down and cry when they slide off the hood and hit the ground.  They also serve as a back up if the unthinkable happens to your expensive set.

There is general agreement around here on the importance of binoculars but I find that the discussions about them fall into two types.  One involves almost no mention of numbers except price and usually results in buying the same kind your buddy has because they are just like his.  The other is a knock down, drag out argument between would be Nobel laureates who know everything about optics and have very strong opinions about what represents the best in class.  I have two such geniuses in my crew.

There are a lot of numbers involved in choosing the right glasses and then there is the huge swing in prices.  A good rule of thumb is to go with a name brand because as anyone who has ever spent a couple of hours or more behind bad glass will tell you, nothing is worse than a headache caused from misalignment or poor lens quality.  Go to Eagle Optics, Cabelas, Bass Pro Shop or The Outdoorsmans and look at Zeiss, Leica, Swarovski, Pentax, Nikon or maybe even Bushnell (their Elite series).  You are just going to have to take my word for this, good glass is better then mediocre glass and good glass is expensive.  But, when you get into the high end stuff, say from Leica, Swarovski and Zeiss, their comparable models are so good that the choice really becomes one of personal preference, individual eyesight and facial structure issues.  What follows is what I like based on what I use, what my guys use and what the guys at Chappell and Scott Guide Service use.  Between the bunch of us we either own or have used extensively every top binocular and spotting scope on the market for the past 15 years.  And that is why you came here, right, for advice from people who know and do and don’t care about anything but performance. 

Swarovski 15x56 SLCnew
For “big eyes” you just can’t do much better than these in terms of everything that is important when choosing a top notch set of optics; clarity, contrast, brightness, sharpness and design are all best in class.  Unless you have some sort of anatomical thing that keeps you from a good fit, these are the top dog. 

Leica Duovid 10 to 15x50
This is my personal choice because 14 years of throwing my pack into light, single engine rescue helicopters and flying to the tops of mountains has made me a devout ounce counter.  However, I am also a Coues deer hunter so for a long time I had to carry to two  (three if you count my riflescope) pieces of glass.  Good Coues deer and sheep hunters spend hours glassing up and judging the game.  The masochists, the truly hardcore of these will carry a small pair of binos around their neck for glassing on the move, a high end pair of 12 or 15s in their pack on a tripod and then a 20x80 spotting scope to get up close and personal.  For me, the Duovids were a godsend because they killed two birds with one stone.
 

The Duovids are variable power units that go from a clear, bright and hand holdable 10 power to a detailed, sharp and crisp 15 power tripod set up with two quick turns and no refocusing.  You can study the specifics for yourself but they have all the bells and whistles including being armored, waterproof and fully adjustable.  They are a little heavy but much lighter than carrying two pair of binoculars.  I have owned both the big Zeiss and Swaros and I just prefer the Leicas better.  Here is a great example why.  A couple of years ago I ended up sitting next to a couple of Scottsdale’s finest outside of Rye, Arizona during a rainstorm as the sun was setting.  They were both using Swarovski 10x42ELs, which are a very fine set of glasses.  We sat side by side hunkered behind our tripods and watched a nice Coues buck trailing a doe.  As it got darker they lost the buck but I was able to watch it for maybe another 10 minutes longer. That is not big deal I know but it proved to me, and them, that these were outstanding glasses worthy of a place in my pack and on my list based on performance, innovation and value.

Swarovski 10x42 EL
Significantly smaller and a whole lot lighter than the Leica Duovids, these advanced design binoculars are generally accepted as the best all around glasses by my crew.  When we are all together on scouting trips and there are virtually every major make and model to choose from, guys just naturally gravitate to these.  They are light, bright, clear, handy and show a great deal of detail.  If money is not an issue, you gotta have a set of these, but you will also need a set of big dogs or a spotting scope to really reach out and touch something. 

Nikon 10x56 Monarch PC ATB
These are the glasses I have chosen for use in the truck and my off road ride, the Ranger.  They are nice but not too nice to use hard.  If these had 42mm or 50mm objectives it might be a tougher choice but at 56mm these really let in a lot of light (an exit pupil of 5.6).  These are also available in a 12x56 which is a really nice set up for use on a tripod.  My brother, the king of hunting optics and game spotting, has been mulling over the idea of going to a 12 power as his primary for some time.  His reasoning is that they are a little smaller and lighter, his exit pupil goes up, and he gains something like 40 feet of field of view.  He is looking at the Leica Ultravid 12x50BR.  This is a big deal for him since he has been a hardcore Zeiss fan for a long time.  You could buy 5 pair of the Nikon for the price that you will pay for the Leicas.  I am not sure what it says about the company I keep but most of the guys I know would pay for the Leicas.

Pentax DCF ED 10x50
Top of the line for Pentax, but in the middle of the price spectrum.  They are a very solid set of binos that pack a lot of punch.  You get a lot of value from Pentax and they have a pretty loyal following.  10x50 has been a classic set up for a very long time if you are going to have just one set of glasses.  I like these but don’t use them much simply because I have too many others to chose from, a nice problem to have I know.

Leica Televid 62mm APO Straight Armored Spotting Scope-Zoom
So you need moe powa?  With variable magnification of 16 to 48 and a 62mm objective this is a big gun in a compact package.  If you need the power and range of a spotting scope this rig delivers a superb picture and is pretty easy to use.  This is the one that we like best.
     

So that is the list of what I consider to be great optics.  Just make sure that you have a chance to spend a little time with them before you pull the trigger.  Like I said before, there is a lot of personal preference involved here.  Good luck.  My next blog is going to cover tripod and mounts so stay tuned.

Thanks.

Wade Nelson
Editor

Sorting through the fads and fashion of the outdoor equipment industry to identify and promote the very best wilderness gear for high end recreational users, backcountry professionals and government agencies.

Hardcore Outdoor is dedicated to those that can't or won't turn back.